26 
POLYPODIACE^— POLYrODIE;E. 
venules simple. Fronds varying from a few inches to three or four feet long ; simple pinnate 
bipinnate or decompound ; smooth hairy or covered beneath with a rich- coloured farinose* powder. — 
Name derived from gymnos, naked, and gramme, a line ; in allusion to the linear sori being destitute 
of a cover. 
In the Gardeners' Magazine of Botany we have adopted the genus Leptogramma, distinguishing 
it from Gymnogramma by the simjjle venules and simple sori, -which characterized the original ; but 
several additional sj>ecies have now been introduced to cultivation, which while they agree in having 
simple sori with the characters assigned to Leptogramma, yet do not 
accord in the venation. Hence it becomes necessary to cancel Lepto- 
gramma as a genus ; but it may be usefully retained as a sectional 
group, to include those species which are distinguished from true 
Gymnogramma by oblong-linear simple sori. 
Fig. 6 represents a pinna of Gymnogramma tomentosa (med. size). 
? Gymnooeamma VERA. — Sovi linear, forked. 
1. Gr nuPA, Besvaux (Hemionitis, Swartz ; Neukogeamma, Link), — An 
ornamental evergreen stove species ; native of tropical America. Fronds 
from one to two feet long, hairy, linear, pinnate with ohlong, ohtuse pinnae, 
stalked, and cordate at the base. Stipes and rachis reddish brown ; terminal, 
adherent to a fasciculate erect rhizome. Sori linear medial, forked, oblique, 
subsequently confluent, produced on every pinnae throughout the frond. 
2. G. tomentosa, Besvaux (Hemionitis, Baddi ; Neueogramma, Link ; 
Ceterach lobatum, Presl). — A tender delicate and beautiful stove Fern ; 
native of Brazil and the West Indies. Fronds somewhat lanceolate, bipin- 
nate, hairy, and membranous, from one to two feet long, with oblong-obtuse 
pinnules, the lower ones cordate at the base, terminal one lohed, acuminate. 
Sori linear, medial, forked, oblique. Stipes and rachis black, terminal, 
adherent to a fasciculate erect rhizome. 
Fig- 6. 3 . G. JAVANICA, Blume. — A very handsome evergreen stove Fern ; from 
J ava. Fronds glabrous, pinnate, two to three feet high, bright green ; pinn® petiolate oblong-lanceolate, six to 
ten inches long, acuminate, or suheaudate at the apex, and cuneate at the base. This species is rare in English 
gardens, though it has been in cultivation on the Continent for several years. 
4. G. trifoliata, Besvaux (Acrostichum, Linneeus).- — A rather erect growing evergreen stove Fern ; from 
the West Indies. Fronds oblong-lanceolate, broadest at the base, bipinnate, one to one-and-a-half foot long, 
light green ; pinnse petiolate, trifoliate, with linear-lanceolate segments, slightly crenate at the margin, and 
covered beneath with a yellowish farinose powder. Stipes scaly at the base, terminal, adherent to a fasciculate 
erect rhizome. This species, which is scarce in cultivation, has often been brought to the country, but is difficult 
to establish ; it has recently been introduced to the Eoyal Botanic Garden, Kew. 
6. G. Calomelanos, Kardfuss (Acrostichum, Linnmus ; Ceropteris, Link). — An ornamental evergreen stove 
Fern ; from Jamaica. Fronds from two to three feet long, ovate-lanceolate, hi-subtri-pinnate, the upper side 
dull green, and covered beneath with a white farinose powder ; pinnules lanceolate-acuminate, with elongated 
acuminate lohed segments. Sori forked, medial, oblique, confluent, and nearly covering each segment. Stipes, 
rachis, and midrib of pinnae black ; terminal, adherent to a fasciculate erect rhizome. This plant frequently 
goes under the name of Q. peruviana, in gardens. 
6. G. Tart.area, Besvaux (Acrostichum, Swartz; Ceropteris, Link; G. dealbata. Link). — An ornamental 
evergreen stove species ; from the warm parts of America. Fronds two to three feet long, ovate-lanceolate, 
hi-subtri-pinnate ; the upper surface dull green, and covered beneath with a white farinose powder ; pinnules 
lanceolate-acuminate, with roundish ovate or oblong segments, which are distant, the lower one lohed. Sori 
linear, medial, forked, oblique, becoming confluent. Stipes, rachis, and midrib of pinnae black ; terminal, 
adherent to a fasciculate erect rhizome. 
7. G. ochhacea, Presl? — An evergreen stove Fern ; from Peru. Fronds from one to one-and-a-half foot 
long, ovate-lanceolate, pale yellow beneath, the upper surface bright green ; bipinnate, with lanceolate-acuminate 
pinnae, and narrow oblong-linear dentate pinnules. Sori medial, somewhat scattered on the veins. This, which 
has the most compact frond of the yellow farinose species, is in cultivation under the name of G. Massoni. 
• The farinose powder, which is found on the fronds of many species of Gymnogramma and other genera of Ferns, is not always 
of the same colour throughout the frond. -We have received from Mr. W. H. Baxtei', of the Botanic Garden, Oxford, a frond of 
Gymnogramma tartarea, -nhlch has both the white powder proper to the species, and the bright yellow proper to G. chnjxophylla, 
on distinct portions of the same frond. 
