115 167 
A critical species of doubtful position; provisionally I place it in this section, 
because it in colour and pubescence best agrees with the other species. Still it 
lacks aérophores, and the rhizome is described as erect; the vein-like keel is in- 
conspicuous but present. From the nearest species, D. Leprieurii, it differs further 
by its thin texture, much reduced lower segments of the lower pinnz, and pube- 
scence, stipe, rachis, coste on both sides being long-hairy by patent, grey, pluri- 
cellular hairs with a few short hairs intermixed. Segments linear, somewhat 
oblique, acute, connected by a very narrow wing; veins 10—11-jugate; sori small, 
medial, with a small, short-hairy indusium. 
183. Dryopteris Leprieurii (Hook.) O. Ktze. Rev. 2: 813. 1891; 
C. Chr. Ind. 274. — Fig 21c. 
Syn. Nephrodium Leprieurii Hk. sp. 4: 106. 1862; Hk. Bak. Syn. 266; Jenman, 
W. Ind. and Guiana Ferns 2106. 
Type from French Guiana, LEPRIEUR (Kew! specim. auth. also in B and W). 
The typical form of this species is closely related to D. L'Herminieri, differing 
from it by its non-reduced lower pinna and the basal segments of lower pinn 
being considerably reduced; also it is much larger, lamina !/»—?/: m long by 
21|j—3 dem broad, the opposite pinne 12—15 cm long, 2!/»—3 cm broad. In 
pubescence it agrees with D. L'Herminieri, still the leaf-tissue of both surfaces is 
finely pubescent by adpressed hairs. Veins 10—12-jugate, raised above, the basal 
ones reaching the margin a little above the sinus; keel inconspicuous in some 
specimens, distinct in others. Sori medial, indusium large, more or less hairy. 
JENMAN (l.c.) describes the rhizome as being erect; unfortunately all the spe- 
cimens from Guiana seen by me want rhizome, but in the Brazilian specimens 
are found parts of the rhizome, which appears to have been creeping with 
scattered leaves. 
D. Leprieurii is apparently a very variable species, at least if the specimens 
referred to it really belong to a single species. Even the specimens from Guiana 
vary not a little, and some of them belong perhaps to Nephrodium subfuscum Bak. 
Syn. Fil. 267. 1967; Jenman, W. Ind. and Guiana Ferns 217; Dryopteris subfusca 
O. Ktze, C. Chr. Ind. 295 from Cayenne, LEPnrEUR, which I cannot distinguish 
from D. Leprieurii from the descriptions alone. JENMAN says that it is intermediate 
between N. Leprieurii and N. stipulare /— D. patens/. The type-specimen of it was 
not found in the Kew Herbarium. 
Besides the authentical specimens of D. Leprieurii I have seen some others 
from Guiana, f. inst.: Demerara, JENMAN (W); Maraval, Bot. Gard. Herb. Trinidad 
,nr. 335 (W). Further I refer here some specimens from Brazil and the central 
South American Andes, which probably belong to var. 9 Hook. spec. 4: 106. 
They differ from the typical form by more numerous veins (16—18 to a side), 
more deeply incised pinne (wing 1—1'/» mm broad), large fronds (?/4—1 m long, 
22” 
