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sides ; veins freely reticulated, falling short of the margins ; areolae 

 copious, oblong, oblique ; sori linear the lines curved, zigzag, or 

 reticulated, quite superficial. 



Infrequent on the sides of large stones and rocks in wet forests at 

 6,000 ft. altitude ; first gathered in a disintegrated gully above the 

 Portland road, not far from the Government Cinchona Plantations, 

 where a good many plants then existed. It varies in size : the 

 Jamaica specimens are mostly small, under 6 in 1. and an inch wide, 

 but occasionally much larger ; in Guiana it is 8-12 in. 1. and 2-3 in. w. 

 It has broader fronds than any of the other species, broadest above the 

 centre, becoming thus oblanceolate or spathulato-lanoeolate, with short 

 winged stipites. 



Tribe XII Vittarie^. 



Fronds entire, rarely forked, or pinnate, linear, ligulate or ensiform, 

 tufted or scattered ; veins copiously reticulated, transversely connected, 

 or quite free, in some cases quite absent ; sori linear, costal or sub- 

 marginal, running parallel with the margins, continuous or casually 

 interrupted, sunk in a groove or slit or superficial ; sporangia stipitate, 

 with an incomplete vertical jointed ring, splitting transversely when 

 mature : receptacles special or not. 



This is a small tribe, which is difficult to place with satisfaction as 

 it possesses no very obvious affinity. In some cases the sori are more 

 or less embraced before maturity by the recurved margins of the fronda 

 or connivent sides of the furrows, and this feature, together with the 

 linear and transverse or longitudinal character of the sori, gives it 

 some claim to follow Pteridece and Blechnece, from which however the 

 entire absence of special involucres removes it under this arrangement. 

 The three genera which comprise it consist of a few grass or ribbon- 

 like fronded species, which are chiefly epiphytal on trees or rocks. 

 They are spread through the torrid belt, quite round the world, being 

 about equally divided between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. 

 Genus XXXII. Monogramma, Schk. 



Fronds small, linear, simple or forked : devoid of veins or with short 

 simple or forked costal branches; sori linear, sunk in a longitudinal 

 cleft down the back of the costa or superficial on both sides of it, the 

 two lines becoming confluent laterally. 



About a dozen species form this genus which in their vascular parts 

 are among the simplest of all ferns. They are small epiphytal grass- 

 like plants, mostly tropical in their range, through which regions they 

 are widely but not very generally diffused. About half the number are 

 West Indian and American. The individuals, locally, grow alone or 

 in communities and are infrequent or rare. 



Fronds with a midrib only, and no lateral 

 veins. — 1. M. graminoides. 



Fronds with simple or forked lateral veins. — 2. M. minor. 



3. M. seminuda. 



4. M. immersa. 



1. M. graminoides, Baker. — Rootstock slender, cylindrical, erect, 

 clothed with small brown scales, fronds tufted, simple, or casually 

 forked at the top, narrowed to the base of the filiform margined stipites, 

 1-2 or more in. 1. about \ li. w., herbaceo-coriaceous and stiffish, bright 

 green, naked; midrib distinct raised on the upper aide, but with no 



