MAXON — STUDIES OF TBOPICAL AMERICAN PERNS. 17'* 



The presenl species musl be closely related to the form regarded by Metteniua 

 as typical A. salicifolium and figured by him." presumably on a Peruvian plant, 

 collected by Poeppig, this being the only specimen cited bj him as at the typi- 

 cal form, our specimens of I. rectangulan differ In having the pinna longer- 

 stalked, broader, and with less pronounced marginal serrations. The general 

 form of the pinnae is exactly the same. 



i Asplenium integerrimum and A. kapplerianum, reduced to varietal rank by 

 fcfettenius, are here dealt with separately. 



Asplenium obtusifolium L. Sp. PI. L080. 1753. 6 



t Asplenium repandulum Kunze, Linnsea 9: <'••",. 1834. (Type from Peru.) 

 Isplenium riparium Leibm. Dansk. Vid. Selsk. Skr. V. 1: 244. 1849. (Type 

 from Mexico.) 



Not closely related t<> I. salicifolium, bul distributed under thai can 

 Afosen's no. L'lii from Caldas, Minas Geraes, Brazil, which must be referred to 

 the polymorphic .1. obtusifolium ranging through the Wesl Indies and in larger 

 states from Mexico to Peru and Brazil. Thai which Hooker considered the 

 most typical form of the species he figured as A. riparium Liebmann, a name 

 first applied to Mexican specimens: but the plate is drawn, probably, from a 

 Brazilian plant, several of which are cited; none of the Mexican and Central 

 American specimens shews quite the same extreme development, while the 

 Brazilian specimen above mentioned agrees exactly. 



The peculiarities of the species in tins broader sense are well broughl out by 

 Hooker, who places the better known dwarf mainly lobed or laciniate form as 

 the •" var. obtusifolium" of A. riparium, notwithstanding its priority of name. 

 Hooker's opinion on the specific identity of these widely varying forms is here 

 adopted; reluctantly, however, not only because of the inordinate breadth thus 

 ascribed to the species, but also on account of the manifestly inappropriate name 

 under which the extreme form must rest along with the typical West Indian 

 form to which it is properly applicable. 



The following specimens are in the U. S. National Herbarium : 



I. West Indian form (mainly). Fronds small: pinna 1 usually obtuse, Sharply 

 cuneate at the base, sometimes nearly entire/ 7 witb sinuate-dentate margins, 

 or more often deeply lobed and irregularly laciniate, with sharply erose- 

 dentate margins. 



Porto Rico: Utuado, Smtenis f>443, 6533. 



Grenada: Elliott 94. 



Dominica: Rosalie, Lloin! r,j»s. 



MoNTSKRRAT : Turner. 



Trinidad: Fendler 130. 



Colombia: Santa Marta. //. H. Smith 1120. 



II. Continental form. Fronds large (up to 60 cm. long) ; pinnae larger and 

 more numerous, nearly all auriculate and less acutely cuneate at the base. 

 toward the apex acute or (in the Mosen specimen) attenuate, margins 

 sinuate-dentate or Irregularly serrate-dentate. (.1. riparium Liebm.) 



Mexico: Vallee de Cordoba. State of Vera Cruz, Bourgeau 2014 (received 

 as A. repandulum Kunze) ; District of Cordoba. State of Vera Cruz. 

 Find- 35a. 



"Abhand. Senck. Nat. Gesell. 3: 144. pi ',. f. 1 ',. I860. 



6 Founded on the West Indian Adiantum alis latioribus at Petiver (Pter. Am. 

 no. 117 /)/. 2. f. 1 ',. 1712, Incorrectly cited by Linnaeus as f. ',). 

 'Sp. Fil. 3: Hit. pi. 169. 

 d Hook. & Grew 2: pi. 239, 1831. 



