^1. POLYE»Or>IlJM, Idnni. 



Son round, oblong or linear, many on each side, superficial or sunk in 

 cavities; the oblong ones often, the linear ones always dorsal, mostly oblique 

 to the costa and margin; the round and oblong ones dorsal, submarginal 

 or on marginal outgrowths, sometimes immersed in saccate, indusium-like de- 

 pressions of the margin, rarely covered by the raised edges of the cavities or 

 by long-stalked, peltate scales. No indusium. 



Rhizome creeping or erect. Stipes articulate to the rhizome, the articu- 

 lation not always visible in the smaller species. Fronds simple, pinnalifid or 

 pinnate, rarely more compoundly divided; surfaces naked, scaly or hairy, the 

 hairs not stellate; veins free or anastomosing variously. 



A very large genus, inhabiting principally the tropics. 



Arrangement of the sections and groups. 



§ 1. EUPOLYPODIUM (incl. Grammitis). Veins free. Sori superficial, or im- 

 mersed in dorsal or submarginal pits, but not as in § 2. Hk. Bk., Syn. 

 Pil., tab. V, fig. 48, a— b; Diels, in Engl. & Prantl. Nat. Pfl.Pam., P, 

 fig. 162. 

 «. Integrifoliae. Fronds simple, the margin entire, crenate, repand 



or toothed. 

 h. Furcatae. Fronds typically forked, the branches simple or forked 



again. 



c. Pinnatifldae. Fronds lobed or pinnatifid. (') 



d. Pinnatae. Fronds ± pinnate. (') 



e. Compositae. Fronds at least 2-pinnatifid. 



§2. PROSAPTIA (incl. Acrosorus). Veins free. Sori terminal on the veins, 

 immersed in ± marginal, saccate, indusium-like depressions or in adnate, 

 retroflexed portions of the margin Fronds simple, crenate, lobed to pinna- 

 tifid, at best once pinnate. Diels, 1. c, fig. 115, G — H (under Davallia). (^) 



(') The limit between c. PfnnatlKdae and d. Pinnatae being not always dis- 

 tinctly marked, it will often be advisable to consult both groups. 



(") Regarding this section see the information in Christ, Farnkr. d. Erde, 305 — Cope- 

 land thinks the section would better be ire;ited as 2 distinct genera, Prosaptla & Aero- 

 sorus. Anyhow, the species of this group are no Uavalllae, 



