914 Rhodora [SEPTEMBER . 
cordate, rarely very slightly cuneate at the base. They are cut into 
obovate or spatulate very blunt segments, which lie so close to one — 3 
another that, at a little distance, the pinnule appears as if it were 
nearly undivide d. 
In the Gray Herbarium are two excellent specimens ¥e ng plant: — 
Chiapas, Dr. Ghiesbreght, filices austro-mexicanae no. 2 (type); 
in the San Migueleto Mountains, valley of San Luis Potosi J. Oe 
943. 
Schaffner, flora mexicana no. 
Borrycurum cicurartum (Savigny) Sw. Syn. 171 (1806). (Os: 
munda cicutaria Savigny in Lam. Encyel. iv. 650, 1797). Ivar 
Tidestrom has recently pointed out! the identity of the Mexican fern — 
Botrychium sin a Kunze, and the West Indian fern Botry-— 
chium dichronum Undw. with the old species Botrychium cicutarvum. — 
As has been ae ae out several times, this species has a very short — 
fertile spike, but little exceeding the length of the sterile frond. It is_ 
also peculiar in having often a second sterile leaf present at the time 
of fruiting. It seems to be generally assumed that this second leat — 
is the remaining sterile part of the fruiting leaf of the previous year; — 
but in a specimen in the Gray Herbarium which shows this 
leaf, there is no indication that it ever bore a fertile spike. In this 
species the sterile frond has greatly enlarged basal pinnae as in ordi- - 
nary Botrychium virginianum, the pinnules are lanceolate, acute, — 
markedly decurrent at the base, and conspicuously cut about two - 
thirds of the distance to the midrib. The ultimate segments of the E 
fertile frond are flat and moderately broad. The sporangia are , 
0.5-0.7 mm. long), and dark brown. Their dehiscence is narrow, 
with a slight recurving of the tips of the valves 
It is not quite clear to the author whether this plant should be con 
sidered as a species or as a variety of Botrychium virginianum. The 
differences between this form and typical Botrychium virginianum are 
no greater than the differences between some of the North American 
varieties of that species. On the other hand there is at present nO- 
evidence of any intergradation such as is found between the various — 
North American varieties. It was long since given a varietal name, _ 
ii, 03 (1839) B mexicanum Greville and: Hooker, Bot. Mise. : 
iii. 
Specimens in the Gray Herbarium: 
Santo DomInco: in na near Constanze, 4000 ft. etna : 
February 1910, von Tuerckheim no. 2963; in woods, Tal Ming 0, Province — 
10 4400 ft. siinide, ‘April 1912, Padre M PF E uertes O- — 

eae en a aie iA ee en Te err emer nn mnt er rear pipes! sae ok 


Mex ee of Vera Cruz, 4000-4500 ft. altitude, 1804, 
Cv £. Smith n 
GuaTEMALA: Volcan de Agua, 0. Salvin. 
This plant is also reported from "sens and Panama, and either 
this or a closely related form from Ecua 
} Contrib. U. S. Nat. Herb. xvi. 307 (1913). 

