578 



riLICES. 



flowers, notliing that can be considered as Stamen and 

 Pistil. The Seeds, or organs of reproduction, are with- 

 out any distinct embryo, consequently \vithout any coty- 

 ledon. — This Class corresponds with the 24th, Ckypto- 

 GAMiA in the Linnsean System. 



■1 



w 



I 



Sub-Class I. FILICES ^ Linn. (Okd. CVni— CXIII.) 



(Tab. IX. f. 1—4, X. XI.) 



Fructification generally of one, but sometimes of two kinds, 

 consisting of seeds,, or spoi^ules^ included in capsules^ thecal, or 

 sporangia^ sometimes surrounded with an elastic ring, and these 

 either naked or covered by a membrane, indusium or involucre; 

 generally collected into clusters (sort), or spikes, situated at the 

 back of the fronds, or marginal, terminal, axillary, or radicaL 



Perennial plants, of varied structure^ bearing fructification 

 dtiring a great part of the year. In most^ as in the true Ferns^ 

 the leaves are connate with the stem^ so as to constitute fronds; 

 in others^ the leaves are distinct^ as in Lycopodium, which in 

 genei^al appearance comes nearest to the Mosses. 



108, 



ioa 



110. 



111. 



Conspectus of the Orders. 



* - 



PoLYPODiACEiE. Capsules dorsal or marginal, surrounded hj a 

 ring, reticulated and pellucid, opening transversely and irregu- 

 larly. Fronds circinate in aestivation. Tab- ix. 1 — 4. and Tab. 

 xi. f. 1. 



OsMUNDACE^, Capsules clustered'on the margin of a transformed 

 frond, with an obscure ring, reticulated and pellucid, opening 



by two regular valves. Fronds circinate in aistivation. Tab. 



xi. f. 2. 



Opiuoglossace^. Capsules arranged on the margin of a con- 

 tracted frond, sessile, without reticulation or a ring, coriaceous, 

 opaque. Fronds straight in aestivation. Tab. xi. f. 3, 4. 



LycopoDiACE.E. Fructilications sessile in the axils of leaves or 

 bracteas, capsules without a ring, 2— 3-vuIved. Estivation 

 straight. Tab. xii. f. 1. 



^ The. Filices ^re here considererl as a Subclass, and include the true i^em^ or 

 Fobjpodiace^ — no less readily distinguishe-i l)y tlieir general appearance than bv 

 the presence of an elastic ring to the capsule rfab. ix. f. 1-4. Tab. x andiTab 

 XI. f. L). - iheOsmumiacea^ (Tab. xi. f. 2.),the OpJuoghssacea: (Tab. xi. f. 4.). the 

 Lycovodmcece { Pabt xii. f. 1.), Marsdeace<E (Tab. xii. f. 2, 3.), and Equisetace^ 

 (lab, xu. f. 4.) ; groups or Orders which are very distinct one from another and 

 easily recognized and hence^we have given brief, but we trust sufficient charac 

 ters of them. However difficult the study of the Cryptogamia, or Acotyledonous 

 plarits m general may be considered by the novice in botany, he will find with the 

 assistance of the figures here given, and the characters of the orders and genera, 

 that the difficulties are as easily mastered as those attending the investigation of 



4. 

 5. 



6. 



tt 



10. 



