GLEICHENIA. 



225 



broad. The base of the forks, as in G. dichotoma^ is usually furnisbed with 

 small accessory leaflets ; both surfaces of the fronds are green, and their stalks 

 are slightly downy. The sori (spore masses) are disposed in the middle of 

 the segments, in little groups of from one to three together. — Hooker, Synopsis 

 Filicum, p. 449. 



G. (Eugleichenia) moniliformis — Eu-glei-che'-m-a mon-i-lif-or'-mis 

 (beaded), Moore. 



This remarkable, stove species, native of I^ew Caledonia, is easily dis- 

 tinguished through its slender, erect-growing, branched stems or rhizomes 

 producing, at the summit of tufted stalks Sin. to 4in. high, leathery and 

 deeply-pinnatifid fronds Sin. to 12in. long and Sin. broad, the lobes of which 

 are broad and concave beneath. The sori (spore masses) are usually disposed 

 in single capsules near the midvein, and are frequently found mixed with 

 hairs of a ferruginous (rusty-brown) colour. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum., p. 11. 



G. (Mertensia) Norrisii — Mer-ten^-si-a ; Nor-ris'-i-i (Sir W. Norris's), 

 Mettenius. 



A stove species, native of the Malayan Peninsula, with fronds simply 

 forked and furnished with lanceolate pinnae (spear-shaped leaflets). The lower 

 pinnae are distinctly stalked, spreading, 6in. to 9in. long, and cut down to 

 a narrow wing into close, entire, ligulate (strap-shaped), blunt segments of 

 a rigidly leathery texture, bluish-green underneath, and smooth on both 

 surfaces. The sori (spore masses), disposed near the midvein, are from twelve 

 to twenty to a segment. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 449. 



G. (Mertensia) pectinata — Mer-ten'-si-a ; pec-tin-a'-ta (comb-like), 

 Presl. 



This distinct, stove species is common in all parts of South America, 

 Its stalks, produced from slender, creeping rhizomes, are branched and 

 zigzag ; the branches bear from one to three pairs of forked leaflets of 

 a divaricate (stragghng) nature, and their segments, which are never decurrent, 

 are sometimes smooth, sometimes slightly downy, and frequently glaucous 

 (bluish-green) underneath. The sori (spore masses) consist of from eight to 

 ten capsules, disjDosed on each side of the midvein of the segments. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, i., p. 11, Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 73. 



VOL. II. Q 



