Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The extract given here is from Luerssen (1882), pp. 440-1, under 'Trichomanes Luerssenii F. v. Müll. in lit.' (B82.03.05).

[F. v. Müller, welcher mir diese zierliche Art in einem vom 11. Sept. 1881 datirten Briefe sandte, fügte die folgende Beschreibung hinzu:]

[F. v. Müller, who sent me this dainty species in a letter dated 11 Sept. 1881, appended the following description:]

Trichomanes (Sect. Habrodictyon) Luerssenii: Humile, stipitibus longiusculis confertis ad basim vestimento squamarum perangustarum breviumque obtectis abhinc nudis, frondibus tenerrimis fere decoloribus omnino pellucidis ambitu paene semilanceolatis decompositis, pinnis in segmenta angustissima uninervia immarginata dissectis, mediis infimas longitudine vix excedentibus, rachi cum parte infera racheolorum aptera, segmentis pinnarum inferioribus potius pinnulatis superioribus potius dicho- vel trichotomis, cellulis rete sat reguläre constituentibus, indusiis minutis axillaribus solitariis perbreviter stipitulatis exalatis fere semiovatis prorsus truncatis, columellla sporangiorum (quantum nota) omnino inclusa. In monte pyramidato insulae Aneiteum Novarum Ebudarum, altitudine 2500 pedum: G. Braithwaite leg. Filicula digitum alta. Fibrillae radicis divergenti-descendentes ramulosae. Stipites frondibus paulo breviores. Pinnae (exemplarium duorum suppetentum) inferiores et mediae pollicares vel breviores; segmenta ⅕ – ⅓ lineam lata. Indusia (absque stipitulo) circiter ¼ lineam longa, sed statu tantum juvenili visa.

Species approximat T. Smithii (Hook. sp. filic. I. 138) ex insulis Philippinis, quae autem stipitibus proportionaliter brevioribus, frondibus longioribus, pinnis inferioribus per gradus abbreviatis, segmentis longioribus atque latioribus, cellulis horum partim transverse admodum elongatis, soris paulo longioribus vix truncatis sed columellam longam exserentibus separatur. Sed T. trichoideum (Sw. fl. Ind. occid. n. 1741) fortasse hancce filiculam Novo-Ebudicam inter formas suas includit; nam differentiae hujus tantummodo restant in elongatione stipitum, nulla reductione pinnarum infimarum, indusiis abbreviatis parum stipitulatis non ore dilatatis columellam haud longe exserentibus.

Trichomanes (Sect. Habrodictyon) luerssenii: Small, with stipes rather long crowded at base with vestiture of short and narrow scales naked away from here,

2

i.e. scales absent from upper part of frond.

fronds very tender almost colourless throughout, translucent, in outline nearly semilanceolate, decompound

3

i.e. much-divided.

dissected into narrow uninerved segments without a distinct margin, the middle [segment] barely exceeding the lower ones, the rachis with part of the lower racheoles

4

minor rachides.

wingless, segments of the lower pinnae rather pinnulate, of the upper pinnae two- to three times divided, net

5

vein network?

of mostly regularly shaped cells, indusia minute, axillary, solitary, shortly stipitate unwinged, almost semiovate, straight, truncate, the columella of the sporangia (as far as is known) entirely included.

On the pyramidal mount of Aneityum Island, New Hebrides at altitude 2500 feet; collected by G. Braithwaite. Fern one finger high. Fibrils of roots divergent-descending, branched. Stipes a little shorter than fronds. Lower and medial pinnae (from the two examples at hand) an inch long or less; segments ⅕ - ⅓ of a line wide. Indusium (without stipe) about ¼ of a line long, but only juvenile stature seen.

A species near T. smithii (Hook. Sp. Filic. 1. 138)

6

W. Hooker (1846-64), vol. 1, p. 138.

from the Phillippine islands, which but differs by the stipes proportionately shorter, fronds longer, lower pinnae sequentially shortened, segments longer and wider, with cells of these partly transversely quite elongate, sori a little longer, scarcely truncate but the columella longer and exserted. Yet T. trichoideum (Sw. Fl. Ind. Occid. n. 1741)

7

Swartz (1797-1806), vol. 3, p. 1741.

perhaps among the forms of this New Hebridean fern it includes; for the difference remains only in the elongation of the stipe, no reduction of the basal pinnae, the indusia short, barely stipitate not dilated at the mouth, the columella not at all long-exserted.