36 CARL CHRISTENSEN AND CARL SKOTTSBERG 



face of Las Torres, among rocks, 1370 m; slopes of Los Inocentes, along the 

 edge of the Dicksonia-iorest, 950 — 1200 m; on the summit, 1350— 1400 m. 



A detailed comparison of our specimens with others from different regions 

 has proved that the plant from Juan Fernandez cannot be distinguished from 

 the South African type or from the Australian P. vespertilionis Labill. even as 

 a variety. Gay distinguished two species, but it seems that his descriptions 

 are abbreviated reprints from older works and not written after autopsy of 

 specimens. AGARDH referred P. flavescens to P. vespertilionis Labill. as a 

 variety, with the following differential characters: »fronde subtus glaucescente, 

 stipite fiavo» but specimens from Tasmania are also glaucous and the stipe of 

 P. flavescens is not always yellow but frequently light castaneous and very 

 glossy; nor do the differences between this and patens or incisa hold good. 



The species varies in colour of stipe and rhachis, in the degree of cutting, 

 bipinnate-tripinnatifid to tripinnate-quadripinnatifid, the more divided form well 

 figured by CoLLA. The lower side is pale green or subglaucous, the sori reach- 

 ing from the base to near the obtuse tips of the segments or interrupted. The 

 veins generally form a single row of costal areoles, but in one specimen we 

 found them nearly free. As all these variations are also found in the South 

 African or Australian plant we conclude that it is the typical form of P. incisa 

 that has found its way to this isolated locality. The South American variety 

 [P. elegans Sw.) looks rather different, and the Polynesian form (L. sinuata 

 Brack.) is still more remotely related to it. In a single character some speci- 

 mens recall L. simtata, for the lower side is finely glandulose, quite as in spe- 

 cimens from New Caledonia, but this character is not a constant one, and, 

 moreover, some few glands may be found also in typical incisa. 



JOHOW has misunderstood the present species, as well as the species of 

 Pteris, which is proved from his figures and also from the specimens in his 

 herbarium. 



Litobrochia appendiculata Gay 6: 491 war referred to P. incisa by HEMSLEY, 

 and JOHOW states that a specimen so named in the Herb. Mus. Nac. Santiago 

 no doubt belongs to P. cliilcnsis. Now, P. chilensis Joh. is Histiopteris . We 

 believe that this opinion is right. 



Area of distribution: South Africa, Australia, Tasmania; Juan Fernandez. 



Polypodiiim L. 



*4i. P. Billardieri (Willd.) C. Chr. Ind. 513. var. magellanicum (Desv.) 

 C. Chr. Arkiv for Bot. 10: 15 (1910). -- Syn. Grammitis magellanica Desv. 

 Berl. Mag. 5: 313 (181 1); G. nana Brack. U. S. Fxpl. Exp. 16: 1 (1854). 



Rare. Fertile fronds occur at all seasons. 



Masatierra, only in the humid elevated parts and only found growing 

 on Drimys Winteri: high ridge between Q. Laura and O. Piedra agujeriada, in 

 dense forest 650 m (no. 597); on the main crest of the island, above Pangal, 

 c. 800 m; mountain spur W. of el Yunque, c. 500 m, very scarce (no. 632). 



Masafuera: C. del Barril, in moss-carpets on rocks, 985 m (no. 537)- 



