HANDBOOK TO THE 



FERNS OF BRITISH INDIA, CEYLON, 



AND THE 



MALAY PENINSULA. 

 ORDER FILICES. 



Capsules (sporangia) one-celled, usually membranaceous and 

 dorsal (on the back of the frond), or marginal, encircled by a 

 complete or incomplete, jointed, elastic ring, collected in clusters 

 J (sori) of a definite but varied form, with or without a covering (indu- 

 > sium) or panicled or spicate, rarely laxly scattered : or the capsules 

 have the ring obsolete, or none, or the ring is confined to the apex of 

 the capsule, where it forms a longitudinally striated crown, bursting 

 vertically ; or the capsules are sunk in a many-celled, fleshy or corky 

 receptacle of varied forms, opening by pores or clefts on the upper 

 surface; spores minute, various in form; vernation generally circi- 

 nate, rarely erect. 



SUB-ORDER I.-GLEICHENIACE;E. 



* p 



Sori dorsal; of few (2-T0) capsules; capsules opening vertically 



surrounded by a broad, transverse, complete ring ; indusium none ; 



S caudes - nerally creeping ; stipes often dichotomous ; fronds rigid, 



" generally large, and dichotomously branched, frequently bearing 



CO axillary buds ; vernation circin 



< D 



