POLYPODIUM, § EUl'OLYPODHJM. 201 



and regularly pectinatcly jMiinatifid nearly to the very rachis, 

 segments very numerous atul close horizontal linear obtuse 

 scarcely dilated or decurrent at the base, costa black generally 

 pilose, costules very slender and very generally black waved, 

 veins also often black approximate patent simple, sori terminal 

 on the veins in a very regular series near the margin or between 

 the costule and the margin. — H. B. K. in WiUcl. Sp. PL v. p. 

 178. Ruddl, Fil. Bras. p. 18. t. 27. /. 1. Metten. Polypod. 

 p. 58? P. taxifolium, Linn.? 8w. Sijn.Fll.p. 35? Plum. 

 Fil. p. G9. t. 29. ? and t. 83 ? 



Ilab. Tropical America ; almost universal on the mainland and in the islands. 

 I may mention the follovvins; as published specimens: — Berhice, Schomburr/k (2 

 feet long), n. 328. Brazil : Parii, Spruce, n. 1 (downy beneath) ; Tarapota, n. 4 1 3.j 

 (3 inches long); Peru, Malhexvs, n. 3283; Andes of Ecuador, Spruce, n. 5283, 

 5G34, and 5G3G (s('gments broader) ; Venezuela, Fund- and Schlhn, n. 957. — 

 Specimens which I take to be the P. Plumula I can best recognize from others 

 of the pectinaium-gronp by the quite simple and frequently black veins, and 

 of which Raddi's figure, as regards general outline, is sufficiently satisfactory. 

 Mettenius described the veins as forked and even repeatedly forked. If the sim- 

 ple vein l)e no character, then the plant must surely be only a form oi pectinatmn. 

 Some of my specimens, too, from North-west Mexico (Seemanii, n. 1936), have 

 a remarkable degree of curvature, showing a near approach to our next species, 

 P. curvatum, Sw. ; .)ut the margins of the segments here are entire. 



92. P. (Eupolypodium) cnrvatum, Sw. ; caudex rather 

 stout creeping paleaceous and rufo-tomentose, stipites ap- 

 proximate 3-4 inches long dark-brown subglabrous and ni- 

 tent, fronds 6-12-lfi inches long 2-37j inches broad oblong- 

 lanceolate firm coriaceo-membranaceous almost black when 

 dry, singularly curved and flexuose almost circinately curved 

 obtuse or attenuated below, deeply almost to the rachis pecti- 

 nately pinnatifid (subpinnate towards the base) with close- 

 placed narrow- linear nearly horizontal segments a little dilated 

 and decurrent at the base, the apex acute, the margin sinuato- 

 sublobate or subpinnatifid, sori copious one to each lobule 

 rather bright-yellow oval parallel with the costule and occu- 

 pying the whole space between the costule and the margin, 

 costule subflexuose, veinlets obsolete probably simple (forked, 

 Metten.), rachis pubescent. — Sw. Syn. Fil. p. 34. Fl. Ind. 

 Occ. m.p. 1G39. Willd. Sp. PL v. p. 177. Metten. Polypod. 

 p. 59, and in Lechl. Fil. Peruv. p. 7. 



Ilab. Jamaica, Swartz (probably rare, as I have never seen it from any of the 

 West Indian Islands). Ecuador, mountains near Cuenca, elev. 12,000 feet, on 

 rocks, Jameson. Agapata, Peru, Lechler, n. 2006. New Granada, Ocafia, elev. 

 8000 feet, Schlhn, n. 398. — A very peculiar-looking species and, I believe, quite 

 distinct, in the singularly curved and flexuose and almost circinatc fronds, of a 

 dark, almost brown-black colour when dry, quite studded, as it were, witli bright 

 VOL. rv. 2 i> 



