solitary on the anterior side of the venules, attached sideways ; 

 oval, resupinate, sessile or very shortly pedicellate, having a 

 many-rayed apical ring. Veins forked, often repeatedly, from a 

 central costa ; venules free ; in the fertile spikelets pinnate, the 

 veinlets sporangiferous on the anterior side. 



Fronds branched, the rachis scandent ; branches usually conju- 

 gate, variously digitato- or palmato-partite or pinnatifid, or pin- 

 nate, the pinnae sometimes articulated and deciduous. Rhizome 

 csespitose or creeping. A beautiful group of scandent ferns. 

 The name Lygodium, was first published by Swartz in Schrader's 

 Journal for 1800. Wiildenow's name Hydroglossum, intended 

 for the same group, is always referred back to the Transactions 

 of the Erfurt Academy for 1802. It is, however, quoted by 

 Bernhardi in a paper coeval in date (1800) with the original text 

 of Swartz. Though it is, therefore, probable we have no means 

 of certifying the prior publication of Willdenow's name, and 

 hence retain that of Swartz, which has obtained general accep- 

 tance, reserving that of Willdenow, as Presl has done, for the 

 next genus, which includes one of Willdenow's species. 



Ex. : L. diehotomum, Sw. 

 L. japonicum, Sic. 

 L. venustum, Sw. 

 L. palmatum, Sic. 



L. volubile, Sw. 



L. scandens, Sw. 



L. semibipinnatum, R.Sr. 



L. articulatum, Sieh. and Lees. 



(b) Veins reticulated. 



159. HYDRO G-LOSSUM, Willdenow, Act. Acad. Erf ord. 

 1802, 13 (reduct.); Presl, Supp. Tent. Pter. 112. 



LYGODICTYON', J. Smith ; LTGODII sp., Auct. 



Fructifications forming compressed distichous spikelets, ex- 

 serted on the marginal teeth. Spore-cases included beneath ovate 

 cucullate imbricated persistent scariose bractiform indusia, soli- 

 tary on the anterior side of the venules, attached sideways; 

 oval, resupinate, sessile or very shortly pedicellate, having a 

 many-rayed apical ring. Veins forked, from a central costa ; 

 venules anastomosing in from two to four series of unequal 

 oblique-elongated hexagonal areoles. 



Fronds branched, the rachis scandent ; branches conjugate, 



