THE PTERIDOPHVTA OF THE JUAN FERNANDEZ [SLA 23 



Apparently not at all so rare as JOHOW believed; characteristic of rich 

 humous soil in the montane woods within the foggy region. (Fertile Dec- 

 March.) 



Masatierra: C. Chifladores, woods in the highest part of the Frances 

 valley, c. 500 m, rare; dense forest on the ridge between Q. Laura and Q. 

 Piedra agujeriada, c. 600 m, and in the last-mentioned quebrada, 650 m; Ra- 

 banal, in the upper part; C. Centinela, 560 m (no. 1 1 79) ; V. Anson just below 

 the gap between La Damajuana and El Yunquc, in rich woods, c. 500 m (no. 

 157; also P. ARREDONDO in herb Jonow!); C. Central, 390 m, small and very 

 rare, scattered at 500 — 550 m (no. 302); C. Salsipuedes, Q. Helcchos, c. 650 m, 

 one tuft under a stone in the Du&som'a-forest (no. 94); Q. Villagra, mountain 

 ridge W. of El Yunque, c. 500 m, rare. 



*Masafuera: Q. de las Chozas, rich woods above 500 m (no. 364); C. 

 del Barril. fissures in the rocks, c. 750 m (no. 406); SK. slope of Los Inoccntes, 

 Dicksonia- forest, 840 m (no. 533). — New for this island. 



A very distinct species with doubtful relationship: several species partly 

 resembling it are found in many regions of both hemispheres, still it is prob- 

 able that it might be placed next to A. obtiisifolium L. and semicordatum 

 Raddi, both widely dispersed through tropical America. It differs from both 

 by its shining, dark castaneous stipe and rhachis, its few pinnae and large sori. 

 The texture cannot be called subcoriaceous as stated in Syn. Fil , but is rather 

 thin although firm, pellucid. It varies in the number of pinnae; generally there 

 are 1 — 2 to each side of the terminal large one; they are equally cuneate or 

 sometimes unequal with the lower side more arcuate, quite as in the two spe- 

 cies mentioned above. In the larger specimens from Masatierra the base of 

 the terminal pinna often has one side arcuately excised. The indusium, which 

 is greyish, entire and often a little arcuate, covers the young sorus; in the 

 mature ones, V2— 2 x /a cm long and 2 1 /z mm wide, the indusium is quite hidden 

 by the reddish brown sporangia. 



Among the specimens from Masatierra there is a luxuriant form, with 

 3—4 lateral pinnae on each side, the basal ones with a nearly free secondary 

 pinnule on the lower side. 



The plants from the two islands are as a whole similar, still those from 

 Masafuera are smaller than those from Masatierra with narrower pinnae, the 

 terminal one equal-sided. 



Area of distribution: Endemic. 



26. A. stellatum Colla 1836: 41 tab. 69; C. Chr. Arkiv for Bot. 10: 5 

 (1910). — Syn. A. fernandezianum Kunze, Anal. 22 (1837); A. lunulatum 

 Hemsl. 73; Johow 1893: 32 f. 15, 1896: 162; C. Chr. Ind. 119 pro parte 

 [iion Sw.). 



Not uncommon in the montane forests from Pto Frances to Vaqueria, also 

 found in more open places at a lower altitude; less common in Masafuera. 

 (Fertile Aug., Dec— April.) 



Masatierra: Pto Frances, brushwood on Loma Incienso, c. 350 m, for- 

 ming a carpet on earth-covered stones (no. 128); on the slope of C. Chifla- 

 dores, rocky soil in the forest, c 500 m; La Damajuana, c 450 m; NE. slope 



