CHARACTERS OF TRIBES AND GENERA. 299 



OBS. These three, with their numerous intermediate 

 forms, many of which are described as species by different 

 authors, may be viewed as the most abundant of Ferns on 

 the earth, being- found in all temperate and tropical regions, 

 and occupying vast tracts of plane and mountain slope. 



** Sarmentum epigeous, paleaceous, sub-scandent. 



A. glutinosa, /. Sm. (Pteris glutinosa, Wiles. Herb. ; P. 

 scalaris Moritz., Herb. Hook. Sp. Fil. ; P. viscosa, Hook. 

 Syn. Fil. ; Pcesia viscosa, St. Hil, according to Moore). 



OBS. Specimens of this Fern came into my possession 

 about forty years ago, which had been collected in Jamaica 

 by James Wiles, about the beginning of the present cen- 

 tury, and named by him Pteris glutinosa. It is also a native 

 of Venezuela and Peru. 



0. scaberula (Rich.) (P. microphylla, A. Cunn.) 



Native of New Zealand. 



The sarmentose vernation of this species agrees with the 

 preceding, but it has no trace of an interior indusium ; the 

 fertile segments are very small, with the opposite sori 

 confluent, similar to Onychium. 



0. rugulosa, Lab. Sert. New Caledonia, t. 8. 



Tribe 22. BLECHNE^]. (Plate 22). 



Vernation sarmentose, fasciculate, acaulose, or rarely sub- 

 arborescent. Fertile fronds plane or contracted, rachiform. 

 Sori transverse, oblong or linear, continuous, medial or 

 costal. Indusium lateral exteriorly attached, inwardly 

 indexed, plane or vaulted (absent in Brainea). 



OBS. In the "Species Filicum" 107 species are described 

 as belonging to this Tribe, the greater number being 

 contained in the genera Blechnum and Lomaria. In the 



