270 Broadhurst: Struthiopteris in North America 



cm. long, 12-28 cm. wide, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, abruptly 

 reduced at the base (type D to E, with vestigial pinnae), gradually 

 reduced at the apex, the terminal pinna 4-7 cm. long, the pinnae 

 usually alternate, distant (1-2 cm.) in the lower third or half of 

 the lamina; pinnae 28-60-jugate, linear, slightly curved to falcate, 

 the apex long-acuminate, the base dilated in the upper part of 

 the lamina, sometimes slightly contracted near the base in the 

 lower pinnae, 7-16 cm. long, about I cm. wide (1-2 cm. at the 

 dilated bases) ; margins entire (apparently subentire in the heavier 

 ones owing to the shrinkage of the tissue between the vein apices) ; 

 leaf tissue membranous to herbaceous, without scales; veins 

 distinct above in membranous specimens, often appearing below 

 as fine black lines, the glandular apices rather inconspicuous, often 

 blackish, the vein spaces 10-14 to 1 cm. Sporophyls 40-70 cm. 

 long; stipes 12-25 cm - l° n g> with scarlike vestigial pinnae, brownish 

 yellow to dull or purplish brown, or indistinctly bicolored; lamina 

 18-58 cm. long, abruptly reduced at the base, gradually reduced 

 at the apex; pinnae 20-60-jugate, 7-15 cm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, 

 usually having a sterile tip 1-3 mm. long, the base slightly contracted 

 (sometimes with slight, thin dilations below the contraction) ; 

 indusium entire, not becoming lacerate, often reflexed; sporangia 

 dark brown. 



Type: From Martinique, Plumier, Foug. pi. go. 1705. 



Distribution: Known from Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Domin- 

 ica, and Martinique. 



Specimens included: Guadeloupe: Climbing epiphyte, 

 "For£ts de la Decouverte," Duss 4168 (Y, N). Dominica: Mt. 

 Diablotin, Lloyd 8g8 (Y, N). Martinique: "Mt. de la Cale- 

 basse," Berlanger 814 (Geneva; tracing, Y). Climbing on trees, 

 "Forets Deux Choux," Duss 7555 (Y). Climbing, on trees, Cale- 

 basse, Duss 4588 (Y). 



The four islands furnishing the specimens of 5. Plumieri studied 

 (23 sheets), lie near the middle of a chain of islands extending 

 from Yucatan to South America. Passing either northwest or 

 south along that chain, we find plants intermediate in character 

 between 5. Plumieri and the following, more widely distributed 

 species, .S. polypodioides. Of the few specimens from Grenada, 

 four sheets (Sherring 146) are like S. Plumieri in the following 

 respects: The rhizome scales lack the black median line; the stipe 

 is marked with vestigial pinnae; the sterile lamina has the base 

 rather abruptly reduced; the pinnae are very long; and the lower 



