CHARACTERS OF TRIBES AND GENERA. 107 



t. 5. DRYNARLE. 



22. DRYNARIA, Sory. (1825). 

 PTiymatodes, Presl ; Polypodium sp., auct. ; Hook. Sp. Fil. 



Surculum short, thick, and fleshy. Fronds rigid, the 

 sterile (when present) sessile, broad cordate, sinuose, or 

 laciniated ; the fertile stipitate or sessile, pinnatifid or 

 pinnate, rarely simple, the segments articulated with the 

 rachis ; when sessile, the base is dilated similar in form to 

 the sterile frond. Veins external, elevated, compound 

 anastomosing, forming quadrate or hexagonal areoles. 

 Primary veins costseform or obsolete. Receptacles compital. 

 Sori round, small, numerous, and irregular, or transversely 

 or obliquely serial, sometimes confluent, forming a linear 

 BOrus between the costaeform veins. 



Type. Polypodium quercifolium, Linn. 



Illust. Hook. Gard. Ferns, t. 1 and 31 ; Fil. Exot., t. 13 ; 

 Moore, Tnd. Fil., p. 63, A ; J. Sm. Ferns, Brit, and 

 For., fig. 28. 



OBS. This is a well-marked and distinct genus of Ferns, 

 its typical representative being the well-known Polypodium 

 quercifolium of Linnaeus, which receives its specific name 

 from the fanciful likeness of the sterile frond to the leaf of 

 the common oak. In some species, however, it is much 

 larger, even to a foot in length, oblong cordate, entire 

 sinuose or deeply laciniated, and of a firm woody texture. 



This genus consists of about nine known species, widely 

 distributed over the Eastern hemisphere, in Mauritius, 

 Ceylon, India, China, Malayan, Philippine and Tropical 

 Polynesian Islands, and Australia. 



In general they are epiphytal, their large broad fronds 

 imparting a special character to the trees on which they 

 grow. 



