187 



of the variations in the former, but does not propose any 

 new species. 



It is clear that there are at least three species which have 

 been confused under the name O. inoluccamiin. Specimens of 

 these were sent by the writer to Mrs. E. G. Biutton of the 

 New York botanical garden, who has carefully studied the 

 American species of genus, and she submitted them also to 

 Professor L. M. Underwood. Both agreed that there were three 

 distinct species. What seems to be the typical 0. moluccanum 

 is shown in Fig. 153. It is a plant of moderate size, with 

 usually a lanceolate sterile leaf segment, and long stalked 

 spike with about 30 sporangia. Forms of apparently the same 

 species vary much in size, and sometimes have a leaf more 

 nearly cordate in form. The spores in this species (Fig. 155) 

 are of moderate size, with a conspicuously reticulate exospore. 

 This was the form which germinated most readily. 



A second species is about the same size or a little larger, 

 with a markedly cordate leaf, and much larger spores (Fig. 157). 

 The latter have a finely reticulate exospore and much less 

 granular contents than in the typical (). moluccanum. A very 

 marked peculiarity of the spores of this species is the fact that 

 they almost always have two nuclei, and may even be divided 

 into two cells, a peculiarity which, so far as the writer is 

 aware, is not known in any other homosporous Pteridophyte. 

 None of these spores could be made to germinate. 



The third species was smaller than the others, with short and 

 broad — sometimes almost kidney-shaped — sterile segments 

 of the leaf and very small finely reticulate spores (Fig. 139). 

 Besides these three associated species, there also occurs in 

 the neighborhood of Buitenzorg the interesting 0. interniecUuni 

 Hooker collected first near Buitenzorg by Dr. J. J. Smith. 

 This has hitherto been known only from Borneo, and the 

 original locality has been lost. It has been su]3posed to be a 

 variety of 0. penduluni (Bitter, Ophioglossaceae in Engler & 

 Prantl, Die natiirlichen Pfianzenfamilien, 1 Th. abt. IV: 469) 

 but there is no question that it represents a very distinct 



