76 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



quently depends upon habitat. In ground inhabiting species, 

 there is usually no reason for a diminution in size, but those 

 species which live upon trees, must keep their proportions 

 within the bounds which their habitat places upon moisture, 

 light and root-hold. , 



Some thoughts of this nature must pass through the mind 

 of anyone who examines any extended series of tropical As- 

 pleniums. At one end of the list is the great simply pinnate 

 fronds of Asplenium marginatum like a gigantic Asplenium 

 angustifoliitm, taller than a man and at the other is the little 

 Asplenium piimilum chosen to illustrate this article. Although 

 so small our fern does not grow^ on trees or rocks, but is to be 

 found among the grasses and herbs on shrubby half open hill- 

 sides. The variation in the fronds presented by the fertile, 

 and therefore presumably mature, plants would delight those 

 botanists who thrive by making distinctions between tweedle- 

 dum and tweeledee. A set of specimens could be selected that 

 would make an unbroken series beginning with entire forms 

 and ending with pinnate forms with pinnatifid pinnae. In 

 drawing up a description of the species, the scientists have 

 fortunately described the larger forms. Had they by chance 

 first discovered only the small forms and described them, it is 

 likely that the larger ones would have been considered dis- 

 tinct. 



Like a large number of our spleenworts, the present spe- 

 cies has black stipes with a tendency to become green as they 

 approach the blade of the frond. The largest specimens are 

 usually less than five inches high and being so inconspicuous, 

 have failed to attract much notice. The species, however, is 

 pretty widely distributed, being found in the West Indies, 

 Alexico, Columbia, East Africa and India. Tlie specimens il- 

 lustrated were collected near Gordon Town, Jamaica by the 

 writer in 1900. IVillard N. Clutc in Fcni Bulletin. 



