150 CHARACTERS OF TRIBES AND GENERA. 



64. HEMIONITIS, Linn., in part. 



Hemionitis, Acrostichum, and Gymnogramma, sp. Hook. 

 Sp. Fil. 



Vernation erect or sub-decumbent, acaulose. Fronds 

 simple, cordate, palmate or pinnate, smooth, villose or 

 squamose, 6 to 12 inches in height. Feins uniform, reti- 

 culate ; in some the venules free next the margin. Sporangia 

 occupying the whole of the venation, forming reticulate, 

 often confluent, superficial sori. 



Type. Hemionitis palmata, Linn. 



Illust. Hook, and Bauer, Gen. Fil., t. 74 B. ; Hook. Ex. 

 Fil., t. 33 ; Moore Ind. Fil., p. 45, B ; J. Sm. Ferns, 

 Brit, and For., fig. 54 ; Hook. Syn. Fil., t. 6, fig. 59, A. 



OBS. The type of this genus is the well-known Hemionitis 

 palmata of Linnaeus, to which several other species have 

 been added. Four of these possess the same general habit 

 as the type ; but this cannot be said of H.cordata, H.vestita, 

 and H. Muelleri, which, although I retain them as sections 

 of Hemionitis, are nevertheless almost worthy of being 

 regarded as types of distinct genera. 



* Hemionitis vera. 



Fronds palmate or lobed, pinnatifid or sub-pinnate, villose. 



H. hedersefolia, /. Sm. (Hook. Syn. Fil.) ; H. palmata 

 (Linn.) (v v.) ; H. podophylla (Hook.) (v v.) (H. pedata, 

 J. Sm.non Sw.) ; H.pinnatifida, Baker ; H. pinnata, /. Sm. 

 (Hook. Syn. Fil.) 



Natives of the West Indies and parts of Tropical 

 America. 



** Sericonitis. 



Caudex decumbent, sub-sarmentose, short. Fronds con- 

 tiguous, pinnate, 6 to 14 inches long ; pinnae, contiguous, 1 to 



