51 



1. Davai.lia, Sm. 

 Davallia, Sm. (Hook. Gkn. Fil. XXVII). VVibdia, Dertih. 

 Diclvsonia^ sp. And. Microlcpia, iV., ./. Sm. (Hook, Gkn. 

 Fil. 'J\\h. LVHl. A.) Saccoloina, Katdf. (Hook. Gkn. Fil. 

 Tab. IAHI. H.) Aspidii sp. Bl. Sicnolobus, Pr. Cibolii 

 sp. I't: Leiicostcgia, Pr., ./. Sm. (Hook. Gkn. Fil. Tab. LH. 

 A.) Odontolonia, ./. Stn. Huiuata, Cnv. Nephrodii sp. 

 Gmidich. Neplir()lci)idis sp. Pr. Prosa])tia, Pr. P(jlypodii 

 sp. ./. Sm. Aci()])lioriis, Pr. 



Sori dorsal, near or at llic margin of the frond or segments 

 of the frond, terminal upon a vein or veinlet, globose or more 

 or less elongated. Inrolucre orbicular, oval or elongated, 

 often semicylindrical or half cuii-sha])cd, attached to the-un- 

 der side of the sorus (and covering that organ) ])y a broad 

 base, united or free at the sides, the a])ex free, open at the 

 top towards the margin. Capsiiles stalked, the stalks very 

 long in such species as have eh)n gated involucres. — Tropiail 

 or subtropical Ferns, rarely of tcmperdte climates, chiejly of 

 the Old World, varying much in .size, and in the te.rture of 

 the fronds, membranaceous or coriaceous, mostly stipitate. 

 Caudex creeping, or none. Veins pinnated upon a central 

 costa, simple or dichotomous. 



Ons. After a careful investigation of numerous species, I cannot hut 

 come to the conclusion that the original Davallia of Sir James E. Smith 

 should remain entire as a genus, of which the type may be considered the 

 well known D. Catmriensis. It is quite true, if we look only to certain spe- 

 cies of the numy new genera that have been separated from it, such as of 

 Ihnnata, Odontoloma, Sacculomd, Lcucostegia, tScc, we shall lincl apparently 

 sullicient indications of generic difTcrenec: but if we take a comprehensive 

 view ol the respecti\e species, we shall find that in ])oint of generic marks 

 they gradually pass one into the other, so that I cannot even satisfy myself 

 of the ctficien'ey of them as sectional characters or subgenera. It may be 

 remarked, that Mr. J. Smith places many species in Minolcpia, which 

 Prcsl, its founder, never intended to refer to it. On the other hand, Sac- 

 coloma, as it stands in Presl, is made up of Saccoloma, Kaulf. and J. Sm., 

 Micrnlejtice sp. of J. Sm. and Odontoloma, J. Sm. Ilumata of Cavanillcs 

 and J. Sm. is included iu Davallia by Presl, and I think correctly, when 

 the dill'erent form of the involucre in some of the species is considered. 

 Prosaptia of I'resl, seems to me without sufficient reason removed to the 

 Gi/miiosomp, and Mr. J. Smith goes further, and makes of it a Polj/podiuui. 

 I speak however only of Prosuptia amliyua, pinnatifida and Emrrsoni. 

 There is something so peculiar in the habit of the plant, and in the figure 

 given by I'resi, of Prosuptia hipitttiala, that 1 do not know where it should 

 be referred. Leucostiyia of Presl (L. iitimcrsn), has a very peculiar appear- 

 ance, and is well described by Presl. " Frondis — pagina superiore pal- 

 lidiore faciem pagina; inferioris reliquarum Pilicaccarum prKsefereute, 

 inferiorc intcnsius viridi nitidi(nc faciem supcrioreni referenle." This is 

 very distinctly the case, and it is so in a less degree with some true DumL 



