POLYPODIACEjE— POLYPODIE iE. 
a 
IV. ALLOSORUS, Bernhardt. 
Sort round or oblong, becoming confluent, and ultimately occupying the whole under-surface of the 
segments ; spore-cases attached on or near the apex of the veins, forming broad, intramarginal, com- 
pound, transverse sori, concealed by the revolute margin of the pinnules. Veins forked, free, elevated, 
terminating within the indusiiform margin. Fronds of two kinds — 
sterile, bi-tripinnate, generally smooth, with the pinnules dentate, 
crenate, or laeiniate ; fertile, contracted, segments oval or oblong, 
elliptical, revolute, and plaited. — Name derived from alios, various, 
and soros, a heap ; in allusion to the altered appearances presented 
by the sori during the different stages of their development. 
Fig. 4 represents the upper portion of a sterile, and upper 
portion of a fertile frond (nat. size) ; and a segment of fertile frond 
(magn.), showing the veins and sori of Allosorus crispus. 
1. A. CRISPUS, Bcrnliardi (Osmunua, lAnrueus ; Phoeobolus, Desvaux ; 
PxERis, linnceus ; Cryptogramma, B. Brown ). — A very elegant dwarf 
hardy Fern, native of Britain, and the Alps of Europe. Sterile fronds 
bipinnate ; pinnules bi-tripinnatifid, segments oblong, often bi-dentate. 
Fertile fronds contracted, bipinnate, tripinnate below ; pinnules linear- 
oblong, rather obtuse, revolute, entire, narrow at the base. Sori round, 
intramarginal, subsequently confluent, concealed by the revolute margin 
of the frond. Veins simple, forked where they are soriferous. Fronds 
triangular, from three to six inches high, adherent to a decumbent tufted 
rhizome. There are two or three distinct-looking forms of this plant 
occasionally met with ; but they are not sufficiently constant to be con- 
sidered as permanent varieties. Several species of Platyloma are referred 
to this genus by some authors. 
V. NOTHOCHL^NA, R. Brown. 
Sori round, solitary, subsequently confluent; spore-cases terminal, attached on or near the apex of 
the venules, forming a linear, continuous or interrupted marginal line. Veins forked, free, pinnate or 
bifurcate. Fronds varying from pinnate to bi-tripinnate, hairy, densely scaly, woolly, or covered with 
a farinose powder, through which the spore-cases protrude ; of the latter there are usually but few to 
each sorus ; margin somewhat slightly reflexed. — Name derived from nothos, spurious, and chlaina, a 
cloak ; in allusion to some of the species appearing to have an involucre. Sometimes written Notholcena. 
The very elegant plants arranged under this genus are of dwarf habit, and generally diflicult to 
cultivate, owing to the woolly or scaly surface of the fronds, which retains 
moisture. When once they become wet the water does not readily pass off, and 
the fronds are in consequence often destroyed. It is therefore not advisable to 
sprinkle water on the fronds, but to keep them quite dry during winter. Fig. 
5 represents a portion of the frond of Notlioclilcena trichonianoides. 
1. N. TENBRA, Gillies . — A very tender delicate evergreen stove Fern, from Chili. 
Fronds glabrous, bluish green, six to eight inches high, somewhat lanceolate, bipinnate ; 
pinnules on the lower pinnse cordate-ovate, oblong- obtuse, superior ones becoming 
sessile, terminal one lobed. Sori terminal, linear, continuous, confluent, forming a broad 
marginal band. Stipes shining, adherent to a short creeping rhizome. 
2. N. NivEA, Desvaux (N. incana, Presl. ; Pteris nivea, Poiret ). — A very tender 
delicate beautiful evergreen stove species, native of Mexico, Peru, and ChUi. Fronds 
from six to twelve inches high, and covered beneath with white farinose powder, the 
upper surface bluish-green ; somewhat lanceolate, with a broad base ; bipinnate, with 
roundish ovate, obtuse, entire pinnules, which are cordate at the base, the terminal one 
lobed. Sori terminal, linear, confluent, forming a broad marginal band. Fronds 
terminal, adherent to a short creeping rhizome. 
3. N. argentea, J. R. — This, one of the handsomest of the genus, is an evergreen 
stove species, native of South America. Fronds triangularly ovate, about six inches 
long, and covered throughout with white farinose powder ; sub-tripinnate, with oblong obtuse crenate pinnules, 
