5G. VITTAIUA, § EUVXTTARIA, §§ T.EN'IOPSIS. 



Gen. oG. Vittaria, Sm. (See page 517.) 



395 



Sori in continuous marginal or slightly intramarginal lines. A small genus, 

 almost entirely/ tropical, with free veins and grass-like fronds of subcoriaceous 

 texture. It has considerable claim to be placed in the Involucrate scries near Lind- 

 saj/a. The species are very difficidt of discrimination, and we have admitted here 

 considerably fewer than M. Fee, who has published an elaborate illustrated mono- 

 graph of the genus, in which he relics to a large extent upon microscopic characters 

 {the shape of the spores and abortive capsules) to characterize them. Tab. VI. 

 fig. 56. 



§ Euvittaria. Sori sunk in a two-lipped marginal groove. Sp. 1. Fig. 56. a. 



1. V. elongaZa, Sw. ; //•. 6-18 in. ]., J-J in. br., the point acute or bluntish, the 

 lower part narrowed very gradually to the base ; texture subcoriaceous ; midrib 

 faint or distinct ; veins simple, oblique, immersed, parallel, connected by an 

 intramarginal veinlet ; sori quite sunk in a marginal groove with two nearly 

 equal lips which open outwards. 



Hab. Himalayas and Benin to Sandwicb Isles, New South Wales, and Ceylon ; Maa- 

 caren Isles, Seychelles, and Guinea Coast. — We cannot separate from this clearly V. zoa- 

 terwfoUa, himlcata, isoet folia, mvariensis, rigida, ensiformis, intermedia, plantaginea, and 

 anodontolcpis of authors. The two first are said to have a distinct midrib, the others 

 none. See Luerssen's recent monograph, Filices Graflfeanse, p. 90. 



§§ Ta?niopsis, J. iSm. Sori in a slightly intramarginal line, with the unaltered 

 edge of the frond 'produced beyond and often rolled over it. Sp. 2-9. Fig. 56. b. c. 



2. V. (Tseniop.) scabrida, Klotzsch ; fr. 2 in. 1., 1 lin. br., the point blunt, the 

 lower half tapering gradually to the base ; texture fleshy, when dry wrinkled ; 

 midrib lost in the upper half ; sori sunk in an intramarginal groove, with the 

 flattened thick edge of the frond produced beyond it. — Hk. iSp. 5. p. 182. 



Hab. Mexico and Brazil. 



3. V. (Troniop.) falcata, Kunze ; fr. 4-5 in. 1., | in. br., the point blunt, the 

 lower part narrowed gradually to the base ; texture leathery and very thick ; a 

 distinct raised midrib attaining the apex in the barren fronds, but lost in the 

 fertile ones ; veins short, oblique, parallel, immersed ; sori quite sunk in slightly 

 intramarginal gi'ooves. — Hk. aS^;>. 5. p. 182. 



Hab. Malaccas.— The Malayan and Philippine F. minor, F^e, is like this, but smaller 

 in size, with the habit of Polyp, auslrale and gramineum. 



4. V. (Taeniop.) Gardneriana, Fee ; fr. 1 ft. or more I., J in. br., the point 

 acute, the lower part narrowed gradually to the base or a short slender stem ; 

 texture thin, the y o\xvig fronds translucent ; a slender immersed midrib extending 

 from the base to the apex ; veins fine, distant, oblique ; sori in a broad superficial 

 slightly intramarginal line, with the edge produced beyond, but not wrapped 

 over it. — Hk. Sp. 6. p. 178. {in part). V. costata, ITze. 



Hab. Organ Mountains, Brazil, Gardner, 147. 



5. V. (Tfeniop.) stipitata, Kunze ; fr. l|-2 ft. 1., 3-4 lin. br., tapering gradually 

 below into a long slender stem ; texture firm ; midrib indistinct, except towards 

 the base ; veins distant, fine, oblique, immersed ; sori sunk in a groove within 

 the margin, with the flattened thickened edge of the frond produced beyond it. 

 —Ilk. Sp. 5. p. 170. 



Hab. Columbia to Peru.— V. M orilziana, Mett., is said to have the sori less distinctly 



