141 193 



201. Dryopteris gongylodes (Schkuhr) O. Klze. Rev. Gen. PI. i: 811. 1891; 



C. Chr. Ind. 268. 



Syn. Aspidium (goggilodusj Schkuhr, Kr. Gew. 1: 193 tab. 33c. 1809. 

 Aspidiiim obtusatiim Schkuhr 1806. 

 Nephrodium iinitum Bak. Syn. Fil. 289 et auctt. plur. ; Jenman, Bull. 



Dept. Jamaica n. s. 3: 189. 1896. 

 Aspidium Pohliannm Pr. Del. Prag 1: 173. 1822. 

 Goniopteris cheilocarpa Fée, Gen. 251. 1850—52. 

 Nephrodium paludosum Liebm. Vid. Selsk. Skr. V. 1: 275. 1849. 



(For other synonyms see Index Filicum). 



Type from Essequebo. 



In Herb. Swartz (S) I have seen a specimen no doubt of the type collection, 

 named by Swartz Aspidium obtusatum, under which name it was figured by 

 Schkuhr on his plate 33 c. Later on Schkuhr renamed the species acknowledging 

 that it were not the original A. obtusatum Sw. Most pteridologists have called the 

 species Aspidium (resp. Nephrodium) unitum identifying it with Polypodium unitum 

 L., but the species of Linnæus is said also to be the same as Nephrodium cuculla- 

 tum 81., andj it is, therefore, best to let Schkuhr's name stand for our species, 

 also because it was applied to the most common American form. 



D. gongylodes is a well-known bog-fern, found in almost all tropical and sub- 

 tropical regions. Its long creeping, black and nearly naked rhizome, its papyra- 

 ceous to coriaceous lamina, which is not narrowed below, its rather distant and 

 narrow pinnæ with obtusely rounded lobes, its close veins with the two basal ones 

 always truly united, make it easily recognizable from the allied species of this 

 section, of which it is the nomenclaturic type. It varies mainly in pubescence, 

 and one can refer most of the American forms to two varieties, which, however, 

 are connected with intermediate forms: 



1. var. glabra Mett. As a rule quite hairless but often rather scaly on the 

 costæ and costulæ beneath and most often more or less glandulose by large, 

 capitate glands. These glands are often very numerous on the costulæ and veins 

 and indusia and are here sessile, and in some forms they also are found on the 

 receptacle, intermixed with the sporangia, but here they are stalked. In the com- 

 mon South Brazilian form described as Aspid. Pohlianum Pr. (t. sp. orig. Herb. 

 Presl), which is often exindusiate, these glands are, as a rule, very numerous, but 

 they are also to be found in several specimens from the West Indies and Florida. 



2. var. hirsuta Mett. Lower surface and indusia rather hairy by short hairs; 

 glands absent or some few are found, mostly among the sporangia; the receptacu- 

 lum is sometimes also hairy. This form occurs in Southern Brazil, Mexico and in 

 the Lesser Antilles, while the specimens from the Larger Antilles, Florida and 

 Central America mostly belong to var. glabra, which is the typical form as figured 

 by Schkuhr. In size and general habit the two varieties quite agree. They are 



