268 216 



Unknown species of Goniopteris. 



1. Goniopteris macrocladia Fée, Cr. vase. Brés. 1: 106 lab. 33 right-hand figure 

 ("fig. 1"). 1869 — Brazil: Sta Catharina, Alburquerque. It seems to be 

 distinct from all Brazilian species known to me. 



2. Nephrodium nemorale Sodiro, Cr. vase. quit. 267. 1893; Dryopteris nemoralis 

 C. Chr. Ind. 279 — Ecuador. 



3. Polypodium Urbani Sod. I.e. 301; Dryopteris Urbani C. Chr. Ind. 299 — Ecuador. 



4. Aspidiurn hemiotis Christ, Hedwigia 45: 191. 1906 — Amazonas. 



Subgenus 10. Meiliscium (Schreber). 



The old genus Menisc.ium is a well-known and apparentlj' one of the most 

 distinct groups of ferns. The species from the Old and the New World referred to 

 it are, however, certainly not very close relatives, and I now firmly believe that 

 they are even not congeneric, and, moreover, that the American species can not be 

 generically separated from Goniopteris. In this view I agree with Mettenius (see 

 Fil. Lechl. II. 19). Within the second group of Goniopteris, Eugoniopteris, we find 

 an unbroken row of species, from free-veined species to such species as D. Ghies- 

 breghtii and D. meniscioides, the venation of which is perfectly meniscioid. The other 

 important character of Menisciiini : the conlluent sori, also is insufficient as distin- 

 guishing mark between Goniopteris and Meniscium. Two species as D. meniscioides 

 and D. ensiformis described below are really so closely related that it sliould be 

 very unnatural to place them in two different genera. Still I have failed to find 

 stellate hairs in all species of Meniscium and this together with the whole uniform 

 character of the species justify the segregation of the species from the subgenus 

 Goniopteris and the referring of them lo a pro])er subgenus, Meniscium. If one should 

 prefer to separate both these subgenera from the others, they should certainly be 

 united into a single genus. 



The Old World's species of Meniscium, as commonly understood, are con- 

 siderably different from the American ones, and I have no doubt that they must 

 be referred to Cyclosorus being a specialized group of that subgenus. Thus the two 

 subgenera (or genera) Cyclosorus and Goniopteris includes each a series of species, 

 from free-veined forms to such having meniscioid venation. The American species 

 of Cyclosorus do not show a venation intermediate between the simple, goniopteroid 

 venation of D. mollis and meniscioid veins, but such forms we find in Asia. I shall 

 here only refer to such forms as Polypodium urophyllum Wall, and Meniscium cu- 

 spidatum Bl. 



My material of the American species of Meniscium is not so comprehensive as 

 that of the other subspecies of Dryopteris. I can not, therefore, give here a review 

 of the species. The group is represented in America by perhaps a dozen species, 



