Aspidium glabrum (Brack.) Mett. var. soripes Hillebr. [Dryopteris soripes in widely circulated check-lists]

Endemic

Greek soros, heap (used in botany for sorus), + peza (or Latin pes), foot; the sorus is usually raised on a short stalk or foot.

Plants medium-sized, delicate, terrestrial. Fronds to 80 cm long. Stipes straw-colored, delicate, slender, usually less than 1.5 mm diam. at bases, often longer than blades. Blades 2-pinnate to 2-pinnate-pinnatifid, delicate, usually glandular. Pinnae linear-lanceolate, narrow, well separated, not overlapping. Pinnules narrow, well separated, arising at 90° from costae. Ultimate segments mostly 2 mm or less wide, margins crenate to lobed, lobes with single tooth at tip. Sori medial, frequently ele-vated on much-raised stalks (more apparent on live fronds). Indusia thin, often deciduous.

Found on all major islands except Lana 'i, 475-2,265 m. Most easily seen near the Waikolu overlook on Moloka'i and along the Waikamoi Flume on Maui. The extreme form of this variety described here blends gradually into var. glabra in and at the margins of its areas of distribution. Intermediates are fre-quent and often nearby.

Dryopteris glabra var. soripes may be recognized by its more delicate, open fronds with narrower stipes and rachises; by pinnae that are narrow and well separated; and particular