128 ASPLENIUM, 



Biafra, Dr. Curror (ordinary form, and some specimens larger, with very acumi- 

 nated pinnic, approaching y/. /larpeodes), Fernando I'o, Dr. Vogel. Sierra Leone, 

 Sugar-loaf Mountain, Barter (one specimen larger, and with the rachis com- 

 presso-alatc). Sandwich Islands, rare, Brackenridye. Juan Fernandez, Bertero, 

 n. 1535, Vuming, n. 1332, Dourjlas (greener, pinnae inciso-lohate). — Var. har- 

 peodes, Caracas, Linden, n. 197 (one specimen with i)inna; three inches long, 

 finely acuminated from near the base). Venezuela, Fendler, n. 137 and 135. 

 New" Granada, Sc/dim, n. 395 (elev. 10,000 feet) and 588. Falls of Tequedama, 

 Ilolton, n. 63. Tovar, Moritz, n. 2 18. Esmeraldas, Ecuador and Pichincha, 

 Jameson, n. 269 (one specimen five inches high, including the stipes, extremely 

 elegant ; pinnae not half an inch long, almost subulate. See fig. 2 of our 

 Tab. CLXXVIIL). British Guiana, Schomburgk, n. 1212. Mexico, (Meotti, n. 

 6407, Miiller, n. 76. Jamaica, MFadi/eti, Ptirdie, Wilson. Tropical W. Africa, 

 Curror (proliferous). — Var. suhbijnnnatum. South Africa, British CaftVaria, Capt. 

 Espinasse. Albany, Ilutton and Atherstone, in the Tsitzikamma, Dr. Rubidge 

 {Raivson and Pappe). Grahamstown, Col. Bolton (some specimens quite bipiii- 

 nate; j)innulcs cuneate incised). Sandwich \%\m\([%, Dottglas, n. b2. Quitinian 

 Andes, Ecuador, Pichincha, Jameson, n. 129 (sometimes proliferous). Guatemala, 

 Skinner (sometimes proliferous). Jamaica, llartweg, n. 1521. 



I am aware how much I must lay myself open to criticism, and perhaps to cen- 

 sure, in ditfcring so much from other very able pteridologists in the limits of a group 

 of supposed species of which I consider the A. crectumoi Bory as the type. That 

 is a species long known as an inhaljitant of Bourbon, afterwards of the Cape ; and 

 Schlechtendal, in his valuable ' Adumbratio Filicum in promontorio Bonae Spei 

 provcnientium,' has given a very good figure of it and a very full description, 

 omitting, however, the margined stipes and rachis (a variable character, it must 

 be confessed,) in the figure, and only noticing the former in the specific character, 

 a feature which, when distinctly present, assi?nilates it with A. pteropus,Si'aA even 

 A. alatum, H.B.K. For a long time I had reason to believe that the S. African 

 A. lunulatum, Sw. {A. falcalum, Thunb., not of Lam.), was the same, and it had 

 the right of priority in point of name; but though a name very generally retained, 

 no authentic specimen, nor any authentic intelligible description, exists. It was 

 unknown to Swartz and to SVilldenow. Schlechtendal, wbile admitting it in 

 his ' Adumbrationes,' observes, '• Species dubia, a nemine post Thunbergiura 

 lecta, alteri specie! forsitan suggerenda et quidem sequenti {A. erecfo), cujus 

 copiose Filicis valde diverse reperiuntur formae ; inspecto Thunbergii specimine 

 sententiam ferre licebit." I believe the A. lunulatum of more recent authors 

 may be rightly considered as more or less marked varieties of A. erectum, 

 many of which were believed to be distinct, in consequence of the very widely 

 different countries they inhabit in Asia, Africa, and America ! — so that those who 

 maintain the older species (if I may so call them), and concur in abolishing 

 several of the more recent names, are not agreed as to their being united 

 with the one or the other, and none go so far as myself in bringing so many 

 synonyms under one. I must refer to the description at plate 72 of my ' Filices 

 Exotica;' for copious remarks and more particular localities than it is needful 

 here to give on my var. proliferum of A . erectum, only observing that I cannot 

 agree with lloulston and Moore in considering it a distinct species. 



I have preferred giving the specific character from Mettenius (Fil. Hort. Lips.), 

 believing it to be descriptive of the normal form of the species, and to embrace, 

 as much as a brief diagnosis can do in such a case, the several forms included 

 under it. A. harpeodes, if we take the extreme forms, would appear to be well 

 distinguished from our A. erectum, but we possess all intermediate gradations, 

 and 1 agree with Mettenius in placing it here. 



84. A. (Euasplenium) mucronatum, Pr. ; caudex minute 

 rooting, stipites csespitose ^ an inch to 3 inches long slender 



