CXLIII. riLICES. 461 



SuBOKDER 1. Gleichenieae. 



Vernation circinate. Sori dorsal, of a few, generally 4-8, 

 large, sessile capsules, without an involucre, having a broad, 

 transverse, complete ring and a slit across the top. 

 1. GLEICHENIA, Smith. 



The only genus, represented in Cape colony by 2 species, 

 1 belonging to the subgenus Eugleichenia, which has very 

 small, rounded or oblong lobes, and sori terminal on the veins 

 and the other to Mecosorus {Mertensia, Willd. not Eoth), with 

 linear segments arranged like the teeth of a comb, and son on 

 the back or at the forking of the veins. Texture always more 

 or less coriaceous or chartaceous. — Fappe and Bawson,p. 10 ; 

 Hook, and Baker, Si/n. ML p. 11. 



Suborder 2. Cyatheeae. 



Vernation circinate. Trunk woody, sometimes attaining a 

 height of 80 feet. Sori dorsal, of numerous capsules, which 

 are sessile or nearly so, have a broad, slightly excentric, nearly 

 or quite complete ring and slit down the side. 



2. CYATHEA, Smith. 



Sori at first enclosed in a complete cup, which opens at the 

 apex and is either truncate at the mouth or breaks away m 

 various modes.— Pa/?/? e and Baivson,p. 11; Hook, and Baker, 

 Sijn. Ml. p. 16. 



Yernatioii always simple, the fronds usually Tery large and 3- or 4-pinna- 

 tifid.— 1 South African species, confined to Caffrana and Natal. 



3. HEMITELIA, E. Br. 



Involucre a depressed half-cup, generally lohed.—Pappeand 

 Bawson,p. 11 (Alsophila) ; Hook, and Baker, Syn. Flip. 27. 



The sint^le Cape species is like Ah opiiila and Ci/atJiea in veiuing and 

 general habit, and has a curious geographical distribution, bemg found also 

 in Java and Brazil. It produces curiously-modified pmnse with capillary 

 segments from the base of the stipe, which have been described as a species 

 oiTrichomanes. Several of tlie South American have much larger divi- 

 sions, and groups of veins connected at the base. 



Suborder 3. Polyp odieae. 



Vernation circinate, the trunk woody in a few species of 

 Bicksonia, none of which occur in the Cape colonies ; the cap- 

 sules stalked and furnished with an incomplete vertical ring, 

 bursting on the side, placed on the back of the leafy part ol the 

 frond, except in the tribe RymenophyUea. 



