76 



ovate free segment on the superior base, or with two or three similar 

 smaller ones on one or both sides ; pinnae of the upper two-thirds entire, 

 obliquely cuneate at the base, the point obtuse-acute, gradually dwin- 

 dling to minute segments, margins not dentate. Near to, but less uni- 

 formly lobed than Hook. fig. B.-A. radicans, Swartz 



Tar. b. (pinnato-pinnatifidum, Hook.) Fronds a foot or more 1. lower 

 pinnae bluntly or roundly lobed or pinnatifid on both sides within, the 

 outer part serrulate -entire and acute, the upper ones quite entire and 

 gradually dwindling to minute segments. — Hook. Sp. Fil Fig. B., A. 

 cyrtoptey on, Kze. 



Tar. c. (bipinnatum, Hook.) —Fronds a foot or morel, tapering up- 

 wards to minute segments ; pinnae of the lower half uniformly and 

 deeply pinnatifid out to the acuminate serrulate point ; segments half 

 their own width apart, ovate, or ovate-oblong, rounded, decurrent at the 

 contracted base ; the margins even or very faintly dentate. Hook. Sp. 

 Fil. t. c. A. flabellulatum, Kze. 



Tar. d. — Fronds 1-1 \ ft 1. 6-10 in. w. uniformly bipinnate through- 

 out, tapering to the long naked tail ; pinnae tapering gradually to a ser- 

 rate linear point, which is often proliferous , secondary segments ova f e — 

 lanceolate, cuneate-substipitate. blunt but not broadly rounded, 4-8 li. 1. 

 li. w. faintly dentate. 



Var. e.. {super sum Jenm.) —Fronds f-1 ft. 1. uniformly bipinnate, 

 more or less narrowed at the base and attenuated at the top ; pinnae 

 acuminate, often terminating in a flattened thread-like end, with minute 

 bud at the tip ; secondary segments lax, subdistant, ovate, obtusely den- 

 tate, or the larger dentate-lobate, cuneate-stipitate, 2-J-5 li. L, 1J-2 

 li. w. 



Var. / Fronds f-lj ft. 1., fully bipinnate, pinnae contiguous or more 

 or less apart, blunt or acute, secondary segments close, ovate-oblong or 

 often sub-dimidiate, rather auricled, rounded and dentate, the base ob- 

 liquely cuneate, or truncate, -3-5 li. 1., 1J-5 li. w. A. rhizophorwn, 

 Swartz. 



Var. g , (tripinnatum, Hook.) — Fronds variable in size and degree 

 of cutting, H-3 ft. 1., \-\ ft. w., pinnae approximate, acuminate, or 

 attenuate at the point and more or less sharply toothed, pinnulae close, 

 oblong or ovate-oblong, the blunt or rounded outer part dentate, pin- 

 natifid or fully pinnate within segments close, few, the base cuneate- 

 stipitate, Very variable, the more finely cut states near Hook. Sp. Fil. 

 fig. D. A rachirhizon, Kaddi,. A. amabtle, i iebon. 



Frequent; the type in damp woods of the central parishes at 1,500- 

 2,00U ft alt , and the other at higher elevations, up to 7,000 ft. alt. in 

 the Blue Mountain range. I have taken the simply pinnate state as 

 the type and the other forms as a series of links in accordance with the 

 bize and degree of cutting to the largest and most decompound. The 

 most polymorphic of all local ferns, the continental forms presenting a 

 a still wider range of variation, the published synonymy being equally 

 considerable. The dark polished chestnut vascular parts, and long pro- 

 liferous tail, clearly and unmistakably mark it in all its varying pre- 

 sentations. Variety e. is the most finely cut and beautiful of the Ja- 

 maica forms. 



37. A plantagineum, Linn.— -Rootstock short, erect, with strong, 

 wiry descending roots; stipites several, caespitose erect, ^-1 ft. 1 , chan- 



