130 



NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN. 



distinguished from T. punctatum " by the long slender stipes." 

 In Icones Ftlicum, in text accompanying pi. ccxxxvi, the same 

 author says: "Its [T. punctatum) nearest affinity is with T. 

 reptans; from which it is distinguishable by its much smaller, 

 and rounder, imbricated and nearly sessile fronds, which are 

 scarcely lobed at the margin, and never pinnatifid." In all of 

 the characters mentioned, i. e. in the length of the stipe, the 

 general outline, and the division of the frond, the Nicaraguan 

 specimens show great variation. Upon the same rootstock 

 occur sessile fronds and fronds with stipes one-half inch long. 



The base of the frond is usually cuneate, but sometimes 

 even cordate, and the margin varies from quite entire to some- 

 what pinnately lobed, or even deeply palmately parted. The 

 variation in these characters is shown by the figures. 



According to both Synopsis Ftlicum and the plates of Icones 

 Ftlicum size forms no distinctive character. The majority of 

 the specimens are most nearly like the figures of plate xxxu in 

 Icones Filicum, the involucre being particularly well-marked, 

 but many of them differ from these figures and from the de- 

 scriptions cited in having 12 to 15 sori, — instead of 1 to 4. 



As compared with Wright's specimens from Cuba, 1 no. 915 

 ( T. sphenoides Kz.), and no. 952 ( 7". punctatum), our speci- 

 mens average somewhat larger, and have longer stipes for the 

 most part, but in other respects they agree well, — even to the 

 dense fringe of stellate hairs on the young fronds. 



Common in the vicinity of Castillo, creeping on the trunks 

 of small trees by the long, slender, branching rootstocks. 



This is an addition to the Nicaraguan fern-list, though it 

 has been reported from adjacent territory. 



4. T. pusillum Szu. var. quercifolium (If. & G.) Bak. 

 PI. 11, Fig. 1. 



Hook, and Bak., Syn. Fil., p. 465. 



T. quercifolium Hook, et Grev., Icones Fil., pi. cxv; Hook., Sp. Fil., vol. I, 

 p. 120. 



T. pusillum Swartz (including T. quercifolium H. & G.),- Hook, and Bak., 

 Syn. Fil., p. 77; Hemsl., Biol. Cent. Am., vol. Ill, p. 603. 



1 Kindly loaned by Prof. Wm. Trelease from the Herbarium of the Mis- 

 souri Botanical Garden. 



