TAB. XXXVI.
C E R A T O D A C T Y L IS . J . Smith, mst.
Pinnulæ fertiles mutato-contractæ ; marginibus revolutis membranaceis indusiæ-
formibus, dorsum totum pinnulæ tegentibus. Sori lineares, furcatæ. Sporangia
venas parallelas furcatas per totam longitndinem occupantia.— Filix Mexicana.
F rondes stipitatæ 2 \ ‘pedales, glabroe, tripinnatoe. Pin næ superiores mutato-contractæ,
fertiles. Pin n u læ stériles, alternoe, petiolatoe, oblongo-ellipticoe, basi obliquoe, serru-
latoe, venosæ, venis subsimpliciter dichotome ramosæ : fertiles contractoe, lineares,
subfalcatoe, non raro iernatim divisæ. J . Smith, mst.
Ceratodactylis osmundioides. J . Sm. ( T a b . X X X V I .)
“ The above character is drawn up from a single specimen of a Fern from Mexico,
given to me by Mr Lambert. The sterile portion of the frond agreeing with Osmunda
in habit, and the fertile pinnules with Ceratopteris, and the position of the sporangia and
form of the sori with Cryptogramma, it is difficult to say what is its nearest affinity. In my
own mst. arrangement, I place it with those Genera which have an universal marginal
indusium, formed by the revolute margin of the frond, which is always contracted ; as
Ceratopteris, Struthiopteris, Cryptogramma, &c.”
What is here stated is entirely from Mr Smith’s mst., the plant being wholly unknown
to me. INIr Smith further observes, that the apparent longitudinal vein, crossing the whole
of the nerves between the costa and the mai’gin (as seen at / , 6), is in reality occasioned
by the sudden duplicature of that part of the pinna.
F ig . 1. Under surface of a fertile portion o f the frond ; magn. 3 diam.—/ . 2. A portion of the
under side, a n d /. 3. of the upper side of the same ; f . 4. Portion of the under surface, with the m argins
(naturally) a little more spreading, and / 5. with the margins forced open ; m. 10 diam.—/ 6. Smaller
portion of the same, with the margin quite spread open ; m. 30 diam.—/ 7. 8. Sporangia in different
states ; m. 100 diam,—/ 9. 10. Separate pinnules from the sterile portion of the frond ; nat. size.
t
¿ ' i