146 FILICES. 



51. ASPLENIUM, Linn., J. 8m. 



(Cjenopteris. Berg. Dare a, Willd. Acropteris, Link. Athyritjm, Roth. AL- 

 LANTODIA, Sp. R. Br.) 



The genus Darea of Jussieu and Willdenow includes a number of 

 species, the ultimate divisions or laciniae of whose fronds are so narrow 

 as to bear only one sorus; and Mr. Brown has already observed, 

 that it cannot with propriety be separated from Aspleniwn. In this 

 opinion he is followed by Mr. J. Smith, who retains Darea as a group 

 under Asplenium; and includes in another group the genus Athyrium 

 of Roth and species of Allantodia of Brown, whose principal dis- 

 tinction consists in their vaulted, short, cylindrical, sometimes curved 

 indusium. Presl retains Athyrium as a genus, including also under it 

 some species of Allantodia of Brown, and places it in Aspleniaceai, 

 under his second section, Blechnacece, which, certainly, is not the most 

 natural association for it. 



% 1. ASPLENIUM verum, J. Sm. 



.* Frondes integraR vel lobatse. 



L ASPLENIUM CEENULATUM, Presl, 



Asplemum crenulatum, Presl, Tent Pterid. p. 106. 



A. JBrasiliensis, Hort. 



A. Nidus, Raddi, Plant. Brasil. p. 84, t. 53, non Linn. 



Hab. Organ Mountains, Brazil : epiphytic on trees- 



In habit, size, and form of its fronds this has very much the ap- 

 pearance of A. Nidus of Linnaeus, the Thamnopteris Nidus of this 

 work ; but it is readily distinguished from that species by the margin 

 of the fronds being crenate and decurrent on a stipe of from 5 to 6 

 inches in length, at the same time, the points of the lines of sori 

 approach closer to the margin- 



