i Ib
:
U . i l
I M'
I! ti
tli i
V I T T A R I A A C R O S T I C H O ID E S .
FILIC ES .—G y r a t æ . B r . P o l y p o d i a c e æ . K a u lf. F i l i c e s v e ræ . Willd.
Gen. Char. V I T T A R I A , Smith. S o ri solitarii, continui, lincares, submarginales, immersi.
Indusium geminatum, superficiale.
Vittaria aa-ostichoides ; frondibus stipitatis coriaceis lanceolatis obtusis (fertilibus linearibus), soris
submarginalibua.
H ab. Ad Promontorium Bonæ Spei. D . Thom.
Caudex repens, crassus, dense squamosus, squamis ovatis, acuminatis, scariosis, nitidis, fuscis; subtus radiculosus.
Stipites 2 ad 4 uncias lon g i, erecti v e l subflexuosi, pallide fusci, nitidi.
Frondes digitales, in fertilibus fere ad palmarem, lanceolatæ, obtusæ, coriaceoe, costatæ, enerves, glabræ; steriles
lineares vel lineari-Ianceolatoe.
Sori marginales, continui, demum confluentes et totam paginam inferiorem frondis tegentes, ut in Acrosticho.
Capsulæ globosoe, fuscæ, lon g e pedicellatoe.
Semina ovali-subglobosa, flavo-viridia.
F ig . 1. Capsulæ. f. 2. Semina, f. 3. Squama e caudice :—magn. auct.
Our specimens o f this South African Fern are n o t in that state o f p erfection as to render it quite
evideut that there is an involucre present with the s o r i: and it is doubtful whether this plant would
n o t with more propriety be arranged with the genus T<Etiilis. A t first th e sori o f fructifications are
decidedly in lines, close to th e margin; but in age th e capsules spread, so as to cover th e whole
back o f the frond; and in that state the plant might well be taken for an Acrostichum.
M
I'i-
;y ! I
; !!<: