7 59 



Dryopteris were to be divided into smaller genera, a very natural treatment indeed, 

 the ten subgenera could not all be considered good, natural genera. Such are, in 

 my opinion : 



1. Eiidryopicris. 



2. Sdymatopteris. 



3. Cteniiis. 



These three are very different from the following and it is in reality highly 

 unnatural to unite them all under a single genus. Intermediate forms with de- 

 compound lamina seem to exist between Stigmatnpteris and Ctenitis, but the two 

 groups are as a whole very well defined. 



4. Lastrea. 



Under this fall as specialized groups Glaphyropteris and Steiropteris; the 

 latter approaches: 



5. Cyclosoriis. 



Leptog rammet can scarcely be separated from Cyclosorus as genus. 



6. Goniopteris. 



A most natural genus, probably also including Menisciiim. 



In the treatment of the single species I have followed the principles, which 

 I have explained in my paper on the group of D. opposita. Instead of giving de- 

 tailed descriptions of all species I have chosen to describe certain central species 

 under each narrower group, while I for all other species have confined myself to 

 point out those characters, by which they differ from their nearest relatives. If 

 the original diagnosis of a species does not mention essential characters, what very 

 often is the case, I add the necessary notes. 



My keys are elaborated so detailed as possible. Several species being ex- 

 ceedingly variable I have considered all forms known to me, and, therefore, you 

 will find not rarely the same species occurring twice or even several times in 

 the key. 



Finally I shall make a few remarks on the geographical distribution of the 

 species. As previously pointed out by me there are only some few species, which 

 are common to Andes-West-Indian islands and South Brazil. Out of the 280 spe- 

 cies the following 14 are common to the two regions : 



Eudryopleris: D. paleacea, D. patiila. 



Stigmatopteris: D. rotiiiulata. 



Ctenitis: Ü. suhmaryincdis. 



Lastrea: Ü. opposita, D. oligocarpa, Ü. pachyrachis, D. cheilanthoides. 



Glaphyropteris: D. decussata. 



Cyclosorus: D. patens, D. oligophylla, Ü. mollis, D. yongylodes. 



Goniopteris: D. vivipara. 



