412 



C. SKOTTSBERG 



are included in all the groups, in I Jpomaea, Caesa/pijtia, Chenopodiiini and Tctra- 

 gonia, in II Aphim and Samolus, in III Lycium; together they are 7, or 21% of 

 the angiosperms. 



If we want to trace an ancient Antarctic source, just as we did in Juan 

 Fernandez, the Antarcto-tertiary group would consist of Danthonia, Juncus, 

 Sophora, Apiiim and Samolus. 



To judge by the geographical position of Easter Island the dominance of a 

 Palaeotropical-Pacific element was expected. The island certainly is remote from 

 the large cluster of islands of South-eastern Polynesia, but much more distant 

 from South America. Consequently, the presence of a neotropical element is 

 surprising. Future researches will perhaps show that Stipa horridula should be 

 added, which makes little difference as long as the endemic Axonopus is 

 claimed to be of neotropical parentage, and Scirpus riparius and Polygonum 

 acuminatum remain American. Their mode of occurrence and ecology oblige us to 

 regard them as truly indigenous, unless they have been intentionally introduced 

 in prehistoric time during one of the mythical cruises which, according to Hever- 

 DAHL, put Easter Island in contact with Peru. A direct transport of seeds across 

 the ocean without man's assistance is difficult to imagine, and it is futile to 

 speculate in land connections. 



II. Pteridophyta [63. 249). 



Polypodiaceae (in the old sense). 



Asple7iium L. 



adiantoides (L.) C. Chr. var. squamulosum C. Chr. et Skottsb. The species 

 trop. As. -Austral., X. Zeal, and Pol}-n.; also li. Afr. and adjacent islands; the 

 variety endemic. 



obliqiium Forst. Austral-circump.; the only plant reported from Sala y Gomez. 



Dauallia Sm. About 40; wide-spread, mainly southern; As.-Polyn., S. Afr., 

 Madag., a solitary species Ibero-Afr. and Macaron. 

 solida (Forst.) Sw. Indomal.-Polyn. -Austral. 



Doodia R. Br. 12. "New Zealand and Juan Fernandez to Hawaii and Australia" 

 (CoPELAM) 6g. 158), but "Juan P'ernandez" is a mistake for Easter I. 



paschalis C. Chr. et Skottsb. Close to D. blecluioides A. Cunn. (Austral.). 



Dryopteris Adans. 



Espinosai Hicken. Belongs to a neotropical group. 

 gongylodes (Schk.) O. K. Pantrop. 

 dentata (Forsk.) C. Chr. Pantrop. 



Elaphoglossuni Schott. 



Skottsbergii Krajina. Related to E. iahitense Brack. 



Microlepia Presl. 45-50; a pantrop. genus ranging north to Japan and south to 

 Madag. and N. Zeal. 



strigosa (Thunb.) Presl. Indomal.-Polyn. 



