470 POLYPODIACEAE. 



1. Polypodium polypodioides (L.) Watt, Can. Nat. 11: 158. 1866. 



Acrostichum polypodioides L. Sp. PI. 1068. 1753. 

 Polypodium iiicanum Sw. Fl. Ind. Occ. 3: 1645. 1806. 



Eootstock widely creeping, woody, covered with small brown scales. Stipes 

 densely appressed-sealy, 2.5-10 cm. long; blades oblong-lanceolate in outline, 

 acute, coriaceous, evergreen, 3-15 cm. long, 2.5-4 cm. wide, cut very nearly or 

 quite to the rachis into entire, oblong or linear-oblong, obtuse segments, glabrous 

 or nearly so on the upper surface, the lower densely covered with gray unap- 

 pendaged peltate scales with darker centres, as are also the rachises; veins 

 indistinct, usually once forked, connected or free. 



On trees, especially in coppices, Abaco, Great Bahama, Andros, New Providence, 

 Crooked Island : southeastern United States ; Jamaica ; Cuba to St. Jan and Trini- 

 dad ; continental tropical America. Gray Polypody. 



2. Polypodium squamatum L. Sp. PI. 1806. 1753. 



Eootstock stout, creeping, covered with linear, ciliate scales. Stipes 

 scaly, 5-25 cm. long; blades oblong-lanceolate in outline, 2-4 dm. long, 4-10 

 cm. wide, coriaceous, evergreen, cut nearly or quite to the rachis into entire 

 linear, acute or obtusish segments; rachis and under surface of the leaf- 

 segments densely covered with appressed scales with linear, ciliate appendages; 

 veins hidden. 



On trees, Conch Sound, Andros : Jamaica ; Cuba ; Hispaniola ; Porto Rico. Scaly 

 Polypody. 



12. PHLEBODIUM [R. Br.] J. Smith in Hook. Journ. Bot. 4: 58. 1841. 



Large, mostly epiphytic ferns, with stout creeping chaffy rootstocks, and 

 deeply pinnatifid, rather thick, drooping or spreading leaves, the veins anas- 

 tomosing. Sori dorsal, orbicular, without indusia, mostly in 1 row or more, 

 parallel with the midvein of the leaf-segments, usually borne at the end of a 

 pair of free veinlets. [Greek, referring to the veins.] Perhaps 10 species, trop- 

 ical and subtropical, the following typical. 



< 1. Phlebodium aureum (L ) J. Smith in Hook. Journ. Bot. 4: 59. 1841. 



Polypodium aureum L. Sp. PI. 1087. 1753. 



Eootstock short and stout, creeping, densely clothed with linear-lanceolate 

 membranous acuminate scales. Stipe stout, glabrous, 1-2.5 cm. long. Blade 

 once-pinnate, glabrous, pale and glaucescent, 1.5 m. long or less, submem- 

 branous, the lanceolate segments more or less united near the rachis, acuminate, 

 acute or obtusish, 0.7-2 dm. long, reticulate-veined; sori large, mostly in 1 or 2 

 rows on each side of the midvein. 



On trees, especially palmettos, Great Bahama, Whale Cay, Andros, New Provi- 

 dence. Eleuthera, Cat Island, Crooked Island : Florida ; West Indies ; continental 

 tropical America. Recorded by Dolley as Pteris aurea. Serpext-ferx. 



13. PHYMATODES Presl, Tent. Pter. 195. 1836. 



Slender creeping or climbing ferns with elongated rootstocks or stems and 

 simple, short-petioled leaves. Sori dorsal, circular, in 1 or 2 rows on each side 

 of the midvein; indusium wanting. Veins delicate, usually inconspicuous, 

 copiously anastomosing, their ends sometimes enlarged. [Greek, a swelling.] 

 Perhaps 50 species of tropical and subtropical regions. Type species: Poly- 

 podium phymatodes L. 



