MAXON—STUDIES OF TROPICAL AMERICAN FERNS. 419 
The varied nomenclatorial history of this fern, known usually as Hemtelia nigricans, 
was recently discussed at length ! by the writer, who redescribed the species, pub- 
lished an illustration of a part of the type material, and cited numerous specimens 
from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, where it is apparently a not 
uncommon species. No recent specimens are known from Jamaica, which was long 
supposed to be the type locality. A further review of the material at hand leads to 
the conclusion that, in addition to the species previously reduced to H. multiflora, 
Hemitelia hartii Baker, mentioned by the writer as doubtfully distinct, must also 
be included in that species, a disposition which will necessitate only a slight modi- 
fication of the writer’s previous description. 
As thus defined H. multiflora shows a considerable breadth of variation in venation, 
position of sori, and shape of segments. One extreme (the commonest form) is seen 
in the partially fertile state which has usually been called HH. nigricans, in which the 
segments are straight or only subfalcate, the veins about equally simple and once 
forked, and the sori confined to the lower veins. In such specimens the few sori are 
distinctly supramedial or even submarginal. In fully fertile fronds (a rare condition, 
apparently) two variations in form are found: (1) The Costa Rican plants described 
as A. decussata, in which the pinnules are similar in shape to the partially sterile ones 
mentioned above, but smaller, the veins either simple or once forked, and the sori 
nearly medial or slightly inframedial; (2) the luxuriant, exceedingly fertile plant 
described by Baker (from Hart’s single Chiriqui collection) as H. hartii, in which 
most of the segments are distinctly falcate and nearly all of the veins once forked and 
soriferous half way to the margin. In this last form the bullate scales extend sparingly 
to the veins, a feature noted also in the writer’s specimens irom Porto Bello, Panama, 
which otherwise are typically representative of ‘‘//. nigricans.’ The whole series 
shows no greater variability than Cyathea arborea and like that species ranges from 
gea level to upward of 1,000 meters. In all of the specimens the peculiar shape of the 
tip of the pinne, the alate secondary rachises, the nature and disposition of the 
pubescence, and the characters offered by the scales and spines of the stipe, are 
constant and indicate only a single variable species. 
The record of specimens of H. hartii from Colombia doubtless relates to the original 
collection, Chiriqui having been a part of Colombia at that time. Hemitelia obscura 
Mett. has been referred to H. nigricans, that is, to H. multiflora; but it is amply 
distinct, as previously pointed out. 
9. Hemitelia muricata (Willd.) Fée, Gen. Fil. 350. 1850-52. PLATE 22. 
Cyathea muricata Willd. Sp. Pl. 5: 497. 1810. 
Alsophila muricata Desv. Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 319. 1827. 
Disphenia muricata Presl, Abh. Béhm. Ges. Wiss. V. 5: 349. 1848. 
Caudex erect, 4 to 6 meters high, radicose toward the base; fronds 7 or 8, spreading 
ina wide crown, apparently 2.5 to 3.5 meters long; stipe stout, 2 to 2.5 cm. in diameter, 
dark castancous, lustrous beneath a loose furfuraceous covering of minute squamules, 
densely armed with short straight acicular spines 1 to 3 mm. long; lamina ample, 
at least 140 cm. broad, deeply tripinnatifid, the rachis castaneous, lustrous, slightly 
muricatc; pinne subopposite to alternate, 50 to 70 cm, long, 15 to 21 cm. broad, very 
abruptly acuminate, the secondary rachis similar to the primary or brownish and 
freely muricate, lightly furfuraceous; pinnules about 25 pairs, linear-oblong, 8 to 12 
cm. long, 1.5 to 3 cm. broad, long-acuminate, distinctly petiolate (2 to 4 mim.), articu- 
late, deciduous, approximate or contiguous, very deeply pinnatifid, the costae densely 
and antrorsely strigose above, beneath stoutish, very prominent, castaneous, bearing 
numerous scattered subbullate brownish or light-castaneous ovate acuminate scales; 
segments 15 to 17 pairs, oblong to linear-oblong, 8 to 15 mm, long, 4 to 5 mm. broad, 
1 On the identity of Cyathea multiflora, type of the genus Hemitelia R, Br. Bull. 
Torrey Club 38: 545-550. pl, 35. 1912. 
