MAXON—STUDIES OF TROPICAL AMERICAN FERNS. 163 
primary rachis stout (3 to 3.5 mm. in diameter), castaneous, subterete, only the upper 
side flattish (with a low marginal ridge at each side), the under parts beset with numer- 
ous short stout conical spines less than 1 mm. long; primary pinne opposite, deltoid, 
30 to 50 cm. long, 20 to 35 cm. broad, comprising about 4 to 8 pairs of spreading sub- 
opposite secondary pinnz below the acuminate apex, the secondary rachis similar to the 
primary, but sharply flexuous at the insertion of the secondary pinne, strongly aculeate 
below, the spines stout, conical, retrorse, 1 to 2mm. long; secondary pinne similar to the 
primary, the basal pair distant, reduced, subaxillary, the larger ones (2 to 4 pairs) 
imbricate, deltoid, 10 to18 cm. long, 7 to 14 cm. broad, spreading orreflexed, the tertiary 
rachises regularly flexuose, retrorsely aculeate below; pinnules of the third order 6 to 
10 pairs below the gradually acuminate pinnate apex, the basal ones reduced, distant, 
subaxillary, the larger ones apart or contiguous, oblong-lanceolate from an unequal base, 
the quaternary rachises sinuous or subflexuous, smooth or obscurely aculeolate; pin- 
nules of the fourth order numerous, sessile or minutely stalked, rhombic to irregularly 
obcordate, simple or the larger ones with 1 or 2 large free obcordate lateral segments, the 
terminal segment subrhombic, irregularly 1 or 2-lobed; sori several to each lobe, small, 
endophyllous, the involucre narrowly obconical, open only at the margin., Leaf 
tissue thick, spongiose-herbaceous or subcoriaceous, the veins concealed or nearly so. 
Type in the U. 8. National Herbarium, nos. 427877-879, comprising three separate 
primary pinne taken from a plant growing on a bank in partial shade near Cinchona, 
Jamaica, altitude about 1,500 meters, April 25, 1903, by William R. Maxon (no. 1594). 
The confusion of this species with the very different true aculeata from Cuba, Santo 
Domingo, and Porto Rico, has already been mentioned under the last preceding species, 
and the main points of difference have been enumerated. Jenman’s description is 
inaccurate in one respect: The sori are not, as a rule, solitary upon the ultimate 
divisions, but occur usually in 2’s or 3’s at the ends of the 2 or 3 ultimate veinlets. 
Plumier’s plate 94 cited by Jenman represents true O. aculeata. Hooker’s plate 54, 
B, also cited by him, undoubtedly illustrates the Lesser Antilles plant here treated 
as O. flecuosa, the figure having been drawn probably from a Dominica specimen. 
Jenman’s comment upon this species is as follows: “ Abundant in forests and their 
skirts, forming dense and impenetrable thickets from 2,500 ft. altitude up to the 
highest ridges and peaks. The fronds reach 15 or 20 ft. high, supported by each 
other or the surrounding bushes or trees, the lower pinne dying and decaying away 
as the top of the frond extends. Cutting through a thicket, it emits a very offensive 
smell; the juice produces a yellowish stain or dye.”’ 
Besides the type specimens the following are in the U. 8. National Herbarium: 
Jamaica: Vicinity of Cinchona, alt. 1,500 meters, Underwood 465, 3123; Clute 
102. Slopes above Tweedside, alt. 600 to 900 meters, Maxon 932a. Without 
definite locality, Harris 7428; Hart 348. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 2.—Portion of the type specimen of Odontosoria jenmanii, showing theprimary 
axis, the point of origin of the opposite primary pinne, and the first large pair of secondary pinne (the 
upper one almost completely). Natural size. 
4. Odontosoria flexuosa (Spreng.) Maxon. 
Davallia flecuosa Spreng.; Kunze, Bot. Zeit. 8: 213. 1850. 
Microlepia flexuosa Ettingsh. Farnkr. 208. 1865. 
TYPE LOCALITY: Martinique (Sieber 23). 
DistrisuTion: Known only from Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Dominica, ascend- 
ing to 580 meters. 
Intustrations: Hook. Sp. Fil. 1: pl. 54. B (as Davallia aculeata); Fée, Gen. Fil. 
pl. 27 B. f. 2 (as Stenoloma dumosum); Ettingsh. loc. cit. pl. 188. f. 4. pl. 140. f. 5. (as 
Microlepia flexuosa). 
This, the only member of Odontosoria known from the Lesser Antilles, was first 
given a name by Sprengel, which, though early mentioned in print,' was not associated 
1 Pres], Tent. Pter. 129. 1836, name only. 
