64 
THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
********* Acrosticheae. Sori congested in a mass on the 
back of distinct fertile fronds. 
Genus 42. Elaphoglossum. Fronds simple, veins free. 
Genus 43. Acrostichum. Fronds pinnate; veins anasto- 
mosing freely. 
Genus 44. Platy cerium. Fertile fronds dichotomous or 
cuneate ; barren frond thalloid. 
Sub-Order IV. Parkeriaceae. Capsules sessile, subglobose, 
with an irregular ring. Sori round, scattered on 
veins parallel to the midrib, and covered by the 
reflexed margin. 
Genus 45. Ceratoftteris. Characters as above. A floating 
fern. 
Sub-Order V. Gleicheniaceae. Capsules few in a sorus, with- 
out indusium, large, composed almost entirely of a 
broad, elastic, jointed, complete ring, which crosses 
the top, and opens vertically by the separation of 
two joints of the ring. Fronds dichotomously 
branched. Pinnae pinnate. Sori on the back of 
the frond. Vernation circinate. 
Genus 46. Gleichenia. Characters as above. 
Sub-Order VI. Schizaeaceae. Ring of capsule horizontal, con- 
fined to the upper portion. Capsule opening down 
the side. Vernation circinate. 
Genus 47. Schizaea. Fertile segment pinnate, at the top 
of a grass-like frond. Barren frond grass-like. 
Genus 48. Lygodium. Stems scandent ; fronds dichoto- 
mous at the base ; capsules solitary in the axils of 
imbricating scales, arranged in spikes on the margin 
of ordinary fronds, or forming distinct fertile fronds. 
Genus 49. Mohria. Capsules marginal or nearly marginal 
on ordinary fronds. A small herbaceous fern. 
Genus 50. Aneimia. Fertile part of frond distinct, without 
lamina, much branched, rising from the base of a 
pinnate, leafy, barren frond. 
Sub-Order VII. Osmundaceae. Capsules stalked, opening at 
the top, and having an incomplete ring horizontally 
round one side. Vernation circinate. 
Genus 51. Todea. Sori on the back of ordinary pinnae. 
Genus 52. Osfnunda. Fertile pinnae with almost no 
lamina. 
