SPICILIGIUM FILICUM PHILIPPIISRNSIUM. 159 



» LEPTOCHILUS Kaulfuss. 



23. Leptochilus heterociitus (Presl) C. Chr. Ind. Fil. (1905) II, 385. 

 Acrostichum fkigcUiferum Wall. 



This speeies, widely distributed from British India, tliroughout Malaya, and 

 in the Pliilippines especially, offers in the latter region a variability that ap- 

 proaehes that of Dryoptcris cancsceus. The apices of the sterile leaves are elon- 

 ^ated into linear lash-like appendages which are proliferous and usually take root, 

 the young pLants emitting a fascicle of leaves entirely different from those of 

 tlie adult ones. Often thej' are not simple linear leaves. with the hiteral lobes 

 more or less aborted, but frequently are singuhvrly compound, enhTrged and deeply 

 incised. Often the little phmts are fertile, and the fertile fronds offer irregular- 

 ities analagous to the sterile ones. In other characters the differences are 

 frequently strongly marked, and the various forms might readily be considered 

 to represent distinct species. I luive enumerated below the forms, that in my 

 conception of this species, shoiild be considered as varieties or subspecies, and 

 although several of tl)em have acquired a certain stability, certain characters are 

 constant in all of them, showing their elose relationship to L. heteroclitus and 

 probable derivation from that species. 



Var. eurybasis n. var. 



Ehizomate repente, pennae anserinae crassitie, cum stipite basi sqnamis 

 minutis dilute brunneis crispis sparso radicoso. Foliis sparsis sed appro- 

 pinquatis, foliorum sterilium stipite 8 cm. longo flexuoso tenui griseo, 

 fronde 13 cm. longo deltoideo-ovata, pinna terminali decurrente et cum 

 pinna laterali proxima parva plus minus concreta, basi cuneata, acumi- 

 nata, nec caudata nec prolifera, 8 cm. longa, 2.5 cm. lata oblonga par- 

 viloba, lobis 10 vel pluribus utrinque subrotundis 3 mm. latis acute 

 denticulatis, pinnis latcralibus 3 aut 4 utrinque, mediis 3 cm. longis, 1 

 cm. latis cuneatis obtusis decurrentibus serrato-lobulatis, infimis valde 

 postice auctis deltoideo-ovatis petiolatis nec decurrentibus, basi profunde 

 incisis, caeterum serrato-lobatis. Nervis lateraliljus rectis a costa ad 

 marginem protensis 4 mm. distantibus, series plures areolarum valde 

 irregulariarum, minores areolas nec nervulos liberos includentium con- 

 tinentibus. Colore atrato, textura herbacea, opaca. Foliorum fertilium 

 lamina aequilonga sed angustiore, pinna terminali 5 cm. longa lanceolata 

 acuta profunde lobata decurrente, pinnis lateralibus 4 utrinque obtusis, 

 2.5 cm. longis, 1.5 cm. latis, ovatis sessilibus aut adnatis, sed pinnis infiinis 

 petiolatis auctis, parte terminali late cuneato-ovata lobata, pinnulis hite- 

 ralibus similibus minoribus. 



JMixDANAO, Lake Lanao, Camp Keithley (552 Mrs. Clemens) May, 1906, alt. 

 Cf.O m. 



Differing from the type by its aberrent fronds being in part bipinnate, deltoid 

 at the enlarged base, posteriorly deeply infised; even the fertile fronds are some- 

 times bipinnate at the base. 



