BOTRYCHIUM. 



605 



may take place in the supposed male organs, supposed to have 

 acted upon the females. 



I have but little doubt 5 that these organs may assist us 

 in limiting the genera. 



How is it that the veins differ so in the points by which 

 they give attachment to the sori. 



Why, in this genus for instance, are the sori limited in the 

 upper veins to their inner side, while in the lower, they spring 

 from both sides ; why are the compound supercurrent veins 

 free from sori, except at the base. 



What is the anatomy of the veins, what is it in the sorifer- 

 ous, what in the other portions ? 



Helminthostachy. This belongs to a very different type, its 

 v enation is precisely that of many other Ferns, and in this, as 

 well as margin ation, it approaches to Pteris. The leaves are 

 s ub'terminal, an unusual disposition. The spike is densely 

 c rowded, with groups of capsules which almost in every res- 

 pect closely resemble the carpella of pheenogamous plants. 

 What is more, the margin representing the involution is al- 

 ways internal, and we have besides somewhat of an attempt 

 at the formation of a stigma, if not in function at least in 

 analogy. 



It is difficult to reconcile its structure with that of others 

 nor has it much to do with Ophioglossum, and Botrychium. 



The fructification cannot be considered as an altered frond, 

 because it is too irregular, and because the capsules have no 

 order. The lowest of those of each group are globular, and 

 have no styloid process. These being confined to the upper. 



Botrychii. sp. PI. CXXXV. Fig. II. 



Radices horizontals, carnosse, caulis pedalis apice 1 folio- 

 sus, hincque et quasi folio opposit. sed infra et forsan ter- 

 natim, pinnae fructifer pinnatindee. Fol. supra decomposit. 



