CHRISTENSEN, ON SOME SPECIES OF FERNS. 9 
Blechnum magellanicum (Desv.) Mett. 
Not being convinced that the South American forms of 
Blechnum, which generally are referred to B. tabulare, are 
conspecific with the genuine P. tabulare (Thbg.) from South 
Africa, I prefer to name all the specimens seen P. magella- 
nicum. On the other hand I am sure that only one species 
occurs in temperate South America; this species varies espe- 
cially as to size and vestiture, but all the specimens exam- 
ined are otherwise very alike. I can distinguish the following 
varieties : 
1. magellanicum verum. 
Syn. Lomaria magellanica Desv. Berl. Mag. 5: 330. 1811. 
Large with stem up to 1 meter high; sterile pinne subdistant, 
broadly adnate to rachis; rachis slightly scaly above, glab- 
rous beneath; midribs of pinns beneath sparingly flocculose. 
Patagonia occ.: Puerto Bueno, 12. 6. 1908. 
2. var. eyeadifolium (CoLLA). 
Syn. Lomaria cycadifolia Colla, Mem. Ac. Torino 39: 43. 
tab. 71 (bad) 1836; Blechnum cycadifolium Sturm; C. Chr. 
Index 152. Lomaria lanuginosa Kze. Anal. 19. 1837. L. Bo- 
ryana Johow, Helechos Juan Fernandez 27. 
Large; a true treefern, reaching a height of 2 meter and 
more; sterile pinne distant, sessile with free base or slightly 
adnate; rachis somewhat scaly above, glabrous beneath; mid- 
ribs of pinne densely clothed with a dense woolly mass con- 
sisting of loose, thin scales, which vary in shape from hair- 
like to broadly ovate. 
Juan Fernandez: Masatierra, valle Colonial n:r 407; 
22, 24. 8. 1908. 
Searcely different from B. magellanicum even as variety. 
The indusium seems to be less lacerato-fimbriate than in 
the preceding form, but it may be an individual character. 
The fibre-like scales of the caudex are more rigid and con- 
volute than in the following form. 
3. var. setigerum (Gaud.). 
Syn. Lomaria setigera Gaud. Ann. sc. nat. 5: 98. 1825. 
Small, compact and never arboreous; pinne adnate, im- 
brieated; stem and rachis densely clothed throughout with 
brown, glossy, lanceolate, hair-pointed scales; midribs of 
