66 WOODWARDIA. 



Lay and Collie, Douglas, Diell, Scemann, etc. Communicated in a collection of 

 ])lants from Sumatra, by Mr. Teschemachcr, n. 17 {Herb. Nostr.). Presl gives 

 the Society Islands, probably on the authority of our Flora of tlie Bot. of Capt. 

 Ikechcy's Voy., where it is included among the plants doubtfully from Tahiti, 

 accompanied l)y the remark that, " as some of the Sandwich Island plants in 

 Capt. Ik'cchey's collections were mixed with others from Tahiti, it was probable 

 that our. sW/f'Wrt was from the former place." — I must plead guilty to the making 

 a bad sjiecies of the genus in our Sadlcria pallida ; it is clearly a tritling variety, 

 and this fact, combined with the uniformity of the very many suites of specimens 

 I have received from various collectors, induces me to think there is but one 

 species. It is true I have no access to the ' Botany of the IJonite,' by Gaudichaud, 

 where two new species are said to he figured (not described ?), and I cannot, 

 express any opinion about them. Brackenridge remarks that his Bl. polystichoidrs 

 dilTers from Bl. cyatheoides (and Bl. pallidum) " in the smaller size of the fronds, 

 the shorter and broader pinnules, and tlie asperous and densely paleaceous reddish 

 stipes and rachis." In other respects both the character and description suffici- 

 ently accord with the original type of the genus. 



4. WoODWARDIA, Sm. 



(Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. XYII.) Lorinseria and An- 

 chistea, Pr. Blechnum, L. 



Sori in a single series, oblong or oblong-linear, sunk in a 

 cavity of the frond, parallel with and near the costa or cos- 

 tules. Receptacles on the transverse anastomosing veins 

 wliich form a series of arches next the costa, and from which 

 veins originate and are more or less anastomosing, sometimes 

 very much so, even to the margin. Involucres almost coria- 

 ceous, usually persistent and opening like a lid above the 

 cavity. — Caudex or rhizome vei'i/ long and thick, decumbent, 

 scaly, copiously rooting. Stipites very paleaceous at the base 

 ivith long subulate scales. Fronds pinnated or bipinnate ivitli 

 the pinnae undivided or more or less deeply pinnatifid, not un- 

 frequently proliferous from small scaly gemmae on the upper 

 side of the fronds. — The species are more aljundant in tem- 

 perate or even cool climates than really tropical. 



The present genus differs in many respects from Blechnum, with whicli it had 

 formerly been incori)orated, and is now almost universally adopted, but with 

 various limitations ; some retaining the species included by its awtlior, Sir James 

 Smith ; some receiving into it Doodia of Brown ; while others sejiarate from it 

 the JVoodwardia oiioeleoides (as Lorinseria, Fr.) and the JT'. Viryiuica {Anchistea, 

 Pr.). We are content to follow the views of Sir J. E. Smith, forming however 

 three sections or subgenera. 



§ EuwooDWARDiA. — FroTids Uniform (not of two kinds), pinate, pinnce pinna- 

 iifid, veins rcliciilnled near tlie costa and with at least one series of areoles 

 outside the sori, those towards the maryin free, or sometimes all anastomosing, 

 Sori not extending to the maiucostie (of the pinnae). 



1. W. radicans, Sm. ; stipes elongate with large lanceolate 



