306 



60 



Fig. 31. D. pachyrachis (Kze.) O. Ktze 



forma platyrachis (Fee) 

 Two Segments seen from the upper- 

 side (X 2) and indusium. 



form called Nephrodium Jenmani Baker, which otherwise is typical. The young 

 indusium is large, flat and distinctly oochlamyoid. The Brazilian specimens, referred 

 to three different species by Fée, differ only a very little from each other, and it 

 has been impossible for me to find any constant character, by which they may be 

 distinguished from the type. I, therefore, do not hesitate to unite them under a single 



species. As a rule it can be said that the common 

 Brazilian form, described by Fée as Aspidium pla- 

 tyrachis, is somewhat thinner in texture and has 

 a somewhat more slender rachis. I call this form 

 var. platyrachis (Fée). This form may sometimes be 

 rather difficult to distinguish from large specimens 

 of D. opposita var. rivulorum. This is, however, 

 rarely quite glabrous, has opposite, shorter pinnæ, 

 fewer veins, the basal segments both enlarged, 

 many more pairs of reduced pinnæ, the lowermost 

 being very small, and supramedial sori. With 

 D. Sprengelii our species does not show any close 

 alliance, though it has often been confounded with 

 it. D. Sprengelii has lanceolate pinnæ, not tapering 

 gradually from the very base, and 15 — 18 pairs of veins. 



To D. pachyrachis I refer the following forms, all agreeing with the type in 

 essential characters. 



var. crassipes (Sodiro) C. Chr. 



Syn. Nephrodium crassipes Sodiro, Cr. vase. quit. 234. 1893; Dryopteris crassipes 

 C. Chr. Ind. 258. 1905. 



Ecuador: Quito, leg. Sodiro (HC). 



A typo differt: rachi pubescente, lamina utrinque sparse hirta, ciliata, subtus 

 eglandulosa; indusiis setosis. 



var. straminea (Sodiro) C. Chr. 



Syn. Nephrodium stramineum Sodiro, Recensio 43. 1883; Cr. vase. quit. 239. 1893. 

 Ecuador: Chimborazo, leg. Sodiro (HC). 



A typo differt: stipitibus ad 30 cm. longis, lamina herbacea, subtus eglandulosa, 

 rachi pubescente. 



This variety, according to Sodiro furnished with a ciliate indusium, which is 

 not found in the specimens examined, may possibly better be referred to D. palustris. 



Allied to D. pachyrachis are two fragments in HB from Columbia: Man- 

 ganos, Lindig n. 296 and Bogota, Karsten, determined by Mettenius as A. pachy- 

 rachis, but probably belonging to an undescribed species; provisionally I place 

 them here as: 



D. pachyrachis var. bogotensis n. var. 



Lamina supra ubique — præsertim ad costas — hirta, subtus ad costas costulasque 

 ac ad rachin pilis crispatis, albidis, deciduis instructa. Pinnis c. 2 dem. longis. 



