AUSTEALIAN FEENS. 75 



ated narrow naked sori, simple or branched or variously anasto- 

 mosing, arising from the veins or extending to the parenchyme." 

 (Hooker). Those genera with which we are more immediately 

 concerned are (1.) Notlioclilcsna ; (2.) G-ymnogramme ; (3.) Meni- 

 scium (4.) AntropJiyum ; (5.) Vittaria. The first was so called 

 from nothos, spurious, and cklaina, a cloak, because the sori are 

 not enclosed in a genuine indusium, being for the most part 

 covered by the palese of the frond. Four species (N. distans, JV. 

 nudiuscula, N. lanuginosa, and N. pumilio) are enumerated, but it 

 seems very doubtful whether two of these can be retained. In- 

 deed it is difficult to define the limits of the genus itself, for some 

 of the species have the habit and sori of Cheilantkes, whilst others 

 press closely upon Gymnogramme. N. distans is one of our small- 

 est ferns, and very widely distributed throughout Australia. The 

 fronds are hairy above, and paleaceous beneath, seldom exceeding 

 six to eight inches in length, with the lower pinnae distant from 

 each other, N. lanuginosa is a species common to Spain and the 

 warmer regions of the Mediterranean, as well as to several parts 

 of Australia. The whole of this plant is densely clothed with 

 soft white or rusty wool. Gymnogramme (from gymnos, naked ; 

 and gramme a line) derives its name from the linear arrangement 

 of the naked sori on the forked veins of the frond. G. leptophylla 

 is found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, as well as in Aus- 

 tralia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Its northern limit is said 

 to be Jersey, the only locality in the British Isles. Dr. Mueller 

 found it in Victoria, and Mr. Oldfield, in Western Australia, but 

 this little fern, so interesting from its association with other 

 regions, is by no means common in Australia. G. rutcefolia is also 

 a diminutive species, very general in some parts of this country, 

 but not occurring, I believe, on the sandstone formation. The 

 form of the frond resembles the leaves of the common rue, and it 

 is clothed with hairs on all sides, being in no way specifically dis- 

 tinct from the Spanish variety. The next species G. papaverifolia, 

 some specimens of which Sir T. Mitchell collected in Tropical 

 Australia, may be united with the preceding, as there are in- 

 termediate specimens connecting the two. One of the most re- 

 markable species of the genus is G. Muelleri from Fort Cooper, 

 North-eastern Australia, which was collected by Edward M. 

 Bowman, Esq., and subsequently cultivated by M. Thozet, of 



