194 ACROSTICHUM. 



SuBORD. XI.— ACROSTICHE^. 



Sori destitute of involucre, superficial, and apparently cloth- 

 ing the whole under side (rarely both sides) of the frond 

 or segments with a uniform stratum of capsules, sometimes 

 forming local patches (in Platycerium), on the parenchyme 

 as well as the veins. Veins simple or forked or variously 

 branched, connivent or copiously anastomosing, with or 

 without included free veinlets in the areoles. — Ferns abound- 

 ing in tropical regions and of exceedingly varied size and 

 forms, the caudex creeping or erect or short and tufted. 

 Fronds simple or variously compound, frequently dimorphous, 

 the fertile fronds or pinncB generally more contracted, very 

 different in shape in some instances, especially in § Rhipi- 

 dopteris and in the genus Platycerium. 



Many have been the attempts to divide the species into a number of distinct ge- 

 nera, but, as will be seen by the synonyms I have quoted, not in a manner to give 

 general satisfaction. Indeed, the passages from one to another group or genus 

 are too apparent to escape notice, and I have thought it better, witli the single ex- 

 ception of Platycerium, to consider the groups rather of sectional than of generic 

 value. 



1. Acrostichum, L. 



Sori a uniform mass, clothing the whole under side of the 

 fronds or pinnae (rarely both sides), costa generally excepted. 

 Veins simple or variously compound or anastomosing. 



The following are the names of the Sections or Subgenera (Genera of other 

 authorsj here adopted: — 



I. Veins free. 



3. Polybotrya (Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. 



1. Elaphoglossum (Hook. Gen. Fil. 



TAB. CV. A). Aconiopteris 

 (Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. LXXIX. 

 A). 



2. Lomariopsis. 



LXXVIII. B). 



4. Stenochlaena (Hook. Gen. Fil. 



tab. CV. B). Lomaribotrya. 



5. Rhipidopteris. 



6. Egenoltia. 



IT. Veins free or united only near the margin. 

 7 Olfersia (Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. LXXIX. A). 



III. Veins variously anastomosing. 



8. Soromanes. 



9. Stenosemia. 



10. Heteroneuron (Poecilopteris,£'scA- 



weiler, Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. 

 LXXXI. A. Campium, Hook. 

 Gen. Fil. tab. LXXXI. A). 



11. Chrysodium (Acrostichum, Pr. 



Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. LXXXI. 



A. Neurocallis, Hymenodi- 

 um). 



12. Gymuopteris (Hook. Gen. Fil. 



TAB. LXXXV.). 



13. Leptochilus. 



14. Hymenolepis. 



15. Photinopteris (Hook, Gen. Fil, 



TAB. XCII.). 



