Part 1, 1909] GLEICHENIACEAE 63 
Gleichenia_ compacta Christ, Bull. Herb. Boiss. II. 5: 254. 1905. Apparently a valid 
species; known only from Costa Rica, the type from the vicinity of La Palma, altitude 1600 
meters, Wercklé. Not seen by the writer. 
Gleichenia Mathewsti Hook. Sp. Fil. 1: 9. pl. 7, B. 1844. Described originally from 
Peruvian specimens and ascribed by Hooker and Liebmann to southern Mexico. From 
description it appears to be a form of D. bifida. The Jamaican species wrongly described 
under this name by Jenman is D. jamaicensis Underw., a plant of wholly different vestiture. 
Gleichenia pennigera (Mart.) Moore, Index Fil. 381. 1862. (Mertensia pennigera 
Mart. Ic. Crypt. Bras. 130. pl. 59, f. J. 1834.) The type specimens are from the state of 
Minas Geraes, Brazil. Under this name have been listed in error (Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. 
32: 105. 1893) specimens from Costa Rica, Touduz 3879, which probably represent an 
undescribed species, 
Gleichenia revoluta H.B.K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 1: 29. 1815. Described originally from 
the Quitensian Andes and probably confined to South America. The Costa Rican plant so 
reported is D. costaricensis Underw. 
Gleichenia tenuis Presl, Rel. Haenk. 1: 70. 1825. (Mertensia tenuis Presl, Tent. 
Pterid. 51. pl. 7, f. 7. 1836.) Described from specimens said to have been collected in 
Mexico and Martinique. Not identified. 
Mertensia gleichenioides Liebm. Vidensk. Selksk. Skr. V. 1: 296. 1849. (Gleichenia 
Liebmanni Moore, Index Fil. 379. 1862.) A remarkable form, accurately described by 
Liebmann from specimens collected by him near Cuaba, Vera Cruz, Mexico, and apparently 
not since collected. In general appearance the specimens differ widely from the usual 
type of Dicranopteris in the direction of Gleichenia, but not in venation and other charac- 
ters. In minute characters they appear to represent a species not otherwise known, but in 
gross morphology the plant is almost certainly atypical and possibly indicates a reversion 
toward a general ancestral form. Plants similar in form, but very different in vestiture, 
have been collected in Jamaica by Professor Underwood and the writer; these were grow- 
ing with D. bifida and from their minute characters must be reckoned a form of that 
species. 
Mertensia pubescens H. & B.; Willd. Sp. Pl. 5:73. 1810. Described originally from 
Venezuela ; according to Sturm and Underwood confined to South America. North Ameri- 
can specimens of several species have often been listed under this name. 
