136 beee's feen. 



Genus. — Lophodium. Caudex large, massive, and persist- 

 ent, increasing by slow and almost imperceptible degrees, 

 generally erect, but sometimes prostrate, its growing extremity 

 always composed of a most obvious crown of undeveloped 

 fronds : fronds with the first upper pinnule somewhat larger 

 than the second, and notably less than the first lower pinnule : 

 all the ultimate divisions of the frond terminating in a short 

 spine, or mucronato-serrate : midvein of ultimate divisions al- 

 ways distiuct ; lateral veins once or twice forked, each branch 

 running towards a spine, but always ceasing before reaching it : 

 clusters of capsules borne on the anterior branch of each di- 

 vided vein, and situated half-way between its base and extre- 

 mity : involucre small, not covering the capsules, subreniform, 

 placed obliquely to the plane of the pinnule, attached at an 

 emargination, which is placed towards the base of the capsuli- 

 ferous vein, and directing its free margin in a contrary direction. 



Species. — Fosnisecii. Caudex tufted, large, crown unusually 

 broad : stipes as long as the frond, woody, clothed with long, 

 narrow, sometimes laciniated scales : frond strictly evergi-een, 

 elongate -triangular, drooping, elegant, pale delicate green when 

 young, its under surface sprinkled over with sessile, pellucid 

 glands, pinnate : lowest pair of pmnae longest, stipitate, all the 

 piunse pinnate : all the ultimate divisions of the frond concave, 

 but the entire frond, as well as each pinna, convex : involucre 

 jagged, without stalked glands : clusters of capsules round, 

 distributed over every part of the frond. 



Filix alpina Myrrhidis facie Cambrobritannica, Pluk. Aim. 



155, Phyt tab. 89, f. 4. 

 FiHx montana ramosa minor argute denticulata, Ray, Syn. 



27. 1690. Edit. 3, p. 124. 1724. 

 "Polypodium rhseticum, Huds. 458, according to the Banks- 



ian Herbarium," Sm. 

 "Polypodium cristatum, /3. Huds. ed. 1, 390," Sm. 



