56. VITTARIA, § EUVITTAHIA, §§ T^N'IOPSIS. 395 



Gen. 56. Vittakia, Sm. (See page 617.) 



Sori in continuous marginal or slightly intramarginal lines. A small genus, 

 almost entirely tropical, with free veins and grass-like fronds of subcoriaceous 

 texture. It has considerable claim to be placed in the Involucrate series near Lind- 

 saya. The species are very difficult of discrimination, and we have admitted here 

 considerably fewer tham, M. F&e, who has published an elaborate illustrated mono- 

 graph of the genus, in which he relies to a large extent upon microscopic characters 

 (the shape of the spores and abortive capsules) to characterize them. Tab. VI. 

 fig. 66. 



§ Euvittaria. Sori sunJc in a two-lipped marginal groove. Sp. 1. Fig. 56. a. 



1. v. elongaia, Sw. ; fir. 6-18 in. ]., J-J in. br., the point acute or bluntish, the 

 lower part narrowed very gradually to the base ; texture subcoriaceous ; midrib 

 faint or distinct ; veins simple, oblique, immersed, parallel, connected by an 

 intramarginal veinlet ; sori quite sunk in a marginal groove with two nearly 

 equal Ups which open outwards. 



Hab. Himalayas and Benin to Sandwich Isles, New South Wales, and Ceylon ; Mas- 

 caren Isles, Seychelles, and Guinea Coast. — We cannot separate from this clearly V. sos- 

 tercefoUa, bimlcata, isoetifolia, owariensis, rigida, ensifoi'mis, intermedia, plantagmea, and 

 anodontol^yis of authors. The two first are said to have a distinct midrib, the others 

 none. See Luerssen's recent monograph, Filices Giaffeanse, p. 90. 



§§ Tseniopsis, J. Sm. Sori in a slightly intramarginal line, with the unaltered 

 edge of the frond produced beyond and often rolled veer it. Sp. 2-9. Fig. 66. b. c. 



2. V. (Tseniop.) scabrida, Klotzsch ; fr. 2 in. 1., 1 lin. br., the point blunt, the 

 lower half tapering gradually to the base ; texture fleshy, when dry wrinkled ; 

 midrib lost in the upper half ; sori sunk in an intramarginal groove, with the 

 flattened thick edge of the frond produced beyond it. — Hk. Sp. 6. p. 182. 



Hab. Mexico and Brazil. 



3. V. (Tseniop.) fakata, Kunze ; fr. 4-6 in. 1., \ in. br., the point blunt, the 

 lower part narrowed gradually to the base ; texture leathery and very thick ; a 

 distinct raised mid/rib attaining the apex in the barren fronds, but lost in the 

 fertile ones ; veins short, oblique, parallel, immersed ; sori quite sunk in slightly 

 intramarginal grooves. — Hk. Sp. 6. p. 182. 



Hab. Malaccas. — The Malayan and Philippine F. minor, F^e, is like this, but smaller 

 in size, with the habit of Polyp, australe and gramimeum, 



4. v. (Tseniop.) Gardneriana, Fee ; fr. 1 ft. or more 1., J in, br., the point 

 acute, the lower part narrowed gradually to the base or a short slender stem ; 

 texture thin, the yoxmg fronds translucent ; a slender immersed midrib extending 

 from the base to the apex ; veins fine, distant, oblique ; sori in a broad superficial 

 slightly intramarginal line, with the edge produced beyond, but not wrapped 

 over it.— ^^. Sp. 5. p. 178. {in part). V. costata, S'se, 



Hab. Organ Mountains, Brazil, Qard/aer, 147. 



5. V. (Tseniop.) stipitata, Kunze ; fr. 1^-2 ft. 1., 3-4 lin. br., tapering gradually 

 below into a long slender stem ; texture firm ; midrib indistinct, except towards 

 the base ; vdns distant, fine, oblique, immersed ; sori sunk in a groove within 

 the margin, with the flattened thickened edge of the frond produced beyond it. 

 —Hk. Sp. 5. p. 179. 



Hab. Columbia to Peru.— V. Moritsia/na, Mett., is said to have the sori less distinctly 



