48 
A TABLE OF THE GEOHPS AND GENERA OF THE 
BRITISH FERNS AND ALLIED PLANTS. 
1. FEmS=FILICE8. 
Flowerless plants^ hearing seed-ressels {spore-cases) on 
their leaves {fronds), at the hacks {dorsal) or margins 
{marginal). The British Fc-rns belong to groups which 
are called PolypodiaceaB, Osmundace£e,a/^^^ Ophioglos- 
sacege. 
POLYPOD I ACE/E = Ferns having the leaves rolled up 
in a circinate or crosier-like manner while young ; and 
the spore-cases girt with an elastic ring, and bursting 
by an irregular transverse cleft. It comprises several 
lesser groups or sections, called Polypodiew, Gymno- 
grammew, Aspidiew, Asplenieoe, Blechnece, Pteridew, 
Adiantew, Woodsiece, and Hymenophyllece. 
§ ’B01LxY‘B0'DTEM= Ferns whose round clusters of 
spore-cases have no special membranous cover {in- 
dusium). It contains the genera Polypodium and 
Allosorus. 
