CHARACTERS OF TRIBES AND GENERA. 285 



160. PELL2EA, Link. (1841). 

 Hook. Sp. Fil. ; Pteris, Clieilanihus and Allosorus sp. auct. 



Vernation fasciculate, erect or decumbent, acaulose. 

 Fronds deltoid lobed, pinnate or bi-tripinnate, one to two 

 or more feet in height, smooth, castaneous or glaucous, 

 pinnules articulate with the rachis, or to a short adherent 

 petiole. Feins forked ; venules free. Receptacles terminal, 

 the sporangia becoming laterally confluent, forming a con- 

 tinuous transverse marginal sorus, included under a reflexed 

 membraneous indusium. 



Type. Pteris Tiastata, Sw. 



Illust. Hook, and Bauer Gen. Fil., t. 5; Hook. Fil. 

 Exot., t. 15 ; J. Sm. Ferns, Brit, and For., fig. 91. 



OBS. This genus as here restricted consists of about 

 twenty or thirty species, which are widely spread over the 

 tropics and sub-tropical regions of both hemispheres, with 

 the exception of P. geranicefolia ; the species of the Eastern 

 and Western hemispheres are respectively distinct. 



At page 278 I have stated that it is more on account of 

 habit and texture that has induced me to place this genus 

 under Cheilanthece, than under the tribe Pteritfece. In some 

 species originally placed under Pellcea, the sporangia occupy 

 a portion of the upper part of the venules, forming short 

 linear sori, in such cases the apices of venules being free 

 and not connected in a transverse receptacle as in true 

 Pteris ; consequently the inflexed margin cannot be viewed 

 otherwise than as an universal indusium analogous to 

 Allosorus. 



* SPECIES OP THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE. 

 Sp. P. geraniaefolia, Fee (v v.) ; P. Tamburii, Hook. ; P. 

 auriculata, Link. ; P. deltoidea, Baker ; P. Doniana, Hook. ; 

 P. hastata, Link, (v v.) ; P. Boivini, Hook ; P. consobrina, 



