14 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



Asplenium erosum L. Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 2: 1324. 1759. 



II. 1208. Coban, altitude 1,350 meters, December, 1907. 



The present specimens, received under ihe name Asplenium auritum Sw., represent 

 one of the many forms usually referred (o under the latter name. There can be no 

 question that Asplenium erosum, the name given by Linnaeus in 1759, is the earliest 

 one applied to any form of this species." The later synonymy is much confused. 



Asplenium falcinellum Maxon, sp. now 



Fronds several (4 to 6), fasciculate, erect or arching, 75 cm. long (maximum), 

 simply pinnate; rhizome suberect, slender, with a few spreading yellowish brown 

 linear long-attenuate scales at the crown; stipe 18 to 2L cm. long, dull brownish, firm, 

 stout, terete or slightly sulfate; lamina chartaceo-coriaceous, about 55 cm. long, 25 

 to 30 cm. broad, once pinnate, ovate, comprising about 12 pairs of distant slightly 

 ascending subopposite pinnye and an enlarged conform terminal segment; pinnae 

 lanceolate, varying from nearly straight to falcate, decidedly petiolate, the margins 

 entire but subundulate in drying, all except the uppermost 3 or 4 pairs nearly equal 

 in size and form, the lowermost the largest, these 15 to 17 cm. long, 2.5 to 3 cm. broad, 

 at the base long-petiolate (about 5 mm.), acutely and subequally cuneate, in the outer 

 portion attenuate; succeeding pinnye very gradually smaller, all petiolate, the ninth 

 pair 13.5 cm. long, 2 cm. broad, the uppermost pair 9 cm. long, 1.5 cm. broad, the 

 terminal segment conform, nearly 2 cm. broad, the lamina thus reduced rather 

 abruptly toward the apex; sori about 15 to 19 pairs to each pinna, equidistant (2 to 3 

 mm.) from the margin and the midvein, 15 to 22 mm. long, straight or slighlly curved, 

 produced upon the successive anterior branches of the mostly thrice dichotomous 

 veins; indusium elevated, firm, narrow, less than 1 mm. wide, persistent. 



Type in the U. S. National Herbarium, no. 82(1251, collected near Cubilquitz, Alta 

 Verapaz, Guatemala, altitude 350 meters, by Baron H. von Ttirckheim, no. II. 1910, 

 August, 1907. A specimen collected by Baron von Ttirckheim (no. II. 857) at the 

 same locality and distributed by Captain Smith under no. 8(136 as A. salidfolium, is 

 exactly the same. The species occurs also in Chiapas, Mexico, according to a speci- 

 men in the herbarium of the Missouri Botanical Garden, collected by J. N. Rovirosa. 



A. falcinellum is a near ally of A. intcgerrimum Spreng., a West Indian species 

 redescribed recently by the writer. & From this it differs in its suberect rhizome, 

 inconspicuous chaff, subterete wiry and noncarnose vascular parts, more numerous 

 and spaced pinna 1 , harsher texture throughout, more numerous sori and nonalate 

 rachis. A . falcinellum is said to be epiphytic. 



Asplenium fragrans Sw. 



II. 1311. Epiphytic, in forest near Coban, altitude 1,350 meters, July, 1907. 



A finely dissected delicate lax form, not uncommon in Guatemala and very different 

 from the typical Jamaican plant. Similar or reduced forms, mainly continental, are 

 not infrequently determined under other names. 



Asplenium monanthes L. Mant. 1: 130. 1767. 



Asplenium monanthemum L.; Murray, Syst. Veg. 933. 1784. 



II. 1642. Mountains between Tactic and Coban, altitude 1,800 meters, February, 

 1907. 



The specimens under this number include the forms described and illustrated by 

 Fee upon Mexican material as Asplenium leptophyllum and A. galeottii. These and 

 others from distant regions, as shown by a very large series of specimens examined, 

 appear to be but variously fertile states of a single polymorphic species of the widest 

 distribution. A. monanthes was founded upon South African specimens. 

 Asplenium serra L. & F. 



II. 2085. Coban, altitude 1,350 meters, December, 1907. 



a See Underwood, Bull. Torr. Club 33: 196. 1906. 

 &Contr. Nat. Herb. 10: 477. 1908. 



