OSMtTNDINEiB. CXIX. 



Khizome eaudioiform or tufted. — The three groups indicated 

 below, differ ehiefly in the position of the fertile pinnse. 



§ Euosmimda. — Panicles terminal, te., upper pinnse transformed, sporan- 

 giferous. 

 Ex, : O. regalis. Inn. ( 0. graeiiis, Zink. 



§ Plenasium. — Lateral pinnse transformed, sporangiferous. 

 Ex. : O. javanica, Bl. | ©.Claytoniana^iytw. (interrupta,JfieA.> 



§ Oimmidastrvm. — Fertile and sterile fronds distinct. 

 Ex. : 0. cinnamomea, Mn. \ 0. imbricata, Kze, 



(b) Fructifications dorsal. 

 167. TODEA, Willdemw, Act. Acad. Erford. 1802, 14. 

 Leptopteeis, Freslj Osmuitd^ sp., .4wcf.; Aoeostichi sp., Auct. 



Fructifloaiions on the under surface of the pinnules, consisting 

 of oblong or linear simple or forked sori, which are crowded and 

 polycarpous at length confluent, or oligocarpous consisting of 

 scattered spore-caaes. Spore-oases obovate-globose, pedicellate, 

 having an incomplete or rudimentary gibbous ring (represented 

 by a few parallel strise) near the apex, and bursting vertically 

 in two eq^ual hemispherical valves. Veins simple in the ultimate 

 (narrow) segments, or simple or forked from a central costs ; 

 venules free, evident in the unaltered fertile portions, either veins 

 or venules, or both being soriferous. 



BVonds monomorphous, coriaceous or pellucid-membranaeeous, 

 bi-pinnate ; pinnse articulate with the rachis. Ehizome caudici- 

 form. — ^A weU-maiied genus, with the spore-cases of Osmimda, 

 but borne on fronds which are either not at all, or not sensibly 

 contracted. Though strikingly different in appearance, and held 

 to be generioally distinct by high authority, we cannot find in the 

 two groups we have referred here, any distinctive marks besides 

 the coriaceous texture and polycarpous sori of the one, and the 

 pellucid-membranaeeous texture and less crowded sori of the 

 other — differences elsewhere disregarded, and not, as it appears 

 to us, of generic importance. 



§ Todea.—Ctmaeeow : sori consisting of dense masses of spore-cases. 

 Ex. : T, barbara (a&icana, Willd.) 



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