VI.—The Anatomy and Affinity of Stromatopteris moniliformis, Mett

Extract

In the year 1861 the ferns collected by Vieillard in the island of New Caledonia were described by Mettenius in a paper entitled “Filices Novæ Caledoniæ” (Ann. Sc. Nat., iv, 15). Among the organisms described was a new and remarkable fern for the reception of which a new Gleicheniaceous genus Stromatopteris was founded. Having noted in particular the absence of roots, and the hairy and sclerotic character of the axis, Mettenius figured the latter as obliquely ascending at its base, but as upright and closely and repeatedly branched more distally. The simply pinnate unbranched leaf was described as a direct continuation of a branch of the axis, with nodular base, slender rachis, and many small leathery pinnæ with sympodial dichotomous venation. With regard to the sori, attention was directed in particular to their development singly on the pinnæ and towards the base of the upper margins, and to the mound-like hairy receptacle which lodged the forking of the basal acroscopic vein. The sporangia, numbering from two to six, were stated to be distributed on the back and towards the periphery of the receptacle; their stalks were short and massive, the annulus complete and transverse, and dehiscence longitudinal and extrorse.