INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOGAMIG BOTANY. 15 



synonymous with Cellulares, is of a doubtful meaning. In 

 adopting the word Cryptogams, which was originally applied 

 rather by tact than knowledge, but is not by the progress of 

 science exempt from the reproach of being merely superficial, 

 I feel rejoiced not to transgress the maxim of Fries, which 

 I believe to be deeply founded : — Ohuracteres essentiales 

 plerumque maxime absconditi et acute inquirendi, cwm 

 accidentales simul maxime superficiales. 



CRYPTOGAMS.— i. Brong. 



AcoTYLBDONES, Juss. De Cand. Meisn. — Cellttlares, De Cand. Lindl. 

 {iSZO.^Meisn. — 'S.aa.o'B.aASA.SchuUz. — EsExtTAiES, Lindl. (1833,1845.) 

 — Sporophor^, Horaninow. — Ananth^ Martins (excluding Tuiigi). 

 — AcROGENS Lindl. (1839.) — Favi, Trautvetter — Sporidea, Fr. 



Cellular, or more rarely cellulari-vascular, flowerless plants, 

 often destitute of stem and foliage, propagated by simple or 

 compound microscopic spores, germinating by means of one 

 or more simple threads, and rarely containing any embryo, 

 sometimes producing a prothallus, which gives rise to secondary 

 spores or young embryonic plants, increasing mostly by ad- 

 ditions to the external surface, exhibiting sexual distinctions, 

 diclinous or monoclinous, but never producing true stamens 

 or pistil, and consequently possessing no true pollen, but on 

 the contrary, impregnated by spermatozoids, either provided 

 with or destitute of slender flagelliform motile appendages. 



These characters may be expressed nearly in the terms 

 which have been applied to the whole class by authors, each of 

 which contains much truth, modified by more or less rare 

 exceptions. 



1. Cellularia. Homorgana. Favi. 



2. Acrogena. 



3. Anantha. Cryptogama. 



4. Sporifera. Sporidea. Nemea. (Exembryonata.) 



