266 



FERNS I BRITISH AND FOREIGN. 



150. MARATTIA, 8m. 



Genus 150. Fertile pinnule, under 

 side. No. 5. 



Vernation fasciculate, erect, 

 subarboreous; each frond rising 

 from between two fleshy sti- 

 pulseform appendages (which 

 sometimes assume the cha- 

 racter of abnormal fronds) ; 

 base of the stipes clavate, 

 pseudo-articulated with the 

 axis. Fronds bi-tripinnate, 

 618 inches high ; pinnules 

 articulated with the rachis. 

 Veins simple or forked, free. 

 Synangia sessile, superficial, 

 oblong, distant, sub-terminal, 

 longitudinally bivalved, each 

 valve consisting of 3-12 late- 

 rally-connate sporangia, which 

 open by a slit on their interior 

 side. Receptacles sometimes 

 furnished with an indusioid 

 fimbriate membrane. 



1. M. alata, 8m. Ic. ined. 



t. 46; BcKk. Fil. 

 t. 152 ; Hook. Gen. 

 Fil. t. 26. Disco- 

 stegia alata, Presl. 

 Marattia Lauchi- 

 ana, Hort. West 

 Indies. 



2. M. cicutaefolia, Kaulf. ; Mart. Ic. Crypt. Bras. t. 69, 71, 72. 



Gymnotheca cicutaefolia, Presl. Brazil. 



3. M. elegans, Endl Norfolk Island, New Zealand. 



4. M. fraxinea, 8m. Ic. ined. t. 48; Schk. Fil. t. 152. 



Mauritius, West Africa. 



5. M. laxa, Kunze ; Schk. Supp. 1, t. 95 ; Lowe's Ferns, 8, 



t. 77. Gymnotheca laxa, Presl. Marattia macro- 

 phylla, Hort. Mexico. 



