44 



CARL CHRISTENSEN AND CARL SKOTTSBERG 



Ophioglossaceae. 



Ophioglossum L. 



*49. O. fernandezianum C. Chr. nov. spec. 



Rhizoma parvum, 3 — 4 mm latum, hypogaeum, radiculas numerosas brun- 

 neas emittens. Folia saepc bina. Petiolus communis hypogaeus, tenuis, palli- 

 dus, compressus, rarius ad 2 cm longus. Lamina sterilis petiolo hypogaeo 

 0,5 — 1,5 cm longo, pallido, complanato, ovata, 1,5 — 2,5 cm longa, paulo supra 

 basin rotundatam 10 — 14 mm lata, apiculata, carnosula. Vena mediana in- 



Fig. 7. Ophioglossum fernandezianum C. Chr. a, b two plants, X 2; 



soil; c leat, X 4, showing venation. 



marks the surface of 



distincta, quam laterales vix crassior, interdum subnulla; areolae magnae. 

 Vitta deest. Pedunculus spicae lamina sterili brevior vel subaequans, fere ad 

 apicem hypogaeus et pallidus. Sporangia 7 — 10-juga, apice sterili spicae 

 ovato-acuto. 



Masatierra: In the western part, slopes towards B. Tierras Blancas, c. 

 50 m (Backstrom; no. 11 26). — Fertile. 



In the summer, no trace of this plant was seen; in the spring, when Mr. 

 BACKSTROM returned to Masatierra, he found this species (Aug., 191 7). 



This new little species certainly falls within the aggregation of forms 

 called 0. nudicaule by Baker, but it cannot be referred to any species de- 

 scribed by Prantl in his monograph of the genus. It mostly resembles O. 

 ypanense Mart, from Brazil and Columbia, but it lacks the » vitta », the pale 



