1 6 CARL CHRISTENSEN AND CARL SKOTTSBERG 



it is rather poorly developed. The fertile pinnae are developed during the 

 summer; in the beginning of December we collected fronds with very young 

 sori and still in the end of January no ripe ones were observed; in the later 

 half of March the sporangia were ripe and the spores disseminated. 



Masatierra, not rare in the central part: C. Centinela c. 530 m; V. 

 Anson, slopes of El Yunque, 480 m; C. Central, c. 500 m; along the road to 

 Portezuelo in several places (lowest station observed 208 m, at a small stream), 

 especially near the pass, c. 500 m (no. 14); C. Salsipuedes, open brushwood 

 on the narrow ridge, 615, 625 m; Q. Salsipuedes, light woods, c. 500 m, 

 numerous; Q. Helechos, not rare in Dicfcsou/a-groves; Pto Ingles, on the cential 

 ridge, 470 m; Q. Villagra, frequent in the humid woods below the pass (no. 

 277), but also seen on a low ridge just below the lower limit of trees, c. 200 m. 



Masafuera: Q. de las Casas (Johow); subalpine heath, in the shallow 

 fern-clad beds of the streams, not rare from the Sanchez plain to the Corres- 

 pondencia ravine, 1000 — 1100 m (no. 542); C. del Barril, 900 — 1000 m, not 

 rare; on the ridge forming the south wall of Q. de las Vacas, not rare above 

 1000 m, Dicksonia groves on the lower S. slope of Los Inocentes, etc. etc. 



The specimens from the two islands are fully identical. 



Area of distribution: Endemic. 



Lophosoria Presl 



17. L. quadripinnata (Gmel.) C. Chr. — Syn. Alsophila quadripinnata 

 (Gmel.) C. Chr. Ind. 47 cum syn.; A. pruinata (Sw.) Klf. et auctt; Hemsl. 66; 

 Johow 1893: 20 f. 2, 1896: 154. 



One of the most common ferns, growing in widely different stations, and 

 ranging from the ravines of the treeless basal region to the highest woods and 

 heaths. Found with ripe sori in the autumn and winter. 



Masatierra: In all the quebradas between Pto Frances and Pto Ingles, 

 common both in forested and in treeless tracts; numerous ravines near the 

 colony, representing the last trace of indigenous vegetation; also on the elevated 

 ridges separating V. Colonial from Villagra, 500—625 m (no. 590). 



Masafuera: Forming extensive beds in the subalpine and alpine region, 

 ranging nearly to the highest summits (1350 — 1400 m), also on the highest 

 parts of the great western precipice; not uncommon in the forests and along the 

 streams of the canyons etc., e. g. in Q. de las Casas (no. 458). 



This interesting species which, as BOWER has proved, is generically distinct 

 from AlsopJiila, is widely spread through tropical and subtropical America, in 

 several rather distinct forms. The insular form has been identified with the 

 one from South Chile (Polypodium cinereum Cav.). Still it seems to differ from 

 this in its dense cover of wool on the lower surface of the midrib, the Chilean 

 form being decidedly less woolly. Further, the specimens from the two islands 

 differ from each other in pubescence; if this character be constant, each island 

 is inhabited by its special form. The form from Masafuera differs from other 

 ones especially by the very dense rusty brown wool on the midribs of the 



