216 CHAEACTERS OP TRIBES AND GENERA. 



(v V.) ; L. glabella (A. Gunn.) (v v.) ; L. liirta {Sw.) (v t.) ; 

 L. deparioides (HooJc.) (v v.) {VicUsodon, }Ioore). 



4. — ViLLosuM Group. 

 Fronds tripianafe, 12 to 18 feet long ; stijies thicl; pcdea- 

 ceous; pinnm 2 to 2\feetlong, lanceolate acuminate, deeply 

 pinnatifid, segments entire or pinnatifidly lobed ; ultimate 

 lobes unisons. Indusimn almost peltate {Megalastrmn 

 J. Sm.) 



L. villosa (Sto.) (v v.). 



This is a native of the West Indies and Tropical Amei'ica, 

 and is described by the collectors, Wilson and Purdie, as 

 having fronds 10 to 18 feet in length ; the height of the 

 stem is, however, not stated. In 1864, two plants in the 

 Kew collection received from Jamaica, were producing fronds 

 5 to 6 feet in length, rising from a thick caudex, which 

 had every appearance of in time becoming arboroid. 



Although this species technically agrees with Lastrca in 

 venation and character of the sori, the large fronds, and 

 arboroid character of its stems, seems sufficient to warrant 

 its being worthy to be ranked as a distinct genus. 



Sect. 2. — Vernation sarmentose. Fronds more or less distant 

 {Tliehjpteris). 



* Sarmentum liypogcous, naled. 



L. palustris (/. Svi.) (v v.) ; {Thehjpleris palustris, Schott, 

 Polypodium Tliehjpteris, Linn.) ; L. squamulosa {Scldeet.). 



Obs. — In the " Species Filicum " this is made a synonym 

 of the preceding, but I consider it sufficiently distinct to 

 rank as a species. It is a native of South Africa, while L. 

 palustris is a native of Europe. 



L. Noveboracensis {Linn.) (v v.). 



