Underwood: American ferns 601 



Panama: Lion Hill Station, Hayes J7p (K). 



This species, which was first named (though not published) by 

 Presl sixty years or more ago, and twice published since, is rather 

 close to S. Fendleri, and the Panama specimen cited above sug- 

 gests a possible transition between the two. In the absence of 

 any more definite light on this subject it is wiser to keep them 

 separate for the present. 



12. Stenochlaena Wrightii (Mett.) Griseb. Cat PI. Cub. 277. 

 1866. 



Lomariopsis Wrightii Mett ; D. C. Eaton, Mem. Am. Acad. II. 



8: 195. i860. (Type from Monte Verde, eastern Cuba, 



Wright 787.) 



Range: Confined to eastern Cuba. [Figures 1-3.] 



This most peculiar species has been twice collected since 

 Wright's time at a second station still farther eastward than 

 Monte Verde, vis. : at Baracoa, Pollard & Palmer 220, and on 

 the slopes of El Yunque, near Baracoa, Underwood & Earle p#8. 



Species inquirendae 



1. We have collected in Jamaica what appears to be a very 

 distinct species with small pinnae (4—5.5 cm. by 1.2- 1.5 cm.) 

 which are about 13-jugate on short stalks, acutely tapering at the 

 base, and the rootstocks densely covered with dark ferruginous 

 narrowly lanceolate ciliated scales, 1 mm. tvide. The veins are 

 very close (12-15 intercostal spaces to 1 cm.). Unfortunately 

 only immature sporophyls have been found ; hence our hesitancy 

 to describe what appears to be distinct. The plants were collected 

 . in the Cockpit country near Troy, Underwood 2866 and 2887 O^e 

 latter sterile only). 



The present genus illustrates excellently the doubt often occa- 

 sioned by improper field work. There are in various collections 

 a series of scrappy specimens often consisting of the upper half of 

 a leaf only or sometimes with a similar upper portion of a sporo- 

 phyl unconnected with the leaf, and neither showing anything of 

 the character of the stem, which in this genus, as in most others, 

 presents most important diagnostic specific characters. To break 

 off the mere tip of a fern as a representative of a species is as idi- 



