JAN. 19, 1923 MAXON: THE GENUS MICROSTAPHYLA 29 
phylls, was described by Mrs. Elizabeth G. Britton as Acrostichum 
moorei. Since then the systematic status of Microstaphyla and the 
nomenclature of the Bolivian plant have received a good deal of at- 
tention at the hands of Underwood? and Christ.* Christ comes to the 
conclusion that, notwithstanding the close general agreement in dis- 
sected foliage leaves shown by the St. Helena and Bolivia species, 
the slender scaly rhizome and simple sporophylls of the latter plant 
form a definite connecting-link between Microstaphyla (in its original 
sense) and Elaphoglossum. The characters of Rhipidopteris and of 
certain small Andean species of Hlaphoglossum are discussed in this 
connection, and both Microstaphyla and Rhipidopteris are reduced to 
the rank of subgenera under Elaphoglossum—the former to include 
the two species with pinnate sterile fronds, the latter those with pal- 
mately or flabellately divided sterile fronds. Nevertheless, both 
Hieronymus and Underwood have regarded Microstaphyla and Rhipt- 
dopteris as valid genera, and in this opinion the writer is obliged to 
concur. Christ’s arguments lose none of their weight from the evolu- 
tionary standpoint; the question is merely upon the rank to be as- 
signed to the forms as they exist today. In their peculiarly distinctive 
sterile fronds both Rhipidopteris and Microstaphyla depart too widely 
from simple-leaved Elaphoglossum to be retained in that genus. 
Very recently a third species of Microstaphyla has been discovered 
in Colombia. This is described below. There is given also the princi- 
pal synonymy of the two species previously known. 
1. Microstaphyla furcata (L. f.) Fée, Mém. Foug. 7: 45. pl. 18. 1857. 
Adiantum furcatum L. f. Suppl. Pl. 447. 1781. 
Osmunda bifurcata Jacq. Coll. Bot. 3: 282. pl. 20, f. 2. 1789. 
Acrostichum bifurcatum Swartz, Journ. Bot. Schrad. 18007: 13. 1801. 
Not A. bifurcatum Cav. 1799. 
Gymnogramma bifurcata Kaulf. Wes. Farrnkr. 81. 1827. 
Darea furcans Bory, Dup. Voy. Bot. 1: 269. pl. 35, f. 2. 1828. 
Olfersia bifurcata Presl, Tent. Pter. 234. 1836. 
Polybotrya bifurcata J. Sm. Journ. Bot. Hook. 4: 150. 1841. 
Microstaphyla bifurcata Presl, Epim. Bot. 161. 1851. 
Known only from St. Helena, where it has been repeatedly collected. Of 
the two specimens at hand, one is no. 420 of Cuming’s historic collection; 
the other bears no collector’s name. 
The present species is too well known to require detailed discussion. 
Besides the illustrations above given, those of Schkuhr and Hooker may be 
2 Torreya 5: 87-89. 1905. 
3 Bull. Herb. Boiss. II. 1: 588-592. text fig. 1901; ibid. II. 3: 148. 1903: Torreya 5: 
123-126. 1905. 
