404 Benedict: Revision of the genus Vittaria 



Type collected at Santa Barbara, Bolivia, altitude 5,500 feet, 

 R. S. Williams 1337, 30 August 1902. 



Vittaria latifolia is interesting as having the broadest laminae in 

 proportion to their length of any species of the genus. It is so dif- 

 ferent from the ordinary type of Vittaria as represented by V. lineata 

 that one might well be excused for regarding it as a different genus 

 until the vittarioid venation is discovered. It represents an 

 extreme development of the type seen already in V. remota and 

 V. Gardneriana, but is well differentiated from these not only by 

 its greater width, but by scale characters as well. 



5. Vittaria stipitata Kunze, Linnaea 9: 77. 1835. 



Rhizome erect, 1-2 cm. long, usually branching several times, 

 the branches fasciculate, forming a close cluster 0.5-2 cm. thick, 

 radially symmetrical, the scales linear, unicostate, or sometimes 

 with 2-3 costae at the base, thick and bent. 



Leaves pendent, one or two on each rhizome branch, 12-100 

 cm. long, the lamina linear, parallel-sided through much of its 

 length, gradually narrowed above and below (about 0.75 mm. 

 thick), the surfaces usually smooth and plane, or sometimes with 

 a low median ridge along the ventral surface, the margins thick, 

 usually blunt, the petiole 3-9 cm. long, about 1 mm. thick, brown 

 or purplish-brown, hard, partly hollow, terete below becoming 

 flattened dorsiventrally and angled in the upper part, the leaf- 

 trace single, dividing to form the midvein and two lateral veinlets 

 in the base of the petiole, the veins not evident on either surface 

 of the lamina, the veinlets intersecting 2.5-4 cm - apart, along the 

 margin, the areolae with the long axes longitudinal; soral lines 

 straight, 0.5 mm. from the margin, in deep narrow grooves inclined 

 to the margin. (Plate 18.) 



Type from Peru: (definite locality not given), Poeppig 176. 



Specimens examined, Underwood Fern Herbarium. Bo- 

 livia: Tigre Pata, 2,000 m., R. S. Williams 1338, 10 F 1902; 

 Yungas, H. H. Rusby 340, 1885; Yungas, M. Bang 353, 1890. 

 Brazil: prope Rheos, Martins 386, Herb. Flora Brazil, 1839. 

 Colombia: H. H. Smith 1112 in part, 20 Au 1898 or 1899; Sierra 

 de Onaca, Sta. Marta, "moderately common on trees in forest," 

 2538; Minca Estate, near stream, Sta. Marta, 800 m. (2 sheets); 

 Atrato and Truando, Schott 61, D 1857. Costa Rica: L. C. 

 Werckle, 1901-1905; Tonduz 12782 (scraps), N 1898. Cuba: C. 



