342 



CHAEACTEES OF TEIBES AND GESEEA. 



of a definite number of sporangia and the ring- being Lori- 

 zonta], its mode of growth is, however, very different from 

 trleichenia, the caudex being- woody, erect, and branching, 

 bearing tufts of fronds in many respects simih^r to (Jleandra 

 neriijormis, but differs in having pinuatifidly pinnate fronds, 

 much resembling the larger forms of Jamesonia. 



The above character is drawn up from description and 

 fi-om notes communicated to me by Mr. Baker. 



Sp. S. moniliformis, 2Iett., in Ann. Sue. .\at., 18G1, p. 

 8-4, i. 3. 



Sect, 2. — Sori (sporangia) in marginal hilaliate ojsts, 

 opening exteriorly. 



Tribe 25.— HTMBNOPHTLLE.E. (Plate 25.) 

 (Hymenophyllacece, Pr.). 



Fronds membranous, generally pellucid, entire, or vari- 

 ously compound, from less than an inch to a foot or more 

 in length. Sporangia sessile, compactly seated round a 

 columnar terminal receptacle, which is formed by a free 

 prolongation of the venule, included within a bilabiate or 

 urceolate usually vertical cyst, open exteriorly. 



Obs. — This is an extensive and very distinct tribe of 

 Ferns, differing from all others by the extremely delicate 

 and in general thin pellucid texture of the fronds, and also 

 by the form and attachment of the sporangia. The fronds 

 vary much in form and size, some being simple entire, 

 forked or flabelliform, not more than half an inch in length, 

 while others are more or less compound, or multifidly 

 divided into fine hair-like seg-ments, and vary from a few 

 inches to 1 or 1^- feet in length. 



The distinct habit and peculiar structure of the sporan- 

 gium led some Pteridologists to characterise RynieiiO[j]tyUeii3 



