MAEATTIE^. CXXl. 



gitudinally divided into two opposite Tftlres or lobes, thus con- 

 sieting of two opposite series of (3 — 11) oonnate spore-oases j 

 the valves convex outside, plane within, the spore-eases of each 

 valve bursting on their inner face by a vertical cleft or slit. 

 Seceptacles linear or globose, medial. IrmolUcres linear elliptic 

 oval or orbicular, scariose, fimbriate, persistent. Veins simple 

 or forked, from a central costa ; venules parallel, free, dorsally 

 soriferous near or at the margins. 



Pronds ample, bi-tri-pinnate j pinnules articulate. Khizome 

 large, globose, or caudiciform, consisting of the thick squamae- 

 form bases of the fronds. — The MaraUiem are distinguished from 

 the AngiopterideiB, by having the spore-cases consolidated into 

 bi-valved sori, along which they form two opposite lines ; while 

 in the latter, the spore-oases, which are also placed in two oppo- 

 site lines, are distinct and separable. The presence of an invo- 

 lucre distinguishes Marattia from Gymnotheca, while both these 

 are known from Enpodimm by having sessile instead of pedicel- 

 late sori. 



JEs. : M. attenuata, XioMll. I M. fiorbifolia, 8w. 



M. alata, Sm, \ M; sylvatica> Bl, 



170. GYMNOTHECA, Fresl, Supp. Tent. Pterid. 12. 



Stibasia, Tresl ; Maeatti^ Bp., Auet, 



Sori dorsal, non-involucrate, sessile, oblong, homy, opaque, 

 longitudinally bi-valved, thus consisting of two opposite series 

 of (6 — 12) oonnate spore-oases, the valves convex outside, plane 

 within, the spore-oases of each valve bursting on their inner face 

 by a vertical cleft or slit. Eeceptacles linear or globose, medial. 

 Involucre none. Veins simple or forked, from a central costa • 

 vermles parallel, free, dorsally soriferous near the margins. 



Fronds ample bi-pinnate, the pinnules articulate. Ehizome 



large, globose, composed of the thick squamseform bases of the 



fronds. — This group is distinguished from MaratUa by the 



absence of an involucre. 



Ex. : G. cicutBefolia, Tresl. I G. laxa, Presl. 



G. Doaglasii (Stibasia, Presl.) \ G. Mertensiana, JPresl. 



£3 



