LOMARIA. 



1. LOMARIA, IVil/d. 



(Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. LXIV. B.) Stegania, Br. 

 Blechnum, Mett. Blechni, Acrostichi, Onoclcce, Salpi- 

 chltenfe, Hemionitidis sp. Auct. Parableclinum, Mesothe- 

 matis sp. Orthogramnia, Lomaridium, Pr. Plagiogyria, 

 Mett. Plagiog. t.\5. 



Sorus linear, continuous, parallel with and generally con- 

 tiguous to the costa; sometimes, by the contraction of the 

 fertile pinnse or segments, apparently marginal, and then 

 occupying nearly the whole under surface of tlie frond. In- 

 volucre formed of the revolute and membranaceous margin 

 of the frond itself, often fornicate, or it is a little intramar- 

 ginal and more or less plane. — Tropical or extratropical. 

 Roots tufted, fibrous. Caudex scarcely any, or more or less 

 elongated, even subarborescent, sometimes scandent. Fronds 

 of two kinds (dimorphous) , varying much in size, generally 

 subcoriaceous, fascicled, stipitate, simple or pinnatifid, usually 

 deeply so, or pinnate, rarely bipinnate. Veins free, simple or 

 forked, at least in the sterile fronds. Sori in a continuous 

 elongated line, running transversely with the veins. Involucre 

 often forced back and concealed by the mass of capsules, and 

 then having very i^iucli the appearance of an Acrostichoid 

 Fern, especially of Lomariopsis, Fee. 



Mr. J. Smith observes (' Genera of Ferns,' p. 55) that this is a very natural 

 genus, containing a considerable numlier of species of great uniformity of habit, 

 whicli is quite true to a certain extent ; for, as aheady observed, there are par- 

 ticular species — and our own Lomaria Sjjicant of Linnajus is one — which vacillate 

 between Lomaria and Blechnum, according to the views of authors. But such 

 or similar gradations are common to other genera of Ferns, and if made an ex- 

 cuse for abolishing a long-established one, the number of genera would undergo 

 a great reduction. Those species, it may be observed, whose fructifications ex- 

 tend to the setting-on of the involucre at the margin of the fertile frond, have 

 those fronds the most contracted. 



I am not disposed to retain Plagiogyria separate from Lomaria, although con- 

 stituted by a botanist by no means addicted to establishing new genera on slight 

 grounds. It has peculiarities* in the base of the stipes and in the jjresence 

 of certain glands called by Mettenius aerophorte ; but, notwithstanding this 

 structure, and even should the capsules in all the species referred to Plagiogyria 

 prove to be helicogyrate (the ring of the ca])sule oblique as in many Cyatheaceae, 

 not perpendicular with the axis), yet the habit and sori are so entirely in accord- 

 ance with true Lomaria that, unless the student has the oi)|)ortunity of ex- 

 amining very perfect specimens (perfect, too, in what is so often wanting, the 

 base of the stipes), or unless he examines the structure of the annulus of the 

 very minute capsules under the high power of a microscope, the genus cannot be 



* If the sori are constantly as represented by Mettenius (Plagiog. I.e. fig. 6) 

 Plagiogyria would hold nearly the same relationship to Lomaria that Pelleea 

 (AUosorus, Pr.) does with Pteris. 



