﻿NOV. 
  19, 
  1922 
  maxon: 
  ferns 
  new 
  to 
  cuba 
  437 
  

  

  BOTANY. 
  — 
  Ferns 
  new 
  to 
  the 
  Cuban 
  Floral 
  William 
  R. 
  Maxon, 
  

   National 
  Museum. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  course 
  of 
  continued 
  botanical 
  exploration 
  of 
  eastern 
  Cuba, 
  

   Brother 
  Leon 
  collected 
  extensively 
  in 
  the 
  high 
  Sierra 
  Maestra, 
  Oriente 
  

   Province, 
  during 
  July 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  year 
  and 
  ascended 
  Pico 
  Tur- 
  

   quino, 
  the 
  culminating 
  point 
  of 
  the 
  range, 
  which 
  has 
  an 
  altitude 
  of 
  

   approximately 
  2,300 
  meters. 
  His 
  collections 
  were 
  sent 
  to 
  the 
  New 
  

   York 
  Botanical 
  Garden, 
  from 
  which 
  institution 
  a 
  set 
  of 
  the 
  ferns 
  has 
  

   been 
  forwarded 
  to 
  the 
  National 
  Museum 
  for 
  identification 
  by 
  the 
  

   writer. 
  Since 
  the 
  region 
  is 
  almost 
  untouched 
  botanically 
  this 
  material 
  

   proves 
  of 
  exceptional 
  interest, 
  containing 
  several 
  new 
  species 
  as 
  well 
  

   as 
  numerous 
  others 
  that 
  are 
  rare 
  in 
  Cuba 
  or 
  have 
  been 
  known 
  hereto- 
  

   fore 
  only 
  from 
  the 
  Blue 
  Mountains 
  of 
  Jamaica. 
  These 
  are 
  described 
  

   and 
  listed 
  in 
  the 
  present 
  paper. 
  

  

  The 
  discovery 
  of 
  a 
  pronounced 
  montane 
  Jamaican 
  element 
  at 
  simi- 
  

   lar 
  elevations 
  in 
  Cuba 
  is 
  not 
  altogether 
  unexpected, 
  and 
  the 
  definite 
  

   records 
  of 
  extended 
  ranges 
  here 
  given 
  will 
  lead 
  to 
  a 
  certain 
  modifica- 
  

   tion 
  of 
  the 
  current 
  idea 
  of 
  Jamaica 
  as 
  a 
  highly 
  endemic 
  center, 
  at 
  least 
  

   so 
  far 
  as 
  ferns 
  are 
  concerned. 
  With 
  increasing 
  collections 
  from 
  the 
  

   high 
  Sierra 
  Maestra 
  an 
  analysis 
  of 
  this 
  relation 
  and 
  of 
  the 
  elements 
  

   common 
  to 
  Cuba 
  and 
  Hispaniola 
  should 
  prove 
  of 
  the 
  highest 
  interest 
  

   from 
  several 
  points 
  of 
  view. 
  

  

  In 
  addition 
  to 
  records 
  afforded 
  by 
  Brother 
  Leon's 
  collection 
  of 
  

   1922 
  there 
  are 
  included 
  a 
  few 
  based 
  upon 
  material 
  collected 
  by 
  Brother 
  

   Leon 
  and 
  his 
  associates 
  a 
  year 
  or 
  two 
  earlier 
  in 
  other 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  

   Sierra 
  Maestra, 
  mainly 
  at 
  a 
  lower 
  altitude. 
  

  

  CYATHEACEAE 
  

  

  Culcita 
  coniifolia 
  (Hook.) 
  Maxon. 
  

  

  Near 
  top 
  of 
  Pico 
  Turquino, 
  among 
  shrubs 
  (11155). 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  the 
  only 
  Cuban 
  material 
  seen 
  by 
  the 
  writer. 
  Known 
  from 
  Hispan- 
  

   iola 
  and 
  Jamaica, 
  and 
  on 
  the 
  continent 
  from 
  Mexico 
  to 
  Brazil 
  and 
  Ecuador. 
  

  

  Cyathea 
  araneosa 
  Maxon, 
  N. 
  Amer. 
  Fl. 
  16: 
  74. 
  1909. 
  

  

  Sierra 
  Maestra 
  (11089). 
  

  

  Described 
  from 
  the 
  Gran 
  Piedra, 
  Oriente, 
  Cuba, 
  on 
  specimens 
  collected 
  

   by 
  the 
  writer 
  (no. 
  4035), 
  and 
  since 
  gathered 
  by 
  other 
  collectors. 
  The 
  present 
  

   specimen 
  is 
  the 
  most 
  completely 
  fertile 
  one 
  seen, 
  the 
  segments 
  throughout 
  

   the 
  pinnae 
  all 
  bearing 
  4 
  to 
  6 
  pairs 
  of 
  sori, 
  instead 
  of 
  1 
  to 
  3 
  basal 
  pairs. 
  

   The 
  specific 
  name 
  was 
  unfortunately 
  chosen, 
  inasmuch 
  as 
  the 
  delicate, 
  

   whitish-araneose 
  inner 
  border 
  of 
  the 
  indusium, 
  though 
  evident 
  enough 
  in 
  the 
  

  

  1 
  Published 
  by 
  permission 
  of 
  the 
  Secretary 
  of 
  the 
  Smithsonian 
  Institution. 
  Received 
  

   October 
  20, 
  1922. 
  

  

  