Studies on Pacific Ferns, Part II 
Humata and Ctenopteris 
G. Brownlie 1 
The present paper continues the discussion 
of problems discovered in nomenclature and 
distribution of some groups of South Pacific 
ferns. The first section covers several species 
of the genus Humata, the second, species of 
Ctenopteris, and the third clarifies an apparent 
error as to the origin of a particular collection 
of ferns from Aneityum Island in the New 
Hebrides. 
Acknowledgments : I wish to thank Mr. F. 
Ballard of the Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gar- 
dens, Kew, for his assistance with this work, 
and I acknowledge my indebtedness to the Coun- 
cil of the University of Canterbury for granting 
the leave during which it was undertaken. 
A. species of the genus Humata 
Although Christensen’s monograph on the 
Pteridophyta of Samoa did much to clear up the 
uncertainty as to the specific limits in the genus 
Humata, it appeared that some aspects required 
further investigation. The results of this in- 
vestigation are given in this section, and the 
present author feels that the position is now 
clarified for Fiji, Samoa, and Aneityum. Insuf- 
ficient material was available to be certain of the 
true situation in New Caledonia, and it appears 
necessary to await further collections from that 
island before giving a definite verdict. 
Hum a' a sessilifolia (Bl.) Mett. 
Davallia aemula Mett. Kuhn Linn. 36: 144, 
1869. 
Humata aemula (Mett.) Carr. In Seem. FI. 
Vit. 335, 1873. 
H. aemula was based on a collection by Mac- 
Gillivray from Aneityum in the New Hebrides 
and was distinguished by the possession of 
longer stipes than is usual in H. sessilifolia. Very 
' Botany Department, University of Canterbury, 
Christchurch, New Zealand. Manuscript received May 
12 , 1959 . 
little material from the New Hebrides has been 
seen, but an examination of Fijian specimens 
shows the length of stipe to be extremely vari- 
able, even on the same plant. This variability 
is not apparent in Malaysia but occurs also in 
New Guinea. In the Fijian examples fronds 
were noted with stipes varying in length from 
less than 1 cm. to 4 cm., sometimes on the same 
specimen. In view of this grading of a character 
previously thought to be distinctive, it appears 
necessary to reduce H. aemula to a synonym of 
H. sessilifolia. 
SPECIMENS EXAMINED: New Hebrides — 
MacGillivray 64 (Kew), Milne 456 (Kew). 
Fiji — Milne 215 (Kew), 251 (Kew), unnum- 
bered (BM), Horne 805 (Kew), im Thurn 131 
(Kew), Thurston unnumbered (Kew), Gibbs 
866 (BM), Smith 742 (Kew, BM), 5406 
( Kew ) . 
Humata serrata Brack. 
Humata serrata Brack. Expl. Exped. 16: 230, 
1854; C. Chr. B. P. Bishop Mus. Bull. 177: 
38, 1943 (in part) . 
Davallia botrychioides Brack, var. multifda 
Carr. Christ Engler Bot. Jb. 23: 339, 1897. 
Much of the confusion concerning this species 
has been cleared up by Christensen, but he still 
gives the distribution as Samoa, Fiji, and New 
Caledonia. All Fijian specimens, however, have 
the lamina of the fertile frond more reduced 
than is the case with the Samoan material, and 
they invariably lack the horn projecting beyond 
the sorus. In general, specimens from New 
Caledonia identified as H. serrata are smaller in 
size than the Samoan ones and approach closer 
to the local H. pusilla in the extreme serrations 
of the sterile frond. In view of this it appears 
preferable to restrict the name H. serrata to 
Samoan material. 
SPECIMENS EXAMINED: All from Samoa — 
U. S. Explor. Exped. 6 (Kew), Powell 136 
400 
