Bower . — Studies in the Phytogeny of the Filicales. 473 
to have the advantage in leading towards a truly phyletic classification, 
since it is based upon a very early and remarkably constant character. 
Returning in conclusion to the genus Metaxya , we may consider 
its position in the scheme thus sketched. It is clearly one of the Super- 
ficiales, and its near relation to the Cyatheae, which has always been 
recognized, is indisputable. But it shares with Lophosoria the distinction of 
standing aloof from them. It is more primitive than they in several impor- 
tant characters, such as the creeping habit, the presence of hairs and absence 
of ramenta, the simple solenostelic axis and undivided leaf-trace, the simul- 
taneous sorus and almost vertical, interrupted annulus. Like Lophosoria 
it is technically one of the Simplices, and the other characters named 
as primitive will justify its being placed in the superficial series below any 
of the true Cyatheae. Its relation is probably nearest to certain species of 
Alsophila with hairy sori. But until these species have been more exactly 
examined the degree of that relationship cannot be defined. 
The question, however, remains what relation, if any, there is between 
Metaxya and Ferns other than the Cyatheae. It cannot escape notice that 
several of the early writers named it P oly podium ( P . rostratum , Willd., 
P. Humboldtii , Poir., P. blechnoides , Sw.). A similarity may certainly be 
traced in general external characters, such as the creeping habit, the simple 
pinnation, and the flat hairy sori, to various types of Polypodium , and 
especially to the Phymatodes section of the genus. But they differ in the 
scaly dermal coverings, the high degree of subdivision of the vascular tracts 
in both leaf and axis, and in their mixed sorus. An apparent similarity of 
habit to Neocheiropteris palmatopedata , (Bak.) Christ, that remarkable Fern 
from Southern China, suggested an examination of its characters, as possibly 
supplying some intermediate or explanatory condition. But this anticipa- 
tion was not realized. Text-fig. B shows a series of transverse sections 
of the rhizome of that Fern at the insertion of a leaf. The vascular system 
is seen to resemble other Polypodiaceous types in showing in the axis 
a large number of small meristeles disposed in a ring, while the leaf-trace 
also consists of a large number of small strands. The disposition of these 
is, however, along lines similar to those of the solenostele and the undivided 
leaf-trace of Metaxya , but both vascular tracts have been broken up by 
numerous ‘ perforations \ It is, however, worthy of note that occasionally such 
‘ perforations ’ are seen in Metaxya (compare Fig. 3, v), so that the difference 
in this respect is only one of degree. 1 Scales are present in Neocheiropteris 
1 Since the above was written, Professor Gwynne- Vaughan has quoted to me a considerable 
number of instances among Ferns ranked under the comprehensive name of Poly podium, where the 
subdivision of the meristeles by perforations is in abeyance or less complete than in Neocheiropteris. 
It would be going too far afield to extend the present observations in this direction, and doubtless he 
will make his own statement on the point. But meanwhile the fact that such states occur is evidence 
of the correctness of the view put forward in the text. 
