— 294 — 



Leptochilus contaminoides (Christ) G. Chr. — Fig. 6 a~ c. 



Syn. Gymnopteris Christ, Annuaire Cons. Jard. bot. Genève 3 : 32. 

 1899. — Acrostichum serratifolium Lindman, Arkiv för Bot. 1:252 

 tab. 8 fig. 8. 1903, et auct. plur. (pro parte). 



Lamina folii sterilis ovato-elongata, pinnata cum impaii, 5 — 6 dcm longa. 

 Pinna terminalis sæpe infra apicem proliféra. Pinnæ laterales numerosæ, 

 15 — 20jugæ, patentes, lanceolatæ vel lineari-lanceolatæ, 15 — 20 cm longæ, 

 2 — 2V'2 cm latæ, sursam decrescentes, inferiores breviter petiolatæ, basi 

 subtruncatæ vel rotundato-cuneatæ , versus apicem longe acuminatæ, 

 tenuiter membranaceæ vel chartaceæ, obscure virides vel rubrescentes, 

 glabræ, nudæ vel subtus ad costam squamis paucis ciliatis instructæ. 

 Margo pinnarum leviter , interdum irregulariter serratus , versus apicem 

 acute serratus. Gostulæ fere ad marginem currentes, conspicuæ, versus 

 costam prominulæ. Venæ plus minusve distinctæ, irregulariter anasto- 

 mosantes. Maculæ costales subtriangulares, minores quam in L. serrati- 

 folio; ceteræ 3 — 4 seriatæ — 3 — 5 in serie — irreguläres, sæpe appen- 

 diculatæ ; macula media seriei primæ sæpissime maxima et appendicem 

 includens. Venæ exteriores liberæ , densæ, marginem attingentes. — 

 Squamæ stipitis rachidisque tenues, ovato-subulatæ, ciliatæ. 



This species, by several authors confounded with L. serratifolius. 

 has a very different habit. The pinna are more numerous, long and 

 often linear ; the venation is essentially different from that of L. serrati- 

 folius, and the fringed and subulate scales also make a character of value. 

 While L. serratifolius is an open-ground species, L. contaminoides grows 

 on the ground in the dense, tropical forest. The species varies con- 

 siderably as to colour, number and length of the pinnæ, but I cannot 

 clearly separate out good varieties. It is evidently very common in Para- 

 guay and the adjacent parts of southern Brazil. I have examined the 

 following specimens : 



Paraguay. 1) Ravins humides et ombragés de la cordillère de 

 Tschololo, près de Paraguari, Balansa n. 2852 (type specimens HH, HB). 



2) Cordillera de Altos: Quellgebiet, zwischen Steinen, Fiebrig n. 96 (HB). 



3) Ex eodem loco, Fiebrig n. 91 (HB; young plants; the rhizome towards 

 the apex densely clothed with dark-brown scales). 4) S. Bernardino, ad 

 terram humidam convallis umbrosæ, Lindman, Exped. 1. Regnell A. 

 n. 2337 (HS). 



Brasilia. 5) Sine loco: Burchell n. 5929 (HB). 6) Prov. S.Paulo, 

 Mosen n. 2258 (HH, HB, HS). 



Fig. 6a. Entire plant, 3 /n nat. size, with rather short pinnae. — Fig. 6b. 

 Pinna of the type specimen (Balansa 2852), 3 U nat. size. — Fig. 6 c. Fragment, 

 showing the venation. 3 U nat. size. 



