{ 
Ee ee ee ee ee ee a a ee ne ae Pe 
Evans: HeEpaTicaE OF PuERTOo Rico 29 
branch or terminal on a longer branch ; bracts mostly in from two 
to six pairs, obliquely spreading, shortly bifid, both divisions 
rounded at the apex or the lobe obtusely pointed, keel arched ; 
bracteoles as in Z. Sagraeana : mature sporophyte not seen (PLATE 
4, FIGURES I-8). 
On trees. North slope of the Luquillo Mountains, Heller 
(783). El Yunque, Evans (724). Type locality, Mexico, Miller. 
The species has also been reported from the following stations : 
Martinique, Bélanger ; Guiana, Leprieur ; Venezuela (collector not 
named) ; Brazil, Spruce. To these Jamaica, Evans, may be added. 
According to Professor Lindau, of Berlin, the type specimen of 
Leeunea Muelleriana is not to be found in the Gottsche her- 
barium. 
Unfortunately the specimens from Brazil and Puerto Rico, 
which have been referred to L. Muelleriana, do not agree in all re- 
spects with the original description of the species, the main dis- 
crepancies being in the characters derived from the leaves. Ac- 
cording to Gottsche the lobes are normally ovate and acute, 
although the statement is added that they are occasionally rounded 
at the apex. According to Spruce the lobes are frequently 
founded at the apex, but he nevertheless intimates that they are 
normally more or less pointed. So far as the writer has observed, 
the Specimens distributed by Spruce are nearly always characterized 
_ by rounded lobes, acute or even obtuse lobes being a marked ex- 
ception. The bracts and subfloral leaves are more frequently nar- 
rowed at the apex, but even here rounded lobes are far from 
unusual. Judging from these specimens (with which those from 
Puerto Rico closely agree), the acute lobes described by Gottsche 
represent an exceptional variation rather than the normal condition 
of the Species. However this may be, a considerable range of 
Specific variation is to be expected in Lopholejeunea, and there 
Seems to be no reason at present for attempting to segregate Z. 
Muelleriana as defined above. 
When compared with well-developed Z. Sagracana the present 
Species is somewhat less robust, the leaves and underleaves tend 
#0 Be less crowded, the lobules are more frequently rudimentary, 
and the local thickenings of the cell-walls are less conspicuous. 
Since these differences are purely relative they cannot always be 
relied upon, but fortunately they are supported by more constant 
