CHARACTERS OP TRIBES AND GENERA. 323 



183. HICROPODIUM, Mett. 



Annals of the Leyden Museum. 



Asplenium and Scolopendrium sp., Hook. Sp. Fil. 



Vernation uniserial, sarmentum slender, wiry, scandent. 

 Fronds distant, simple, linear-lanceolate, rarely pinnate, 

 1 to 2 feet in length, 1 to 3 inches in breadth, smooth. Stipes 

 in some articulate with the caudex. Veins simple or forked, 

 sporangiferous on one or both sides. Indusium simple as in 

 Asplenium, binate as in Diplazium, or oppositely conniving as 

 in Scolopendrium. Sori linear continuous, having an elevated 

 ridge or crest on their exterior side or between them. 



Type. Scolopendrium longifolium, Presl. 



OBS. The principal character that has led Mettenius to 

 separate the species of this genus from Asplenium, is that 

 the vernation of several of them is apparently articulate, as 

 also having an elevated ridge on the exterior side of simple 

 sori, and also between the connivent sori. The articulated 

 vernation, if it really is so, is confined in this family to this 

 and the preceding genus, but as the nature of the fronds 

 agree with Asplenium, I therefore deem it best to place 

 them here ; they form a very natural group, distinguished 

 by their slender creeping caudex from the great mass 

 of Asplenium. 



Sp. M. lanceum (Thunb. Ic. Plant. Jap., Dec. 11. t. 18 ; 

 Asplenium subsinuatum, Hook, and Grev. Ic. Fil., t. 27 ; A. 

 sect. Triblemma, J. Sm. Ferns Brit, and For., p. 209). 



OBS. The sori of Asplenium, Diplazium, and Scolopen- 

 drium, are often produced on the same frond of this species. 



M. vittgeforme, Mett. (Cav.) (Asplenium Amboinense, 

 Brack. Fil., U. S. Expl. Exp., p. 147, t. 19, /. 2) ; M. Sun- 

 dense (Blume) ; M. Fijeense (Brack. Fil. U. 8. Expl. Exp., 

 t. 19, /. 1) ; M. scolopendrioides, /. Sm. (Hook. Ic. PL, 



