GLEICHENIA (named in honour of W. F. Gleichen, 1717-1783, a German botanist). ORD. Filices. A genus comprising about thirty species of ornamental stove and greenhouse ferns. Caudex mostly creeping. Fronds rarely unbranched, generally dichotomously divided; pinnae deeply pinnatifid, with the segments small and concave. Sori of few (usually two to four) sessile capsules, situated on a lower exterior veinlet. For general culture, see Ferns. GLEICHENIA acutifolia (acute-leaved). A synonym of GLEICHENIA quadripartita. GLEICHENIA Bancroftii (Bancroft's) A synonym of GLEICHENIA longissima. GLEICHENIA bifurcata (twice-forked). A synonym of GLEICHENIA flagellaris. GLEICHENIA bracteata (bracteate). A synonym of GLEICHENIA flagellaris. GLEICHENIA circinata (circinate).* fronds, lobes of the pinnae ovate or sub-rotund, more or less glaucous beneath, the margins slightly recurved; branches and rachis glabrous, or more or less pubescent. Capsules three to four, superficial. Australia. Green-house. SYNS. GLEICHENIA microphylla, GLEICHENIA speluneae. The variety semi-vestita has the rachises and young fronds very paleaceo-pubescent. GLEICHENIA cryptocarpa (hidden-fruited). fronds proliferous, coriaceous, deep yellow or yellow-brown when dry; branches dichotomously flabelliform; pinnae broad-lanceolate, sub-erect and compact, 4in. to 5in. long, 1in. broad, pectinato-pinnatifld; segments narrowlinear, strongly veined, the margins singularly revolute, concealing the sori. Capsules one to four in a sorus. h. 3ft. Chili, 1865. Greenhouse. GLEICHENIA Cunninghami (Cunningham's). fronds often proliferous, coriaceous; branches dichotomously flabelliform, glaucous beneath, hairy; pinnae linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 4in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad; segments linear, acute. Capsules two to four in a sorus. New Zealand. Greenhouse. (H. S. F. i. 6B.) GLEICHENIA dicarpa (two-fruited).* fronds, lobes of the pinnae round, subhemispherical, very fornicate. Capsules two, concealed within the almost slipper-shaped lobes, and mixed with ferruginous, paleaceous hairs, which often extend to the rachis. Australia. A variable greenhouse species. (H. S. F.i. 1c.) The variety alpina is generally smaller and more compact, rachis and young shoots ferruginous with paleaceous wool. SYN. GLEICHENIA hecistophylla. (H. S. F. i.2B.) Another elegant variety, introduced in 1879, is longipinnata, in which the fronds are longer than those of the type, and the growth is exceedingly graceful. GLEICHENIA dichotoma (forked).* sti. zigzag, repeatedly di-or trichotomous, the ultimate branches bearing a pair of forked pinnae, about 8in. long and 2in. wide; segments never decurrent, glaucous beneath. Tropical regions. Stove. SYNS. GLEICHENIA ferruginea, GLEICHENIA Hermanni, GLEICHENIA rufinervis, and many others. GLEICHENIA excelsa (tall). A synonym of GLEICHENIA longissima. GLEICHENIA ferruginea (rusty). A synonym of GLEICHENIA dichotoma. GLEICHENIA flabellata (fan-shaped). fronds very proliferous; branches dichotomously flabelliform; pinnae ascending, about 6in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, lanceolate; segments linear. Australia, &c., 1823. Greenhouse. GLEICHENIA flagellaris (whip-like).* fronds, branches glabrous, repeatedly dichotomous, copiously foliaceous, glabrous, often glaucous beneath, sub-coriaceo-membranaceous; pinnae erecto-patent or divaricating, extremely variable, broad or narrow,or linear-lanceolate, 5in. to 1ft. and more long; segments 1/2in. to 2in. and more long, linear, sometimes ferrugineo-tomentose at the base beneath. Capsules two to four. Mauritius and Bourbon, Madagascar; abundant in Java and Malay Islands. Stove. SYNS. GLEICHENIA bifurcata, GLEICHENIA bracteata, GLEICHENIA loevigata, GLEICHENIA plumaeformis. GLEICHENIA furcata (forked). A synonym of GLEICHENIA pubescens. GLEICHENIA gigantea (gigantic). A synonym of GLEICHENIA longissima. GLEICHENIA glauca (glaucous). A synonym of GLEICHENIA longissima. GLEICHENIA hecistophylla (smallest-leaved). A synonym of GLEICHENIA dicarpa alpina. GLEICHENIA Hermanni (Hermann's). A synonym of GLEICHENIA dichotoma. GLEICHENIA laevigata (smooth). A synonym of GLEICHENIA flagellaris. GLEICHENIA longipinnata (long-pinnated). A synonym of GLEICHENIA pubescens. GLEICHENIA longissima (longest).* sti. stout, forked; branches very long; pinnae numerous, 4in. to 8in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, deeply pinnatifid; segments linear, acuminated, or oblong, China and Japan. Greenhouse. SYNS. GLEICHENIA Bancroftii, GLEICHENIA excelsa, GLEICHENIA gigantea, GLEICHENIA glauca. (H. S. F. i. 3B.) GLEICHENIA Matthewsii (Matthews's). A synonym of GLEICHENIA pubescens. GLEICHENIA microphylla (small-leaved). A synonym of GLEICHENIA circinata. GLEICHENIA pectinata (combed).* sti. zigzag, branched; branches bearing one to three pairs of forked divaricating pinnae; segments never decurrent, frequently glaucous beneath. sori of eight to ten capsules. Tropical America, 1824. Very distinct. Stove. GLEICHENIA plumaeformis (feather-formed). A synonym of GLEICHENIA flagellaris. GLEICHENIA pubescens (downy).* sti. and rachises often woolly; branches of the frond repeatedly dichotomous, leafy; pinnae 5in. to 2ft. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, pectinato-pinnatifid, clothed with cobwebby pubescence; segments spreading, linear. Capsules two to five. Tropical America. Stove. SYNS. GLEICHENIA furcata, GLEICHENIA longipinnata, GLEICHENIA Matthewsii, GLEICHENIA tomentosa. GLEICHENIA quadripartita (quadripartite). fronds coriaceous, black when dry, rufous-brown beneath, not proliferous, only once-forked; each branch dichotomously flabelliform; pinnae lanceolate, acuminate, falcately curved, pectinato-pinnatifid, 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad; lobes narrow-linear, sub-falcate, sharply acute,the margins a little recurved. Capsules one to three in a sorus. Straits of Magellan. Greenhouse. SYN. GLEICHENIA acutifolia. GLEICHENIA rufinervis (red-nerved). A synonym of GLEICHENIA dichotoma. GLEICHENIA rupestris (rock).* fronds 2ft. to 6ft. long; lobes of pinnae rounded or obtusely sub-quadrangular, coriaceous; margins thickened and recurved, sub-glaucous beneath. sori of three or four capsules, superficial. Australia, 1860. Greenhouse. Perhaps only a variety of GLEICHENIA circinata. GLEICHENIA rupestris glaucescens (glaucous). fronds glaucous, much thicker in texture than in the type. GLEICHENIA speluncae (cavern). A synonym of GLEICHENIA circinata. GLEICHENIA tomentosa (tomentose). A synonym of GLEICHENIA pubescens.