6 SCHIZAEACEAE 



The royal-fern is most common in and about the 

 Everglade hammocks, and especially in cypress swamps 

 and cypress-heads, where it often forms upright tussocks 

 half a meter high or more. In Royal Palm Hammock 

 the royal-fern is most common around the low edge of 

 the forest; however, it occurs in low places within the 

 hammock. Sometimes it grows in the open Everglades, 

 especially near streams and sloughs, often occurring in 

 colonies an acre in extent. The species occurs through- 

 out Florida, and is almost cosmopolitan in its distribu- 

 tion, excepting boreal regions. 



FAMILY 3. SCHIZAEACEAE 

 CURLY-GRASS FAMILY 



Erect and rigid or climbing plants, sometimes 

 tufted. Leaves with simple, pinnate, or dichotomous 

 and palmate-lobed blades. Sporangia borne in double 

 rows on narrow specialized lobes or segments of 

 ordinary leaves or wholly on specialized leaves, ovoid, 

 sessile, naked or indusiate, provided with a trans- 

 verse apical ring, opening vertically by a longitudinal 

 slit. Prothallia green. Comprises six or more genera. 

 Besides the following another (Lygodium) is repre- 

 sented in Florida. 



Sporophyls borne on specialized leaves : leaves with simple 

 grass-like, angled, or flattish blades. 1. ACTINOSTACHTS. 



Sporophyls borne on the elongate pinnae 

 of ordinary leaves : leaves with pin- 

 nately compound blades. 2. ANEMIA. 



1. ACTINOSTACHYS Wall. 



Epiphytic, low, sometimes tufted, often humus-plants. 

 Leaves erect; blades simple, linear, triquetrous or flat- 



