THli: lMKKinorilYiA OF mi- Man FERNANDEZ islands 25 



a little larger with an ovate-oblong lamina (sometimes even broadly lanceolate), 

 rarely deltoid as the common form from southern Chile; the lobes are broadei 

 and more distinctly toothed at tin: outer edge and the texture thinner. In 

 general outline, the type recalls A. ruta miliaria, the island form rather J 

 adiantum nigrum. Some specimens are seen on Plate 1 Fig. 1. 



Area of distribution: Southern Chile to Fuegia and Falkland Islands; 

 luan Fernandez. 



Blechnum L. 



28. B. aurieulatuni Cav. Descr. 262 (1802); C. Chr. Ind. 151. - Syn. 

 A', hastatum Klf. Enum. 161; Lomaria hastata Kze Farrnkr. tab. 55 f. 2; B. 

 australc Hemsl. -}$; Johow 1893: 26 f. 9, 1896: 158. 



Fertile at any time of the year. 



Masatierra: Never wanting on the low, treeless slopes, sometimes very 

 common on the loose tufas, where few other species grow, so in V. Colonial 

 etc. etc. In inhabits the dry regions between Villagra and Pta Larga. It is 

 also found in all the forests (no. 55) and on the high ridges among shrubs. It 

 grows in almost all the caves near the landing-place in B. Cumberland (no. 

 586, from cave II is a large luxuriant form). 



Santa Clara: JOHOW. 



Masafuera: Very common (no. 493). 



According to our opinion this species is not conspecific with the South 

 African B. australe L. It varies considerably in the islands and JOHOW di- 

 stinguished three varietis. The present collection contains the following forms. 



1) A large form, like the continental one, fronds up to 70 cm long (stipe 

 20 cm) and 8 cm broad, lower reduced pinnae distant, sori often interrupted. 

 This is JoHOW's var. I, fig. 9 a (well illustrated by KUNZE, 1. a). Johow's 

 var. 2, fig. 9 b is only a slender form of the same. 



2) remotum (Presl). — Syn. B. remotum Pr. Tent. 103 (1836, nomen); 

 Mesoihema remotum Pr. Enum. 11 1 (1849); B. pubescens Hook. Ic. plant, tab. 

 97 ( T ^37). Gay 6: 478 (non Desv.); Lomaria pubescens Kze Farrnkr. 1: 122 tab. 

 55 fig- 3 (1843). 



Prominent pteridologists have regarded this as a distinct species. A com- 

 parative examination of a large material shows that no definite limit can be 

 drawn between this and typical B. auriculatum. B. remotum is smaller and has 

 a much shorter stipe, further it is densely pubescent on stipe and rhachis, 

 characters which undergo great changes according to the external conditions. 

 B. rcmotum is the form of more open situations. On the arid slopes and higher, 

 stony ridges another reduced form is found, which might be called f. parvula 

 (Phil.). — Syn. B. patvulum Phil. Anal. Univ. 1873: 580 (t. spec. Mus. Nac. 

 Santiago!); C. Chr. Ind. 158. This has been mistaken for B. pcu/ia marina 

 (Poir.) Kuhn ( = Lomaria alpina Spr.), by Hemsl. 72; Johow 1893: 31, 1896: 

 161 doubted its existance. In the present collection there are specimens of 

 typical parvula from Masatierra, C. Salsipuedes, 750 m (no. 92); it was 



