XXVI INTRODUCTION, 
greatest vigor? Or is it because the number of types which here 
come into play is limited, and therefore the area offered to their 
development comparatively great and varied? 
* ¥ * * * 
*On the contrary, a review of the Ferns of our flora may 
suggest the idea that it has been the center of formative power. 
n the genus Asplenium, which figures with 39 species and more 
than that number of good varieties, there exist three series or 
aM, 
with 4 species, Group of A. contiguum, with 8 species, and Group 
of A. Kaulfussii, with 6 species. The characters common to each 
group have been shortly noticed at the head of it, characters 
often considered of small importance by pteridologists but of 
i it 
a fern much like it, is reported from far distant countries, but 
not its other relatives in the family. Thus the A. afiney of the 
Pacific Oceans, but not A. pseudofalcatum, A. lobulatum, or A. 
sphenotomum. Of the second group A. contiguum and A. caudatum 
have a wide range over one set of islands and continents and 
* The leaves of the manuscript taining the present remarks upon ferns were not 
num , this portion of the Introduction therefore cannot be considered as a continuation 
of what has here preceded, and ii i 
< . 
t is certain that it would not have been incorpora 
he In on ut great alteration, bly not at ail. reasons for this belief 
are on evidence furnish the manuseript, which shows that this discussion 
was written 1 ior to the completion of the author’s la Flor 1 
omission of the up Asplenium polyphyllum in the enumeratio e€ groups into 
which a large portion of the Asplenia are di ; he figures indicating number of 
es up were wanting in the manuscript and have been supplied by 
myself.) 2. Th eated use of the name Asplenium affine to designate the plant 
described in t! A. insititium, Brack. (Shown by the erasure of the former 
e, in that portion of the Flora m: uscript descriptive of the spec d the su 
nance of ¢ © these ms esitated to pu ese rem 
one 
; ? marks, but 
to so in view of the importance of the subject and of the fact that no 
other opportunity is afforded for learning the author's views upon it. W. F. H. 
+ A. insititium, Brack., of the descriptive portion of the Flora. W , 
