New ferns from Tropical America 
MARGARET SLOSSON 
(WITH PLATE 23) 
The discovery of the two plants which are the subject of this 
paper, adds another species to the already vast genus of Poly- 
podium and one to the meager genus of Loxsomopsis. The first 
of these two plants was brought recently from Cuba, by Dr, J. A. 
Shafer, and belongs to the well-known group of Polypodium 
usually designated as the P. trifurcatum group. The second is 
taken from a large and fine collection of ferns made in Bolivia by 
Mr.R.S, Williams during 1901 and 1902. Thiscollection contains 
a number of species still to be described. 
The genus Loxsomopsis has been known until now by two species 
only, found in Costa Rica and Ecuador, respectively. It is one 
of the most peculiar and striking in the American tropical fern 
flora. Its most notable characteristic, the minute erect or de- 
flexed, cup-shaped or pitcher-shaped sori, with their extruding 
columellar receptacles beset with sporangia, suggesting minute 
lily bells on the margins of the leaves, can be seen from the ac- 
companying illustration of the species here described. This 
plant, apparently the largest and most conspicuous so far dis- 
Covered in the genus, may be known as: 
Loxsomopsis notabilis sp. nov. 
oo creeping, 3 to 5 mm. in diameter, thickly clothed with 
cells of the scale uniserial above its turgid base, the scale some- 
times noticeably articulated; fronds borne on top of the rhizome, 
Pinas Scattered, up to 2.5 m. high, up to about 80 cm. broad, 
va oid, bi-subtripinnate; stipe up to about 1.2 m. long, 13:10 3 
dothed weinindand purplish ebeneous to castaneous, a temp 
oe idbecacs. bas scales similar to those of the pon yauiba : ~~ 
stramineous : ve; primary rachis costadeois an sa ee 
bitin = narrowly elate toward the epoca ay . 
OF aduste - stramineous; pinnae opposite oF subopposite, 
» Mostly remote, spreading more or less obliquely, often 
