CxiV. GENEBA OP FERNS : 



palmato -partite or pinnate; the pinnae sometimes articulated. 

 Rhizome csespitose. This genus is distinguished from Lygodium 

 by its reticulated venation. 



Ex. H. scandens, Presl. \ H. madagascariense, Pair. 



H. heterodoxum (Lygodium, JEzeJ 



2 



(a) Fructifications paniculate on special contracted pinn&form 

 appendages. 



160. SCHIZ^A, Smith, Mem. Acad. Turin. v. 419. 



RIPIDIUM, BemKardi; LOPHIDIUM, Richard; AcnifOSTACHTS, Wallich ; 

 J!KLVISI.H sp., Mirbel; AcEOSTiCHi sp., Auct.; OsHUJTD* sp., Auct. 



Fructifications paniculate ; the spore-cases borne on the inner 

 face of contracted fertile crests or appendages, which are digitate- 

 pinnate or pectinato-pinnate, erect or incurved, and more or less 

 connivent. Spore-cases bluntly ovate, having a many-rayed apical 

 ring; sessile, arranged in one or two series on each side the 

 costa of the linear segments or pinnse of the appendages. Veins 

 reduced to the costa, or flabellato-dichotomous ; the venules ex- 

 current in the apical teeth. 



Fronds simple, bearing (when fertile) a pectinate or digitate 

 crest of crowded terminal resupinate pinnse ; or flabellate or 

 dichotomously multi-partite, bearing the fertile crests on the 

 apex of the segments. Rhizome csespitosely creeping. Of this 

 curious genus there are three rather dissimilar groups, but they 

 do not appear to present differences of generic value. Indeed, 

 the Lophidiwm, perhaps, hardly affords a valid sectional dis- 

 tinction in the dichotomous or flabellate condition of the 

 fronds. 



Ripidium. Panicle pectinato-pinnate on the simple or forked stipes ; 



spore-cases bi-serial. 

 Ex. : S. bifida, Willd. \ 8. australis, Gaud. 



S. pectinata, Sm. \ S. pusilla, Purth. 



Lophidium. Panicle pectinato-pinnate on the flabellifonn more or less 



dichotomous fronds ; spore-cases bi-serial. 

 Ex. : S. elegans, Sm. \ S. dichotoma, Sm. 



Actinoitachyi. Panicle digitato-pinnate ; spore-cases quadri-serial. 

 Ex. : S. digitata, Sv. \ S. pennula, Sw. 



