4 F: im ey AO = a ciben Hern Journal A QUARTERLY DEVOTED TO FERNS Published by the AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY Editors _R.C. BENEDICT E jl.w INSLOW _ C, A, WEATHERBY ~~ VOLUME V - © 2 15-70. Ampvriran Fern Journal Vol. 5 JANUARY—MARCH, 1915 No. 1 Notes on American Ferns: IX.'! WILLIAM R. MAXON A New Name ror Notuorarna Hooker D. C. Eaton.—One of the most interesting and attractive xerophilous ferns of the southwestern United States is that first described as Notholaena candida var. 5-fido- palmata Hook.,? but known since 1879 as Notholaena Hookert D. C. Eaton.? The latter name, having, how- ever, been given to another fern? more than twenty years previously by Lowe, with an adequate description and a very excellent figure,® its use by Eaton for the United States plant can not be regarded as admissible. As a substitute for Eaton’s name the writer proposes the name Notholaena Standleyi in honor of Mr. Paul C. Standley, Assistant Curator of the United States National Herbarium, who has devoted much time to field study in the Southwest and recently has collabor- ated with Prof. E. O. Wooton in the preparation of a comprehensive Flora of New Mexico, which will appear shortly. Eaton’s type is from western Texas, but the species is commonest in Arizona and New Mexico, ranging southward well into Mexico. The reference of this species to California, by Hooker, in which Christen 1 Published _ permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu- tion. (Nos. 1-8 of this series, 1900-1911, appeared in the Fern Bulletin. 2 Hook. Sp. Fil. 5: 111. 1864 ?In Wheeler, Rep. U. 's. Surv. 100th N . 6: 308. pl. 30. 1879. 4It is hota mand a form of Pellaea nivea, or . Notholaena nivea. 5 Ferns 1: 59. pil. 13. 1856. [No. 3 of the fibteger (4: 77-108) was issued Oct. 10, 1914: No. 4 (4: 109-132) Dec. 28, 1914] 1 Z AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL sen follows, is explained as erroneous by Eaton,* who states that the specimens actually came from La Cuesta, New Mexico. A WESTERN EXTENSION oF RANGE FOR FILIx BUL-- BIFERA.—There are apparently no records of the occur- rence of Filix bulbifera from the territory west of Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas. It has been, therefore, a matter of much interest to the writer to find in a collec- tion of southwestern plants brought back to Washing ~ ton by Mr. E. A. Goldman, of the Biological Survey, an excellent, fully matured specimen of this species from Arizona. The plant in question is not only heavil soriated, but bears also half a dozen characteristic *“bulblets”’ at the apex of one of its fronds. It was collected at Oak Creek, eighteen miles southeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, altitude 1,625 meters, July 24, 1913, and bears Mr. Goldman’s original number, 2188. In discussing the new record with Dr. P. A. Rydberg, who was in Washington at the time the Arizona speci- men was received, the writer learned of the occurrence of this species in Utah also. The specimens, which were so determined by Miss Margaret Slosson, were collected in the Elk Mountains of southeastern Utah, altitude 2,500 meters, August 1 and 2, 1911, by Dr. P. A. Rydberg and Mr. A. O. Garrett (No. 9343). They are less characteristic examples of the species than is the Arizona plant. Specimens of this collection are in the Underwood Fern Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden and have lately been received also at the United States National Herbarium. LycoropIuM INUNDATUM IN OrEGON.—So far as the writer can ascertain this species has never been known farther south than Washington, on the Pacific Coast. 6 Ferns N. Amer. 2: 28. 1880. Notes oN AMERICAN FERNS 3 It may now be reported from ‘‘meadows in the sand dune region, Coos County, Oregon.’ The specimens, in the National Herbarium, were collected September 8, 1912, by H. D. House (No. 5001). Tue DiIstTRIBUTION OF LycoPpODIUM SABINAEFOLIUM Wi.ip.—The characters of this species having become fairly well understood in recent years, it was to be ex- pected that its known range would be somewhat ex- tended and filled in. Of more than ordinary interest, however, is the receipt of excellent specimens from Dr. J. V. Haberer, collected by him (No. 2550), October 28, 1911, in the vicinity of Hinckley, Oneida County, New York, in a small ravine, in the shade of spruce and hem- lock. This station, which is at the edge of the Adirondac region, seems to be a new one, the only other New York locality apparently being on Staten Island (Buchheister), mentioned in the seventh edition of Gray’s Manual. The species is not listed by Gilbert, in his article upon the fern flora of New York State.! The unfortunate confusion of this species with L. sitchense Rupr. makes many of the earlier records unreli- able, unless substantiated by specimens, even from ac- cessible localities, so that unusual importance attaches to records which may be regarded as authentic. In their revision of 1900 Lloyd and Underwood? list speci- mens, which they had studied, from Maine, Ontario, Vermont, and Prince Edward Island. The several Maine and Vermont records are, of course, well known and have received frequent mention in recent literature. Fernald and Wiegand? list it from Westfield, New Brunswick, stating that it was “previously known from the upper St. John.” It has been found also in 1 Fern Bull. 11: 98-105. 1903. 2 Bull. Torrey Club 27: 164. 1900. 3 Rhodora 12: 133. 1910. 4 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL the Gaspé region of eastern Quebee by Fernald, and is reported by C. K. Dodge! from Keweenaw County, in the upper peninsula of Michigan, upon specimens col- lected by O. A. Farwell. Klugh® lists two Ontario localities, of Burgess and Macoun, respectively, but apparently had not seen the specimens. There are probably not many other records that are dependable. That L. sabinaefoliwm is commoner than indicated in the range mentioned seems very likely; also that it occurs, at least sparingly, throughout a wider area. It must for the present, nevertheless, be regarded as one of the rarer species of this genus. [Since submitting this article for publication the writer has learned from Dr. H. D. House that the new station for L. sabinaefolium, based upon Dr. Haberer’s specimens, is given also in the forthcoming Annual Re- port of the State Botanist, Albany, New York, together with other notes on Lycopodium and the description of a new species allied to L. tristachyuwm Pursh.] Notholaena Aschenborniana and a Related New Species! WILLIAM R. MAXON In a recent article? the writer referred incidentally to an undescribed species of Notholaena from Mexico that had been confused with N. Aschenborniana Klotzsch, which is perhaps its nearest ally. A description of this new species is presented herewith: Notholaena hyalina Maxon, sp. nov. Plants 20 to 45 em. high, with several rigidly erect *¥Fern Bull. 20: 18. 1912. 5 Fern Bull. 14: 73. 1906. 1 Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu- 2 Amer. Fern Journ. 3: 115. 1913. A New Spectres or NoTHOLAENA 5 fronds, their stipes and primary rachises very stout. Rhizome multicipital, the divisions stout, decumbent, or ascending, 1 to 3 em. long, coarsely radicose, densely covered with closely impacted scales, these 2 to 3 mm. long, narrowly deltoid-lanceolate, long-attenuate, coal- black and opaque (or, at first, with a short broad yellow- ish-brown median stripe at the base), rigid, unevenly ciliate throughout, the cilia 18 to 25 on each side, rigid, unicellular, dark brown, irregularly divergent, fragile; stipes straight or nearly so, 4 to 15 em. long, 1 to 2.2 mm. in diameter, purplish-black and sublustrous beneath a dense subfurfuraceous covering of scales, these mostly brownish-ferruginous and closely appressed, a few of them darker-margined and divergent, all conspicuously long-ciliate; lamina linear to narrowly oblanceolate- oblong, 10 to 35 em. long, 3 to 6.5 em. broad, acuminate, slightly narrowed at the base, subbipinnate nearly throughout, the primary rachis stout and squamulose- paleaceous like the stipe; pinnae 10 to 25 pairs below the simply pinnate apex, subopposite to alternate, the lowermost ones deltoid, 1.5 to 2 cm. long, 1 to 1.5 cm. broad, opposite, distant, those above gradually longer and closer, mostly 2 to 3.5 em. long, 7 to 10 mm. broad, elongate-deltoid to very narrowly deltoid-oblong, with about 8 to 14 pairs of approximate to subdistant, nar- rowly oblong segments below the lobate acutish apex; segments crenate to crenately lobed, adnate, joined by a very narrow wing (or the large basal ones semiadnate or subsessile, pinnately lobed or deeply pinnatifid), the lobes or crenations (3 to 5 pairs) of all the segments rounded, broadest at or near the base, close, subentire. Leaf tissue thick, rigidly herbaceous, the lower surface densely tomentose-paleaceous (the scales flaccid, with thin-walled oe and with few, very long, distant, capillary teeth), the upper side dull dark green, minutely glandular, conspicuously hispid ae numerous spreading 6 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL hyaline simple hairs, these few-celled, flattish, and somewhat twisted in drying; margins unaltered, the narrow line of sporangia almost wholly concealed by the dense paleaceous covering of the under surface. Type in the United States National Herbarium, No. 50931, collected from shaded ledges at San José Pass, State of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, October 11, 1890, by C. G. Pringle (No. 3297); distributed as Notholaena Aschenborniana Klotzsch. The following additional specimens of N. hyalina are in the United States National Herbarium: Mexico: A second sheet of the type collection, Pringle 3297. Minas de San Rafael, State of San Luis Potosi, Purpus 5486 (2 sheets). Puebla, State of Oax- aca, Purpus 4018. Las Sedas, State of Oaxaca, alt. 1800 meters, C. L. Smith 2012. La Palma, Jalisco, Jones 533. : Notholaena hyalina is related to N. Aschenborniana of more northerly range, with which it has been confounded on account of its general similarity. Notholaena Aschen- borniana, however, is easily distinct, among other characters, in its strongly ascending pinnae (the basal ones never of a pronounced deltoid form), its simpler and closer segments, and particularly in the widely different, subintricate hairy covering of the upper side of the lamina, the hairs being stellate with spreading, subequal, capillary divisions. The contrast to the large simple hairs upon the upper side of the lamina of N. hyalina is very great. Notholaena Aschenborniana is represented in the National Herbarium by the following specimens: Mexico: San Lorenzo Canyon, 6 miles southeast of Saltillo, Coahuila, Edw. Palmer 402, in 1904. Sierra Mojada, Coahuila, Jones 531. Santa Eulalia Moun- tains, Chihuahua, Wilkinson; Pringle 466, 469. Texas: Vicinity of Van Horn, June, 1905, G..H Yy. ; Fern Hats anp Fern Craar Cases 7 Arizona: Santa Rita Mountains, under shelter of dry rocks, May 20, 1884, Pringle. Exposed south slope of Mule Mountains, January 1, 1913, Goodding 1387. Fern Hats and Fern Cigar Cases R. C. BEenepicr. The title and illustration answer nearly all the pur- poses of description. It only remains to inform any one interested where these articles may be obtained, the proper circumstances for wearing them, and the kind of fern used and method of manufacture. I am mainly indebted for my information to Mr. Percy Wilson of the staff of the New York Botanical Garden who brought back the specimens from a collecting trip in the East Indies made over ten years a The fern used is a member of the family Glei- cheniaceae, the first record for the occurrence of which in the United States was made by Mr. Maxon in the JOURNAL last year (Vol. 4: No. 1.).. The particular species used is Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.) Underw. The illustration shows at the left some of the long leaf stalks of this species before anything has been done with them. A little to the right of the stalks, leaning against the background (a native Javan sleeping mat made from Pandanus) is a coil of the fibers which have been extracted from the leafstalks preparatory to weay- ing them into hats, ete. The machinery used in this operation of preparing the fibers for weaving is to be seen at the left front, and consists of part of the top of a tin tomato can, with numerous holes of various sizes. The fibers are prepared for weaving by drawing them through successively smaller holes in the tin instrument until they are of a satisfactory size for weaving. The cigar cases are designed to hold cigars, but are made mainly to sell to tourists. They would seem to AMERICAN Fenn JOURNAL VoL 6: Pirate. Fern Hats anp Fern Cigar Cases Fern Notes 9 have some defects when compared with a modern humidor. The hats, Mr. Wilson tells me, are all the go for evening wear by the older men when attending dances or other festivals; at least that was the case ten years ago. They would thus appear to be analogous to our silk or opera hats. As to the kind of dances prac- ticed or the remainder of the costume I have no informa- tion. Fern Notes GEO. L. MOXLEY The season of 1914 has slipped away all too soon I have not been able to do much of what I had hoped. But now at the end I will try to gather up the frag- mentary results and set them forth in some sort of order. Early in February, I began bringing home clumps of Adiantum Jordani, Gymnopteris triangularis, and Pellaea andromedaefolia for my fernery. I also put some of the best plants in press. These I got from nearby hills. _ On May 30,1 made a trip into the San Rafael Hills, the same range visited by Prof. T. J. Fitzpatrick and myself the previous May 30, but I visited a different canyon from the one we followed. On this trip I did not find so many species of ferns as we did the previous year, but those I found were more plentiful. The species included Pellaea ornithopus, Hook., Dryopteris rigida arguta, (Kaulf.) Unde., Adiantum Jordani, C. Muel., Polypodium californicum, Kaulf., Cheilanthes Californica, (Nutt.) Mett., Gymnopteris triangularis, (Kaulf.) Unde. On September 3 I visited another part of the same range of hills and found Cheilanthes californica still growing in some of the shaded ravines in spite of the dryness of the late season. Also noted Dryopteris 10 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL rigida arguta and some dried up plants of Gymnopteris triangularis. September 5-7, in company with my son, I went into the San Gabriel Mountains. In the Arroyo Seco Canyon we found Adiantum capillus-veneris L. growing on wet shaded banks at elevations from about 1800 to 3000 feet. In a cleft of a rocky cliff, at about 3000 feet, I found a pretty dry plant that I take to be Cheilanthes Fendleri, Hook., though it may be C. Clevelandii, D. C. Eaton. Dryopteris rigida arguta was plentiful on the shaded slopes and there was some Polystichum munitum, (Kaulf.) Unde. in the higher altitudes. I have given several spare hours to classifying and cataloguing the ferns in the Herbarium of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, a self-imposed task which, although not yet completed, has given me much pleasure. There are something near 200 sheets of ferns and fern allies from various parts of he world. Quite a large number of them are from Scotland, where they were collected by Dr. A. Davidson, chairman of the Botanical Section of the Academy. Then there are several from Germany, Mexico, and various parts of the United States collected by Dr. Chas. Mohr, at one time State Botanist of Alabama, and two of his nieces, who reside in this city. The rest have been collected by many different persons and the whole forms a quite interesting collection. While I have not been able to visit some of the places I had hoped to, and have not found some of the ferns I wished to, on the whole I have had a good time and look next year for perhaps a better. Los ANGELEs, Cat., October 1, 1914. Notes and News PROTHALLIA OF CAMPTOSORUS Readers of the JourNau have not found much in its pages about the prothallial stage of any sort of fern. A reference to a paper on this stage of fern life may there- fore be of interest, especially as it deals with the pro- thallia of one of our most interesting and less common species, the walking fern. Under the title ‘‘ Resistance of the prothallia of Camp- tosorus rhizophyllus to dessication,’? F. L. Pickett dis- cusses a series of experiments carried on with the pro- thallia of this fern which go a long way toward explaining the ability of the walking fern to grow and thrive in situations frequently subject to extreme drouth. These experiments are also suggestive as regards the mainten- ance of other ferns which frequent dry situations like Pellaea atropurpurea, which seems often to like best the most exposed cliffs. Briefly the experiments were as follows: Prothallia of this species were grown from spores and then were subjected to periods of artificial drying, varying from a few days up to two months. It was found that vigorous prothallia could stand continous drying of more than two months and still be able to resume growth and to produce the sporophyte stage when moisture was again applied. A difference was noted however, as regards the behavior of the prothallia in direct sunlight and in diffused light, the latter being much more favorable. Some of the details noted incidentally are also of in- terest. For example, spores taken from leaves collected October 26th, and sown November 22nd, germinated by December 17th. Under normal moist conditions those in direct sunlight showed more rapid growth at 1Bull Torrey Club 40: 641-645. 15 Nov. 1913. 11 12 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL this time than those in diffused light. It was found that the spores of this species germinate irregularly. Thus a sowing of spores examined twelve weeks after sowing showed all stages from mature prothallia down to spores just germinating. Also leaves collected in March fur- nished spores which germinated well in cultures. It may be noted finally that the writer of the article under review has further experiments of the same sort now under way and would undoubtedly appreciate the sending of spore-bearing leaves of any ferns frequenting dry situations, of Pellaeas, species of Cheilanthes, and any others. Such specimens may be sent to him at Pullman, Wash. ie Be Notes on IsorTES During the spring of 1909, I collected some Isoétes in a small, artificial pond, back of Stanford University, University, California. With some other ferns, I sent a sheet of this Isoétes to the Society Herbarium. Mr. Hopkins was inter- ested in the plant and I sent all the material I had to him. The specimens were collected too early to be in the best condition, but after a careful study of the plants, Mr. Hopkins gives the following data: r p a 386, shay ~ Hoge 386, 386, 368, 522, microns. lerospores 26, 26, 30, 24, 24, 28, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24 26,28, 28:96 Se tetas GELMANNI A. Br. Notes anp NEws 13 The artificial pond, ‘‘Mud Lake,” is one used for irrigation purposes so the level is not constant. The plants when collected were growing under several inches of water—a few of the plants having their tips near the surface. An attempt to get more of this plant will be made the coming summer. The Polystichums listed from Noyo River and Mt. Shasta, have been presenting a good many questions to me, and to gain assistance in answering these questions I have sent the entire lot to Mr. Hopkins. He says, “the material is certainly very interesting and I have been looking at it with longing eyes for some time.” H. H. Tracy. Nores on Marne FErns I find it interesting, in connection with Mr. Knowl- ton’s list,! to recall some collecting experiences of ten years ago in Auburn. Me. Auburn is in Androscoggin County, which touches Franklin on the south. Being nearer the coast it lacks several northern and mountain species such as Polystichum Braunii, Aspidium Goldi- anum, and Lycopodium sabinaefolium. Perhaps the fact that I did not find Woodwardia virginica and Lycopodium inundatum is accounted for by the rather narrow range of my explorations. I had one good station for Phegopteris hexagonoptera, one for Asplenium platyneuron, one or two for Selaginella rupestris, and several for Asplenium Trichomanes and W oodsia ilvensis. One plant of frequent occurrence. in Auburn surely will some day be added to the Franklin County list. That is Botrychium simplex. It was found in pastures and sterile fields, usually associated with B. ramosum. Sixty miles west of Franklin County, in Vermont is a region much like the Farmington country where 1FPern Journat 4. 57. 14 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Athyrium angustifolium is an occasional inhabitant of the rich woods. It would interest me to hear a good reason why this fern that is scattered all the way from Missouri should reach a sudden limit in northeastern Vermont. AUBURNDALE, Mass. E. J. Winstow. Note on Eaton’s Ferns or NortuH AMERICA From correspondence it has been discovered that not a few copies of Eaton’s Ferns of North Americaareim- perfect. Some have one or more plates lacking, while others have duplicate plates. This note is published to give members and others owning copies of this work an opportunity to perfect them. Look the plates over carefully, they are not always arranged in numerical order, and see if you have them all and if you have duplicates of any of them. There should be 81. Drop me a line and let me know the result of your investiga- tion. If your copy is perfect I should be glad to know it. Ifyou need any plate or plates give me the numbers and if you have duplicates tell me how much you will sell them for. In this way it is hoped that some of us may be able to obtain missing plates and perfect our copies. Frep G. Fioyp. 325 Park St., West Roxsury, Mass. Tue Fern as A State FLorat EMBLEM Unlike many foreign countries, the United States has no universally recognized floral emblem, although some of the States have legally adopted certain flowers and others have attempted unsuccessfully to do so. The latest State to agitate the question is Pennsylvania, where a bill to make the daisy the state flower was last year vetoed by the Governor. Since that time one of our members, Mr. J. G. Scott, has been actively engaged iPr a ey Me tees yee MCS Tee. AMERICAN FERN Society 15 in a campaign to have ‘The Fern” legally created the state emblem. In spite of many good arguments in its favor, this proposition has been opposed by various citizens who prefer the mountain laurel, and seems to have met defeat in the first encounter, the House of Representatives having recently passed a bill naming the laurel as the state flower. American Fern Society Manin, P. I., SepremBer 12, 1914. Mr. L. S. Hopkins, Curator of Herbarium, American Fern Society, Kent, Ohio. My pear Mr. Horkins: The fact that I have never made a contribution to the herbarium of the Fern Society has long been a source of trouble to my conscience and, as I look over the last annual report of the Curator, I come to the conclusion that there must be many more members with a troubled conscience or else many members without any at all. With our large membership it seems to me that it would be a very easy matter to build up a good repre- sentative collection of the ferns of the United States simply by each member going through his duplicates and contributing one set and in making collections, to add one more for the Society. As I am not in the ‘Mother Country,” I cannot help along that line, but decided some time ago that “our colonies should be represented,’ so I have taken out one set of my duplicates and as a result I am sending you, under registered mail, 500 specimens as my contribu- tion; these are practically all Philippine material, but in order to make the set up to an even 500 I had to add some odds and ends from China, Japan, and North ales. 16 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL The identifications are made in accordance with material which I contributed to the Bureau of Science here in Manila, and if eny further study in the United States is desired a duplicate set has been presented to the Smithsonian Institution, which can be referred to. I have been unable to give the identification of the Selaginellas, as much of the material belonging to the Bureau of Science, including the set of my duplicates, is in the hands of Dr. Hieronymus, of Berlin, who is preparing a monograph of this group, and upon publica- tion I presume this material wil] be cited and you will then be able to make up the identifications yourself. I have followed the nomenclature of Christensen’s Index Filicum, as that is the one adopted by the Philip- pine Bureau of Science. In fixing up this set I felt that some apology should be made for the duplication of certain things; for in- stance, the Lygodiums possess a fascination for me; the forms look different in the field, and I cannot keep from collecting them, but when I come to compare them later they seem to run together; L. fleruosum, L. scan- dens, and even L. japonicum, then Adiantum philip- pense, Notholaena densa, Cheilanthes tenuifolia, and Hemionitis arifolia, are all very common about Manila, and I am always collecting a “better specimen.” They make a variety as to locality and time of year. There has likewise been much pleasure, on my part, connected with the preparation of these specimens; the few from North Wales brought back wonderful days on the mountains with all their glory of gorse and heather; the Japanese things, a day’s tramp from Nagasaki to Mogi and back, and those from China, days at Hong- kong, Canton, and at Nankou Pass, where one goes to see the “Old Wall of China,” In the Philippines there have also been delightful days just outside of Manila, a camp on Mt. Marivales, PON te i ee co AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 17 the climbing of Mt. Maquiling, trips through the wonder- ful mountains in the head-hunting country, and three unsuccessful attempts to get inside of the crater of Mt. Banahao, an old extinct voleano of about 7,500 feet elevation. I am sure that the members of the Society will not derive anything like the pleasure out of these that I] have in the collecting, but hoping that there will be some pleasure and much profit, I am, Very sincerely yours, D. LeRoy Toppina. Treasury Bureau, Mania, P. I A Word from the Editors. In past years the editors have called upon the mem- bers to send in the sort of articles which they like best since the JouRNAL exists to represent the activities of all the members. To these calls there has been an ever increasing response. At first only about enough was received to fill the number of pages which the Society’s finances would allow us to print. Now there is always on hand enough for a full number and a sur- plus toward the next number. It is becoming neces- sary now to print the contributions in the order of their receipt, and there are always things which have to be left over a number which might well be included, and other things which could be written if the funds were available for printing. This is particularly true in the case of illustrations. Two years ago the JouRNAL published an account of a col- lecting trip by Mr. Ransier with numerous pictures. A friend seeing it made the comment that “she supposed that he received a lot of money for it.”” As a matter of fact it cost him over seventeen dollars, for he very generously stood the cost of all the pictures. This is 18 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL merely one case of a sort which has occurred often. Probably half or more of the illustrations for any given year have been paid for by extra subscription. As the President points out on another page, we are now in the position almost of asking any contributor of an article calling for an illustration to pay for this. We do not wish to discourage any writer from, contributing articles, illustrations, and cash, but we feel that this load should not fall only on those who write for us. We feel that there are members who enjoy the JouRNAL although they do not write any articles for it. We ask such members to help us make the Journau better by contributing toward an illustrating fund in any amount. The sky is the limit. We will use all that is sent. It may be noted that the editors have in the past made their contributions regularly. If this appeal seems like the kind of exhortation some- times necessary at the close of the year in churches, please remember that it merely represents the ambition of the editors to make the Journat increasingly better. We expect to do this gradually by increasing the mem- bership and the consequent dues, but until such increase has become a fact some substitute method is required. The subscription list is now open. R. C. BEnepict, EK. J. WInsLow. The Philadelphia Meeting A meeting of the Society was held, as announced, at Philadelphia, on December 28th and 29th, in connec- tion with the American Association for the Advance- ment of Science. The Academy of Natural Sciences very kindly placed a convenient room at our disposal, and the Committee on Arrangements, Messrs. J. G. Scott, Chairman, T. C. Palmer, Wertsner, and Benedict, attended efficiently to all preparations. AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 19 Proceedings began with an informal dinner, at which the outlanders had an opportunity to get acquainted with one another, as well as with the cookery for which Philadelphia is justly renowned. All hands then re- paired to the Academy, where Dr. Benedict read a paper by Paul C. Standley on the Ferns of New Mexico, which AT THE PHILADELPHIA MEETING om left to right—Stewardson Brown, J. cott, C. H. Bissell, L S. Sopkins ©. A. Weatherby, Herman berg aaa Long, R. C. Ber dict, E. J. Winslov was abundantly illustrated with herbarium specimens of the species mentioned, loaned by the National Her- barium, and with excellent photographs of them in their native haunts. Mr. Redles followed with an informal and highly entertaining talk about his experiences in fern-hunting in the vicinity of Philadelphia, speaking with especial feeling of the hardships, in the way of heat, 20 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL sand, and mosquitos—particularly mosquitos—which one is likely to encounter who goes forth in search of curly-grass. A social hour followed, in which the mem- bers present appeared to be taking full advantage of the opportunity to get acquainted and to compare notes and specimens. At the next morning’s session, the walls were pretty well covered with an exhibit of specimens. Messrs. Bigelow, Bissell, Weatherby, and Winslow contributed Dryopteris hybrids; Mr. Bissell, a very full set of forms of Lycopodium clavatum, L. complanatum, and related species; Prof. Hopkins, the North American species of Polystichum, including his lately described P. Ander- sonii, and a frond of probably the rarest North American fern, Cheilanthes Parishii; and Mr. Pickett, forms of Pellaea atropurpurea. this tends further to explain the presence of so many different strains. Mr. Winslow said that the abundance of some supposed hybrids had been used as an argument. AMERICAN FERN Society 21 against their hybridity. But hybridization is easy under favorable conditions, owing to the immense number of spores produced and the consequent crowding of the prothallia. And, as hybrid plants are. usually more vigorous than their parents, they may be expected to outlive them and so increase in relative abundance. Dr. Benedict added that hybrids might reproduce themselves vegetatively, as fern fronds resting on the ground had been known to develop prothallial tissue directly with- out the intervention of a spore stage. Mr. Scott told something of the associations and points of interest of the part of Philadelphia in which the meeting was held, and of the laying of plans for it; and reported the progress of the movement to make the fern the state flower of Pennsylvania. After passing votes of thanks to Mr. Topping for his gift of 500 sheets of Philippine ferns to the Society herbarium, to the Committee on Arrangements and the Academy of Sciences, the meeting adjourned. About twenty members and several outside visitors attended, and I am sure all would agree with me that the meeting was thoroughly worth while, if only for the opportunity it gave to each of us to know, appreciate, and enjoy his fellow-members better and, by learning of their work, to stimulate and refresh his own interest. It is hoped this may be only the first of a series of meet- ings in different parts of the country. As many as possible of the papers presented will be printed in later numbers of the JourNAL, that those members who were not there may share, as far as may be, in the good time, and the profit, of those who were. . A. WEATHERBY, Secretary. ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOCIETY Report of the President for 1914. To the members of the American Fern Society: The work of the Society for the past year has been handicapped to a certain extent by the inexperience of three of its officers, its president, secretary, and treasurer all being new to their positions. Prof. Hopkins, who was re-elected secretary, found that other duties claimed his attention and did not take office for 1914, the presi- dent being obliged to appoint to fill the vacancy. From my knowledge of the working of similar organizations I am sure the best interests of the Society require that the offices of secretary and treasurer should be made as nearly permanent as possible. I am glad to say that the men who held these positions for 1914 have been re-elected, and I sincerely hope that the members will see fit to continue them in office from year to year as long as they are willing to serve. Soon after taking office it came to my knowledge that the Society did not possess a file of the Fern Bulletin, in which publications of its members appeared for a series of years, and that it did not even own a file of its own annual reports. This seemed a mistake and some correspondence was undertaken to try to remedy the defect. Through the generosity of Miss Mirick and we have a member who has a set of the Fern Bulletin that they might be willing to donate to the Society, I 22 NO Bee FN ere Sere te = tee ae tty = sg NA gis alas ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOCIETY 23 am sure the hearty thanks of every member would be offered in return. The report of the Secretary will tell you that we have just about held our own as to membership. The So- ciety needs a few more members very much and I want to state as briefly as I can just why they are needed. The question of finances requires considerable attention from your officers. They have made a careful estimate of probable income and expenditure for the coming year, and it sums up as follows: xpected income from memberships, subscriptions, etc......... .. $280.00 Estimated expense for printing membership lists, postage, mail- ing el OURNAL, supplies for curator, and expenses of editors an officer: F tee 73.00 eces $7.00 for unexpected expense we have avail- able for printing the Journat $200.00. This will just about pay for printing four issues of a 32-page JouRNAL without illustrations. The editors have abundant material on hand to fill an even larger number of pages, but cannot print them on account of the expense; and also they are obliged, if we have illustrated articles, to ask the contributors to help defray the cost of the neces- sary plates. If we had 300 instead of 225 members, the additional cost to the Society for the new members would be very slight and the income could be used to make the JoURNAL more attractive and funds would be available for the Society herbarium. If we are to have the new members desired, they must come through the individual efforts of members. Promiscuous adver- tising is almost useless, but personal effort with those known to be interested in ferns will bring results. Some large libraries and educational institutions are sub- seribers to the JourNaL. They are a valuable asset to the Society and more such subscriptions could be se- cured if our members who are acquainted with the proper officials would bring the JourNnat to their at- tention. 24 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL In making up the budget, no account was made of expected receipts from the sale of back numbers of the JouRNAL. As time goes on, these back numbers will be a valuable asset of the Society, but the amount re- ceived from year to year is uncertain and the Council believes that whatever is received from this source should not be used for current expense, but set aside for emergency or special work. I doubt if the members begin to appreciate the amoun of unselfish, unpaid work the editors of your JouRNAL are constantly giving to the Society. Just the matter of necessary correspondence takes a great deal of time. The editors are busy men, so, if your JourNaL happens to be a little late in coming, make allowances. The herbarium of the Society deserves and should have more done for it than we have been able to do this year; and the thanks of the Society should be given also to Curator Hopkins for the time and labor he is giving to it. We have a cordial invitation from one of our Cali- fornia members, Prof. Badé, of Berkeley, Cal., to have a meeting of the Society there when the American Asso- ciation for the Advancement of Science holds its ses- sions there next summer, rooms for the meeting being available in the Botanical Building of the University of California, and it is proposed to arrange for such a meet- ing. The distance will prevent many of our members from attending, but some of them will undoubtedly visit the Pacific coast the coming summer and this meeting will give them a fine opportunity to get acquainted with the California botanists. A second invitation from California, from Mr. H. H. Tracy, suggests the possibility of a field meeting for a week or more to some one of the great natural features of California, such as the mountains, the big trees, or Yosemite, with a chance to get well acquainted with some of the native ferns as they grow naturally. Such Peni Bole e would not, Mr. Tracy writes, be very expensive. gent das Ree EER Pe sie EST eth tN SP ge ae Rae pte ees Sy a eS eee ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOCIETY 25 It is hoped to have a field meeting of the Society at some point in Central New York the coming summer. I would suggest that members living in adjacent towns or states get together for one or more local field meet- ings; they will be quite worth while, even if only a few can attend. Our Society is intended to help those interested in this beautiful group of plants to get and keep in touch one with another and can be of most value only when this is accomplished. C. H. Bisse... SOUTHINGTON, CONN. Report of the Secretary for 1914. During the year, two members, Mr. George F. Cleve- land and Mrs. M. R. Knauff, have died, as previously recorded in the JournaL. Ten have resigned; under the new Constitution 19 have been, regretfully, dropped for non-payment of dues; and 23 new members have been received. The present membership is 227, as against 240 on last year’s list. The loss, however, is more apparent than real, since, of the 19 dropped, 12 were already more than two years in arrears in 1913 and would not have appeared in the list for that year if the present constitution had been then in force: Mak- ing this allowance, the Society has about held its own. In this connection, one point is perhaps worth men- tion. Some of the members who resign give as their reason that they have no time for fern study. The provision that members are expected to engage in some line of fern study is no longer in the constitution; and those who retain interest enough to wish to help fern study in general can do it, we believe, by continuing their membership and their support of the Society. Every dollar helps. 26 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL The committee appointed some time ago to prepare a revision of the constitution finished their work during the year and their recommendations were adopted by a nearly unanimous vote. The most radical change made was the abolition of the advisory council—a body which, though excellent in theory, had not been found satis- factory in practice—and the transfer of its duties to a nominating committee, to be appointed each year by the President. The new plan had a trial at the annual election and worked well. It is gratifying also to re- cord that the number of votes cast, though still not as large as it should be, was larger than that recorded for any other year except 1910. A meeting of the Society was held at Philadelphia in connection with that of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A separate report of it will be published in the JourNAL. The Secretary will be grateful for the prompt cor- rection of any errors in the forthcoming list of mem- bers. C. A. WEATHERBY. East Hartrorp, Conn. Report of the Treasurer Financially the year has been most successful, not, however, to the extent that the large balance seems to indicate. The appended tabulation shows the condi- tion of the Society funds on December 31, 1914, at which time there were outstanding certain unsettled accounts properly chargeable to 1914. The bills for printing the JourNAL comprise the greater part of these unpaid claims and remain unpaid through no fault of the Treasurer, the delay being due largely to an un- fortunate series of errors in billing and validating over ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOCIETY 27 which he had no control. A resumé of the unpaid claims properly chargeable to 1914 is as follows: alance as per appeien. ee: Le lie aaa ae UAT $109.12 Bills receivable—ad Peek ees 4.00 $113.12 Britis PayvaPLe 500 American Fern Jocrnats, Vol. IV, No. 3,........ $43.25 600 AmErRican Fern Journats, Vol. IV, No. 4. ........ 47.10 600 Table of Contents, V Ors chr ea ieoce 4.25 Postage, Managing Editor. . eR retire att 1.00 Mailing and truckage, Vol. IV, No. Ss Sa yaa pee 1.57 Author's changes. . We ieertng ce Jesup aaeeaiee eevee 5.90 $103.07 Balance above all charges. 60 ce a ee 10.05 $113.12 During the year the practice of delivering bills with the JourNAL has been inaugurated. This measure has been adopted in the interest of economy. By this means a saving of more than $5.00 has been effected over the old method of sending by letter and a still further saving of $5.00 could be made if members would be willing to have their receipts returned in the JOURNAL. This would involve, of course, a considerable interval between the payment of the bill and sending of the re- ceipt. Members residing outside of New England and New York City, who pay their dues by check, could contribute to the material welfare of the Society at trivial expense to themselves if they would make their checks for $1.10 instead of $1.00. The Boston banks charge ten cents for collecting checks drawn outside of New England and the Society loses ten cents on all such accounts. Considerable attention has been given during the year to collecting unpaid dues, with very satisfactory results. It has been impossible to represent matters to all the delinquents in such a way that they were willing to face their obligations. Some have, but others have not, and 28 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL with reluctance several names have been dropped from our roll. In the matter of new members the Society is to be congratulated, for although members occasionally resign or otherwise leave the ranks new members take their places, as will be seen by the report of the Secretary. During the past year, for instance, the receipts from new members was $25.00, while new subscribers yielded an income of $10.35. During the year past a change in the conduct of the affairs of the Treasurer’s office has taken place, a change so important that it deserves brief mention at this time. Under the old Constitution it was necessary before a bill, no matter how trivial, could be paid to obtain the consent of the Council. The new Constitution is less exacting in the matter of payments so that it has been possible to effect a change which it is hoped will result in a great saving of time and energy. This is brought about by a Budget which provides certain definite specified amounts for certain definite specific purposes covering the current running expenses of the Society and authorizes these payments by the Treasurer direct upon proof of correctness. A Budget for the year 1915 has been approved by the Council and the experiment will be tried next year of paying current running expenses direct. For its past our Society has nothing to be ashamed of, and the present is entirely satisfactory. How shall we most wisely provide for the future? That we are grow- ing can not be denied. Can we not grow more? grow stronger and larger and better? In my opinion this is a matter requiring most earnest deliberation. We want more members! more subscribers! How can they be obtained? To consider this question I propose and I make the suggestion that a Committee be appointed to consider and report. | PS ee | Rec eS ee ne cae Sets i ee le Sy SSS Me Gr LenS 7 er eery rose Wee ek en ea ee mS aeee — Sree aes . Rin ateoe ate aek ih bead AO “Passes er a Res Sao s eS oe ee ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOCIETY 29 In conclusion I wish to say that it has been a pleasure to act during 1914 as Treasurer of the Society. All with whom I have come in contact—members and officers alike—have been courteous and kind. I have one re- quest to make to all our members. I want your full names for my files. Not merely your first name, but all three names in full. (Example—John Penfield Smith.) When you send me your dues for 1915 please send me your full name. Appended you will find my tabular report for 1914. - TREASURER’s AccoUNT FROM JANUARY 1, 1914, TO DeceMBER 31, 19 REeEcEIPTS Balance on hand January az 1914.. Se ee ners err eeE RS TE’ 2 | Membership dues—old— 1908......... $1.00 TOROS Saat 2.00 TUL es ee oes 4.00 pL Ey ER Mn ee at 6.00 rt hb. Same ahaa 6 pL I earls ewe 18.00 pty g Se caen pees 159.70 OLS a 207.70 $207.70 2.00 De einai 3.00 25.00 25.00 e Total membership dues............... 232.70 232.70 Subscriptions—old— VOLS os vests .90 be Sage ea rp 90 tele. ee 25.75 TOI B oo oe 3.55 31.10 31.10 Subscriptions—new Phe DeSean ee 10.35 10.35 Total subscriptions. ..3 6... 4145 41.45 Sale of back numbers...... 2... .. 3... 27.20 Cortriitions 6 vie Cae 4.50 Rete ooo a i ae 305.85 305.85 otal rocoto oo acne aaa es $317.77 30 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL DiseUuRSEMENTS Printing and 1 hie on Constitution... .. $4.25 300 C aa its 8.50 ap save ie iia weed we Pils idee ares 8.00 1000 Letter heads. Sede ae 4.00 Printing net Postals—clection ¢ of officers. i eter 2.89 Binding Journat, 2 PIG ely 2.00 org: cara to — Ne Sa ge gar 29.64 $29.64 : : Postage, Treasurer. Fee oye ne eS rama 9.21 1000 Bill heads, Treasure: ee eters 3.00 , To correct account with Harold “7 - Rugg. Se rrare 3.00 Collection of checks. . : MIE ae a 1,95 Chargeable to Treasurer.............. 0.05 17.16 17.16 Postage, Editor. Oe Gees ibe eee ve 50 Author’s corrections. Bula scien ieee cel oa aEee iran be 3.50 Chargeable to Edito: ley saacee Oana Pans aie 4.00 4.00 500 Table of Contents, a lt. 4,75 500 Amprican Fern JOURNALS, Vol. Tv, ‘No. vy 52.50 500 American Fern Journats, Vol. IV, No. 2.. i Engravings for Journat—12 plates..........., 34.87 Mailing a ck IV, No. 1 1.90 Mailing and truckage. Vol. TV, Ae ec e 1.68 Mailing and truckage, bes, ade INO, Boiss a Gad 2.50 Postage, °, Managing Editor rennin can GoaA 2.60 Cire) s: agi 43 12.05 Chargeable to Managing Editor........... 157.85 157.85 Pape eee Total Disbursemen mp 208.65 $208.65 Balance on hand Deceubas 31, 1914.. 109.12 $317.77 Frep G. Fioyp, Treasurer. Curator’s Report The last report of the Curator showed that the So- ciety herbarium contained 1223 mounted sheets. Since that time Dr. 0. E. Jennings has donated 14 sheets from his Ontario collections; Prof. H. H. Tracy, 27 sheets collected by him in California; Miss Laura Kimball, 3 sheets from the same state; and Dr. Ruth Marshall, 23 sheets collected by her in the Dells of the Wisconsin iver. These specimens have all been mounted and catalogued, making 1292 mounted sheets now in the Herbarium. : = ve ANNUAL Reports OF THE SOCIETY 31 Mr. Topping’s collection of 500 sheets from the Philip- pines, as noted elsewhere, is the largest, as well as probably the most valuable, individual contribution that has yet been made to the Society Herbarium. In due time this collection will be mounted and incorpor- ated into the Herbarium, making about 1800 sheets. Members are urged to reread that part of Mr. Top- ping’s letter which pertains to donations to the Society Herbarium. There should be in the Herbarium a com- plete collection of not only all the species found in North America, but their varieties and forms as well. Mem- bers and friends of the Society can aid very materially to bring this about if they will send in a complete col- lection of their local fern flora. Common as well as the rarer species are wanted. - The Society maintains an exchange department which is free to all members. There are now about 500 sheets, including 75 or more species, offered for exchange. List will be sent for a stamp. Members wishing to make an exchange should write the Curator before sending material as it is manifestly impossible for the depart- ment to give out the rarer species uniformly and receive only the commoner species in return. Specimens will be identified whenever desired. Speci- mens sent in for identification will be placed in the Herbarium. L. 8S. Hopkins, Curator. Kent, O. At the annual field meeting of the Vermont Botanical Club held in Fair Haven, Vermont, (a town near the New York border) July 9-11, the following members of the Fern Society were present: Mrs. Nellie F. Flynn, Mrs. W. B. Jolly, Miss Mabel Strong, Dr. Ezra Brainerd, Mr. F. T. Pember, Mr. J. G. Underwood, and Harold ae AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL G. Rugg. Among the rarer ferns collected were: As- plenium ruta-muraria, Pellaea atropurpurea, Camptosorus rhizophyllus, Aspidium spinulosum, Aspidium Goldia- num, Asplenium angustifolium, Aspidium Goldianum x marginale, Aspidium cristatum x marginale, Aspidium Clintonianum x intermedium, Aspidium Boottit. Wantrp—I would very much like to have a specimen of Botrychium tenebrosum A. A. Eaton, Dryopteris Clintoniana x spinulosa, Dryopteris Goldiana x spinu- losa, and D. Goldiana x intermedia, and can offer the fol- lowing in exchange: D. Clintoniana x intermedia, D. Clintoniana x marginalis, D. Clintoniana x Goldiana, D. marginalis x intermedia, D. cristata x intermedia, Di cristata x marginalis, Isoétes canadensis—Macy CaAR- HART, Keyport, WantEp—I will pay 10 cents per sheet for any North American pteridophytes not now in my collection, or will exchange. List of desiderata sent upon applica- tion.—L. 8. Hopxins, 525 E. Main St., Kent, Ohio. Mr. E. J. Winslow, 222 Grove St., Auburndale, Mass., offers specimens of Botrychium simplex to members for postage. The Librarian of the Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst has written, asking for copies of old officers’ reports of the Fern Society, of which he wishes to get a complete file. If any members have old reports which they do not want, the Secretary will be glad to nape them, so that he can comply with requests like this. 2 AS ae ete Si cet Sale er ES Se i Be oe gle 2 PY PONE eR Sala eee amet ag. OBE RTI OR Ee Sa Te ERP MS ere American Bern Journal Vol. 5 APRIL—JUNE, 1915 No. 2 Notes on the Pteridophytes of Northwestern Ontario 0. E. JENNINGS During the summer of 1914 the writer and his wife continued their botanical work of 1912 and 1913 in northwestern Ontario, going farther to the north and northwest of Lake Superior. In 1914 the uncompleted line of the Canadian Northern Railway was taken at Nipigon, riding in the caboose of a construction train forty miles north to the southeast extension of Lake Nipigon, a long narrow fiord-like arm known as Orient ay. Considerable time was spent in the Orient Bay re- gion, and then, through the kindness .of Chief Ranger L. E. Bliss, of the Nipigon Forest Reserve, to whom thankful acknowledgments are made for many courtesies extended, a trip was made by launch to the extreme northern end of the lake, about sixty-five miles farther north. Here camp was established at the Revillon Fréres trading post, near the head of Ombabika Bay, about three weeks being spent there. Returning then by launch to Orient Bay and to Nipigon by construction and gravel train, a trip was made by way of the Grand Trunk Lines rom Fort William to Graham, about two hundred miles to the northwest. To the north of Lake Superior, around Lake Nipigon, it is wild in the extreme and very picturesque, but [No. 1 of the Jovrnat (5: 1-32) was issued March 18, 1915.] 33 34 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL everything is on a grand scale. The region surround- ing Lake Nipigon is included in the Nipigon Forest Reserve, about the size of the State of New Jersey, and the lake itself, forming as it does the uppermost one of the series of large Laurentian Lakes, ought to be called one of the Six Great Lakes. It is about forty-five by seventy-five miles in length and breadth, has many islands of all sizes and mainly very rocky in character, and the shores are steep and very irregular. The Lake Nipigon region has been covered in the far past by a flow of diabase (Keewenawan), which has formed a very rough topography, with mountains and gorges and everywhere cliffs three or four hundred feet high exhib- iting palisade structure. This whole region is densely wooded, being an unbroken wilderness of bog and terrace, cliff and valley, the new railway lines affording the only land trails. At the extreme north end of Lake Nipigon the granite underlying the diabase comes to the surface and forms a more gently rolling, glaciated surface, in places extensively burned over. In_ this more northern region, however, were seen some of the best examples of a pure Picea-Sphagnum muskeag found unywhere during the three years. The climate of the Lake Nipigon region is one of great extremes, occasional July and August temperatures reaching 90° F., while during the winter temperatures of between fifty and sixty below zero are not infrequent. There is practically no month of the year free from frost and the temperature of the surface six inches of Lake Nipigon in late August was found to be 59°. There is usually not much snow until late in the fall and the total for the year is probably not more than two feet. Potatoes will usually mature a fair crop in sheltered spots although usually more or less damaged by oc- casional nips of frost. Around Graham, two hundred miles fb aeet of ary consider- Fort t William, ‘the geological formations v. “a PTERIDOPHYTES OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO 35 ably and the topography is not so rough as around Lake Nipigon. Viewed from the top of Sioux Lookout (a high knob near Graham), the general appearance is that of a gently rolling country with every hollow filled with some sort of a lake. There are in many cases merely ‘‘spillways’”’ between the lakes, no stream chan- nels having been there eroded. Along the Grand Trunk for one hundred miles to the southeast of Graham one can count on the average about one lake or pond for each mile traversed. The forest contains spruce mus- keags, barrens of Banksian pine, mixed spruce-balsam- aspen-birch woods (especially on glacial soils and more level well drained areas), while around the lakes on rocky and gravelly slopes were formerly considerable forests of the red pine and some white pine. In the following list of the pteridophytes collected during 1914, the same plan has been followed as for the lists of the 1912 and 1913 collections.* As for the previous lists also, grateful acknowledgment is here made. to Prof. L. 8. Hopkins for the identification of the various specimens. LYCOPODIALES 1. Lycopodium lucidulum Michx. Margin of rivulet on elevated upland, Orient Bay, L. Nipigon. This species was not found farther north at either Ombabika or Graham 2. Lycopodium annotinum L. Forming a large part of the ground cover in Pinus divaricata woods around ® little lake east of Virgin Falls, Lake Nipigon; near Ombabika Post and on low cliff along shore of north end of L. Nipigon; mixed woods, slope of Sioux Look- out Mt., Graham. *Notes on the Pteridophytes of the north shore of Lake vig Am, “4 June, 1913, and, same title-II. Ibid, 4: April-June, 1914. 36 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 3. Lycopodium clavatum L. In aspen-pine woods, Orient Bay; on ridge in spruce forest, Orient Bay; mixed woods, Graham. 4. Lycopodium clavatum var. monostachyon Grev. & Hook. Along C. N. R., about twenty miles north of Nipigon, at ‘‘Conmee’’; mixed woods along trail, Gra- ham. 5. Lycopodium obscurum var. dendroideum (Michx.) D. C. Eaton. Along top of ridge in spruce forest and along shore in mixed woods, Orient Bay, L. Nipigon; mixed woods along trail and on bare exposed top of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. 6. Lycopodium complanatum L. In Populus tremu- loides woods and in Pinus divaricata woods, Orient Bay, L. Nipigon; and in mixed woods north of Graham. 7. Lycopodium complanatum var. Wibbei Haberer. In upland woods near Orient Bay. The range given for this form in Gray’s Manual is ‘““N. Vt. and centr. y's 8. Selaginella rupestris (L.) Spring. On glaciated diabase shore of Livingston Pt., n. e. L. Nipigon; along shore of Pelican Lake and on bare top of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. 9. Isoétes Braunii Dur. On gravel bottom, 2 feet of water midway of east shore of Orient Bay, Lake Nipigon. This is the only Isoétes reported so far for the three seasons of collecting in northwest Ontario, although some specimens were collected in a quiet shallow place in the river at Nipigon in 1912. These specimens have been misplaced among the unidentified material some- where, but they are probably of this same species. EQUISETALES 10. Equisetum arvense var. diffusum A. A. E. Forms extensive and practically pure mats along the sandy PTERIDOPHYTES OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO 37 strand of a peninsula east side Orient Bay, L. Nipigon; along roadside Ombabika Post, north end L. Nipigon. 11. Equisetum sylvaticum var. capillare (Hoffm.) Milde. In deep spruce-balsam woods, Orient Bay, L. Nipigon; on half-bare burned-over granite land north of Ombabika Post, north end Lake Nipigon; on burned-over glacial till, Graham. 12. Equisetum litorale Kiihl. Along portage, mixed woods, North Ombabika Peninsula, north end L. Nipi- 13. Equisetum fluviatile L. On sandy peninsula and forming part of the rush zone in shallow water along shore, east side Orient Bay, L. Nipigon; in very boggy Picea-Sphagnum woods at head of Ombabika Bay, north end of L. Nipigon. 14. Equisetum hiemale var. intermedium A. A. E. On open upper beach in front of Populus tremuloides woods east shore of Orient Bay, L. Nipigon. 15. Equisetum hiemale L. On sandy peninsula east et Orient Bay, L. Nipigon. 6. Equisetum scirpoides Michx. In Picea-Sphagnum woods at head of Ombabika Bay, L. Nipigon (muskeag) ; southwest shore of North Ombabika Peninsula, L. Nipigon; on ridge, in spruce woods, west side Orient Bay, L. Nipigon. OPHIOGLOSSALES 17. Botrychium neglectum Wood. In Populus tremu- loides woods, sandy peninsula, east side Orient Bay, L- Nipigon. 18. Botrychium ternatum var. rutaefolium (A. Br.) D. C. Eaton. In swampy place on low sandy peninsula and under Populus tremuloides woods, Orient Bay; along shore of Pelican Lake, and on west slope of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. This marks a still greater ex- tension of range to the north and west of that reported in the 1912 collections. 36 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 3. Lycopodium clavatum L. In aspen-pine woods, Orient Bay; on ridge in spruce forest, Orient Bay; mixed woods, Graham. 4. Lycopodium clavatum var. monostachyon Grev. & Hook. Along C. N. R., about twenty miles north of Nipigon, at ‘‘Conmee”; mixed woods along trail, Gra- ham 5. Lycopodium obscurum var. dendroideum (Michx.) D. C. Eaton. Along top of ridge in spruce forest and along shore in mixed woods, Orient Bay, L. Nipigon; mixed woods along trail and on bare exposed top of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. 6. Lycopodium complanatum L. In Populus tremu- loides woods and in Pinus divaricata woods, Orient Bay, L. Nipigon; and in mixed woods north of Graham. 7. Lycopodium complanatum var. Wibbei Haberer. In upland woods near Orient Bay. The range given for this form in Gray’s Manual is ‘““N. Vt. and centr. 8. Seliwindiie rupestris (L.) Spring. On _ glaciated diabase shore of Livingston Pt., n. e. L. Nipigon; along shore of Pelican Lake and on bate top of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. 9. Isoétes Braunii Dur. On gravel bottom, 2 feet of water midway of east shore of Orient Bay, Lake Nipigon. This is the only Isoétes reported so far for the three seasons of collecting in northwest Ontario, although some specimens were collected in a quiet shallow place in the river at Nipigon in 1912. These specimens have been misplaced among the unidentified material some- where, but they are probably of this same species. EQUuISETALES 10. Equisetum arvense var. diffusum A. A. E. Forms extensive and practically pure mats along the sandy PTERIDOPHYTES OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO 39 granite, Ombabika Post; and in mixed woods on diabase, North Ombabika Peninsula, L. Nipigon; mixed woods, Graham. 26. Dryopteris fragrans (L.) Schott. On diabase cliff east of Virgin Falls, on diabase talus slope east side Orient Bay, and on steep diabase cliff south shore North Ombabika Peninsula, L. Nipigon; in crevices on bare knob of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. Perhaps the most characteristic fern of the Lake Nipigon region—abound- ing on the numerous cliffs and talus slopes. 27. Dryopteris cristata (L.) Gray. Along mountain rivulet and in marshy Myrica bog, Orient Bay, 28. Dryopteris intermedia (Muhl.) Gray. Conmee, 20 miles north of Nipigon; damp woods, Virgin Falls, foot of L. Nipigon; wooded top of diabase hill, Sand Point, L. Nipigon; under Alnus along border of rivulet, Ombabika Post; mixed woods and in Frazinus nigra swamp, s. end Pelican Lake, Graham. 29. Filix fragilis (L.) Underw. Crevices in high diabase cliff, Orient Bay, on rocks east of Virgin Falls, and on low diabase cliff s. w. shore North Ombabika Peninsula, Lake Nipigon; sheltered mossy bank, slope of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. 30. Woodsia ilvensis (L.) R. Br. Diabase cliff, east of Virgin Falls, on diabase talus slope, Orient Bay, and on rocks along shore of N. Ombabika Peninsula, L. Nipigon; bald top of Sioux Lookout Mt., Graham. 31. Onoclea sensibilis L. Along C. N. R. right-of- way, Orient Bay, L. Nipigon. Not seen farther north. 32. Matteucia Struthiopteris (L.) Todaro. Bottom of deep narrow gorge, Orient Bay, Lake Nipigon. CarNnEGIE Museum, Fes. 6, 1915. AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Vou. 5. PLATEe 9 _ AN INTERESTING SPECIMEN OF DRYOPTERIS FRAGRANS An interesting specimen of the Fragrant Shield Fern LEWIS 8. HOPKINS The following note attached by the writer to sheet number 7084 of Dr. Jennings’ Ontario collection may be of sufficient interest to warrant its publication in the Fern Journal. The fern in question was collected Aug- ust 19, 1914, on a steep diabase cliff on the south shore of north Ombabika peninsula, Lake Nipigon, Ontario. Dryopteris fragrans -(L.) Schott. (7084). This is a very remarkable plant in that it has about 120 (counted as accurately as possible without destroying the plant— a few did drop off) dead fronds and 10 mature live fruit- ing fronds—130 in all at the time of its collection. The five other specimens of this species collected on the present expedition show 5, 7, 9, 4, and 6 green fronds respectively, an average of about seven green leaves to the plant including the first plant. Using this figure as the basis of the average annual leaf production, some of these dead fronds are at least 17 years old and the whole plant 18 years old. If it produced 10 fronds annually, they are 12 years old and the whole plant 13 years old. From these figures it seems perfectly reasonable to conclude that the oldest set of dead fronds is at least 15 years old. But this is not all. The rootstock is about 12 centi- meters long and for the first 5 centimeters it bears no dead fronds. The plant then grew 7 centimeters in 15 years, an average annual growth in the length of the rootstock of 0.466 centimeters. Since the root stock is 12 centimeters long this would make the age of the plant 25 years. But there is no means of knowing whether all of the rootstock was collected with the plant and if not how much is missing. The plant might easily be 41 42 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 50 years old from the germination of the spore to the time of its collection. It is not possible by this means to determine the ex- act age of the plant but there are two important as well as interesting points involved. 1. There is sufficient data to warrant the conclusion that the plant has lived quite a long time. 2. A plant which takes such precaution to retain its old leaves must certainly derive some benefit from them and it is not improbable that these dead leaves in the process of decay and under the influence of the warmth of the summer sun yield something that is of vital im- portance to the plant in its subsequent growth. Commenting upon this note Dr. Jennings says: “I had not hought of any particular old age characteristics when I took that specimen from its home on the ho (on that day) dry cliff at the top of the talus slope. Now that I think of it I am sure that there could have been collected at that place others which would have shown almost twice as big a bunch of leaves. Whether these would really have been older or not I do not know. Per- haps they might have borne more leaves each year or have retained the old leaves longer but I am sure there were much larger bunches.” State NorMau Scuoon, Kent, O. Where Ophioglossum grows. (A Multiple Report.) As a result of my query about the habitat of Ophi- oglossum in the last number of the Fern JourRNAL for 1914, many interesting reports have come in and I am printing them just as received. In connection with these I am printing also the comment of D. C. Eaton in his “Ferns of North America” on the same subject. No matter how thoroughly one may have studied any particular fern of our Eastern states, it is always safe WHERE OPHIOGLOSSUM GROWS 43 to turn to Eaton’s pages and see what he has to say on the same species. Very often it will be found that he had already recorded facts of which the latter student had believed himself to be the discoverer. His com- ment on the present subject is as follows: “‘Hab.—Commonest in low meadows, but some- . times on dry hillsides.” (Page 261.) . . . “The height varies from two to three inches on dry hillsides to over a foot on damp grassy meadows.” (Page 262.) In connection with my call for information, I find I made a considerable mistake in quoting a correspondent as having written that Ophioglossum grows in pine bar- rens in New Jersey. “It is distinctly,’ I am quoting exactly now, “a plant of the middle district and the coast, very different life-areas from the pine-barrens.” Besides his statement of the localities where he has found Ophioglossum himself, Mr. Weatherby has an interesting suggestion to offer as partial explanation of the fact that this fern is to be found both on dry land and in wet meadows, which I print here as introductory to the whole discussion. ‘‘May it not be that Ophi- oglossum, like some other species, frequents dry situa- tions in one part, and probably the northern part, of its range, and moist ones in other regions?” R. C. BENEDICT. I have two sheets of Ophioglossum. One was col- lected at Barkhamsted, Conn., in moist places in a typical pasture, and I should say where it was shaded by bushes somewhat. The other, South Windsor, Conn., was in an open grassy meadow, near but not in a sphagnous bog in which Arethusa and pitcher plant grew. I have also found it in the low moist part of an open meadow in Bloomfield, Conn. In this case it grew near a drainage ditch, in ground which may very likely have been covered with water in early spring. 44 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL In the herbarium at Cambridge there are two speci- mens besides Mr. Knowlton’s recorded from dry ground. They are: “Dry thicket, Milo, Me., M. L. Fernald,” and “Dry field, Colebrook, N. H., A. S. Pease.” It is perhaps significant that both are from northern New England. There were two or three cases of non-com- mittal data, such as “mowing field” and “shee pas- ture,” but most of the labels distinctly indicated at least moist ground. C. A. WEATHERBY. Regarding Ophioglossum vulgatum, I recall finding it in August at New London, N. H., on the south slope of a high steep hill, Brown’s Hill, I think was the name— not far north from Pleasant Lake. My recollection is that it was decidedly dry, and that the grass was dead. The slope was so steep that it was difficult for me to keep my feet. I found quite a number of plants in the grass. EvuGENE T. ALLEN. In my younger days I considered it a very rare fern, at least in this vicinity (Bedford, Mass.). Later I called it “uncommon,” now I think “unnoticed” would better describe it. My first find was Chelmsford, Mass., Sept., 1882, a fertile frond cut off by a scythe. The plant was de- termined by my old friend, Asa Gray. In August, 1883, in the same locality, fine specimens met Mr. Charles Swan. Now hardly a year passes without my meeting plants of it, generally after the grass has been cut so that the fertile spike is missing. I find it in what we call “meadows,” that is, damp land of natural grass and sedge, and more frequently on pth Bee ae Be whe gece a Da, ea A ae ane nt ee Wee a a. BDL a ey ey EDN ie OP ene aeen ean hes eee WHERE OPHIOGLOSSUM GROWS 45 brook than on river meadows. Orchis virescens is a frequent neighbor. This is true for the locality of Chelmsford and Bedford, Stowe, Vt., and Hardwick, Mass. I recall but one find on comparatively dry land, on a mowing field near meadow land. CHARLES W. JENKS. I have found Ophioglossum vulgatum in moist meadows, but much oftener in hillside pastures, in which habitat it is, of course, much easier to discover. I have in mind such a pasture in northern Vermont, which occupies a ridge from which the land slopes on one side with a pitch of not much less than 45 degrees to the river 150 feet or more below. The soil is clay over a slaty shale ledge, and that it is well adapted to moisture-loving plants is shown by the presence of Liparis Loeselii, occasional clumps of the Osmundas, and all the New England Botrychiums except lanceolata. I recently looked through the material in the Her- barium of the New England Botanical Club, noting the various statements of habitat and the number of sheets on which each statement was used with the following re- sult—‘‘Damp meadow,” 6; “Low thicket,” 3; ‘Dry field,’ 3; ‘“‘Bog,” 2; ‘“‘Dry pasture,” 2; and each of the following on one sheet—‘‘Mossy meadow,” ‘Dry thicket,” ‘Gravelly swamp,” “Swamp,” ‘ Moist pas- ture.”’ Of course, many labels showed no description of locality. E. J. Winstow. My experience is that the plant you refer to will grow almost anywhere. It simply is overlooked. I have it from sunny meadows and shady wet nooks where it grows to a huge size. F. G. Fioyp. 46 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Where have I seen the adder’s-tongue fern growing? I looked for it several seasons in damp places and never got a sight of it. Looked where others indicated were likely places. My first find was on a bank in a pasture, facing northerly not far from the edge of woods. Only a few specimens, but one pair of “twins.” No water, no sphagnum near; northwest of Jamesville, N. Y. While searching for Botrychiums in a thicket of prickly ash I ran across my next lot of adder’s tongues. Not very thrifty ones, but many of them and a good proportion of them fruiting. The thicket was so dense that I had to crawl through it, and the foliage overhead was one. continuous mass, forming a tent-like place beneath. This thicket was on the crest of a rocky ridge between Scolopendrium Lake and White Lake, east of Jamesville. A few rods further north I found scat- tering specimens under sumacs where red raspberries fringed the woods. Not far away, along a wood road, among scattering blackberry bushes, a few more speci- mens were located. In this station the adder’s tongues came up through squawberry vines which closely covered the ‘surface in luxuriant growth. The soil was well drained. Others were noticed on a small hummock, in a small glen, beside a cow path, but partially shaded; sandy loam; no suggestion of wet, sphagnum or muck; about 14 of a mile east of the other stations just men- tioned, 100 feet above the lake level. Only one lone specimen has been reported before from this well-known locality. As thrifty and abundant a lot as I have found was near Labrador Pond, south of Tully, N. Y., on the northwestern side of the pond, as I was climbing up toward the wooded height, through pastured land. here the grass was deepest, near wild rose bushes, _ or above woodchuck holes, or on the steeper faces wh WHERE OPpHIOGLOSSUM GROWS 47 cattle avoided it, were very, very many specimens, the largest and best I have collected. This hillside was far too steep to climb with ease, and quite dry. H. E. RanstEr. The adder’s-tongue fern is interlinked with my early collecting days. I well remember the 14th of August, - 1892. Mother wished me to get her some high black- berries in a pasture not far from the house and I went rather reluctantly, as I preferred to go collecting. I returned highly delighted, having found, for the first time, the Ophioglossum growing abundantly in a dry hemlock loamy pasture, one-fourth of a mile from the house. It was a red letter day for me; and the previous three seasons I had trod on the plant frequently without being aware of its presence. Indeed, I was expecting to find my first plant in wet bogs: as the Gray’s Manuals placed ‘‘bogs”’ first as the habitat for this fern ally. A note in reference to my localities was published in the Linnaean Fern Bulletin IV: 62. October, 1896; also in the same issue, page 68, I offered 100 specimens of Ophioglossum as a Chapter Fern. Some of these specimens fell into the hands of Mrs. Elizabeth G. Brit- ton, who first wrote me in regard to them while I was in college at Ann Arbor. Quoting from her letter of 22 November, 1897, written at New Dorp, Staten Island, she says: “I have received your interesting letter and the fine series of specimens of Ophioglossums from your mother. They really are remarkable for the variety of gradations and variations they show in this species, and are particularly valuable to me just now; as I have been puzzled where to draw the line between O. vulgatum and the colony of what we have called O. arenarium which we found at Holly Beach. I think if you could have seen it you would agree with me, that it was not O. vulgatum, and yet there are small forms of that 48 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL species which come very close to it. I have written an article for the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanica] Club, which I expect to print in December with illustrations.” The following summer I carefully collected a series of specimens for Mrs. Britton; and after my return to the University of Michigan received the following letter (in part) from her: ‘‘The packet of Ophioglossum is here safely, and I am much obliged. You certainly have found some very interesting intergrading forms, which go far to show that O. arenarium is only a starved form of O. vulgatum, but my seaside specimens still keep a character of their own which I have not seen matched by any inland forms of O. vulgatum. The nearest I have seen were some collected by Mr. A. A. Eaton at Seabrook, N. H., which he showed at the meeting of the Linnaean Fern Chapter in Boston in August.” During the year 1896, I found the adder’s-tongue fern in several rather widely separated localities within a radius of three miles of the house; and almost always in old “hummocky”’ pastures where considerable mouse- ear plantain, Antennaria; Carex pennsylvanica, and some- times reindeer moss, Cladonia, grew. Once I found it in a cut-over upland meadow. In another locality a few plants were found in a tiny desiccated hollow in a thick woods of beech and sugar maple, in heavy clay soil, and in a sedgy swale, composed largely of Carer riparia and Carex stricta, surrounded by hard clay soil, near one of our larger creeks, several fine tall fruiting plants were found. The 27th of June, 1898, I note that plants growing in dry loamy pastures “vary from a few inches to nearly a foot in height. One or two or even three plants arising from a single root and all fruiting. Particularly more than one plant when the plants are crowded.” I do not recall of ever finding the plant but once in a bog where Sphagnum grew, the 3 November, 1900, when two small pate ‘pe were ee EN a eS, eae ER ne ee ee | | d . : WHERE OPHIOGLOSSUM GROWS 49 found in New Michigan Pond marsh in southern West Fort Ann, N. Y. The 15th of June, 1907, Ophioglossum was found on the Anaquassacook meadows south of Shushan, N. Y., near the Fly Kill, which empties into the Battenkill river at this point. These meadows are low lying. The 12th of June, 1909, a few plants were found in a tiny wet place north of Round Lake, N. Y., near the creek. The late Mrs. Lucy A. Millington, the 19 June, 1872, wrote Mr. Wm. H. Leggett, from Glens Falls, N. Y., “Ophioglossum vulgatum I find in nearly every swampy bit of grass.’ There are specimens in the New York State Herbarium at Albany, collected by the late Dr. George D. Hulst on Assembly Point, Lake George, August, 1897, ‘“‘in damp grassy places.” Mr. Wallace Greenalch, of Albany, in 1907 collected Ophioglossum vulgatum in a “‘meadow near Winnie brook on the Baker farm at Schuylerville, N. Y.’”’ Mr. Frank S&S. Pember, of Granville, N. Y., the 21 September, 1908, speaks of this plant as being rather common, but gives no habitat. During the collecting season of 1913 I failed to bring the plant in, although I very often went where I found it so abundantly in 1892 and 1896. I looked more care- fully for it during 1914, but I did not find a dozen dwarfed specimens, for the loamy soil was very dry and parched. Can it be that the successive dry seasons of late years have killed the plants outright; or are the plants some- how carried over these years, resting as the Botrychiums sometimes do? I also visited during 1914 the sedgy swales, and found the plant growing about as abund- antly and luxuriantly among the tussocks as it did 18 years ago. Stewart Henry BuRNHAM. 50 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL On May 9, 1914, a cluster of about fifty plants was found three miles west of Bloomington, Ind. These plants were all within an area of four square yards, at the edge of a bush patch on a northwesterly slope near the low and somewhat marshy soil bordering a natural drain. The soil was a stiff clay covered with a very light layer of humus and dead leaves. The plants were from 6 cm. to 10 em. high, but with the spores not quite mature. About a week after making the above find, on May 14 to be exact, I was tramping with Prof. D. M. Mot- tier, of Indiana University, over the rough limestone country about 5 miles northwest of Harrodsburg, Ind., when we found another group of O. vulgatum. This group showed as many plants as the first, but more closely placed, and somewhat larger than the others. There were no mature spores. This group was on top of a considerable hill, with quite dry soil and a shading of beech and sugar maple. Many of the plants were growing in a path which had recently fallen into disuse. F, L. Pickett. Note upon Polypodium subtile and a related species! WILLIAM R. MAXON Polypodium subtile Kunze, described in 18472 from Merida, Colombia, upon specimens collected by Moritz (no. 325), is a diminutive outlying member of the group of P. cultratum Willd. which has been rather widely but not frequently collected, the range ascribed to it by Christensen being “Jamaica, Venezuela-Peru.’”’ The Jamaican record is erroneous and comes from including 1 Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu- * Linnaea 20: 375. Note on Po.typopium 51 in the concept of this species a closely related but very distinct plant described from the high mountains of Jamaica, nearly forty years ago, as Polypodium albo- punctatum Baker,? and apparently confined to that region. Baker’s name being invalidated by Polypodium albopunctatum Raddi,‘ applied to a Brazilian plant of the Goniophlebium group, the new name Polypodium cre- tatum is here proposed for the Jamaican species, in allu- sion to the thin chalk-like scales which overlie the hydathodes on the upper surface of the leaf segments. Of Polypodium cretatum the following specimens, all Jamaican, are in the National Herbarium: Upper slopes and summit of Sir John’s Peak, Underwood 3181, 3187, 3199, 3203; slopes of Monkey Hill (above New Haven Gap), alt. 1800 meters, Maxon 2702, 2754; near Mabess River, alt. 900 meters, Mazon 1570; without special locality, Hart 71. These agree essentially with Baker’s original description, also with Jenman’s redescription® of P. albopunctatum Baker. Polypodium subtile Kunze is known to the writer from " several fragments of the type collection (Moritz 325) in the Underwood herbarium and from two additional collections, both of which agree with the type. The first is a Colombian plant (Lehmann 7381), cited as P. subtile by Hieronymus;® the other consists of excellent Guatemalan specimens collected by von Tuerckheim (J. D. Smith 964), distributed as P. albopunctatum Baker. From these it is seen that P. subtile differs rather noticeably from P. cretatum, (1) in its copiously long-pilose fronds, the hairs stramineous to pale reddish, 1.5 to 2.5 mm. long (not stiff, reddish brown, averaging 1 mm. long); and (2) in its few, rather large basal seg- ments, these abruptly discontinuous (not gradually ? Journ. Bot. Brit. & For. 15: 265. 1877. , Opus. Sci. Bol. io 287.1 5 Bull. Bot. Dept. 2 4: 116. 1897. * Bot. Jahrb. pget 24: 1905. 52 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL smaller, long-decurrent, and finally evident as slight alar prominences). The rhizome scales are similarly fuscous, but those of P. subtile are shorter, relatively and more persistently ciliate. The thin, peltate, flake-like, cretaceous scales, overlying the hyda- thodes singly, are characteristic of both species. Some experiences in fern-hunting near Philadelphia GEORGE REDLES (As narrated at the Fern Society meeting, Dec. 28, 1914) It was with some misgivings that I complied with Mr. Scott’s order to address you, and I think the best thing I can do will be to relate some of my experiences. Mr. Joseph Meehan claimed that Aspidium Goldiea- num, as figured in Meehan’s Monthly, was too narrow in outline and did not agree with any specimens that he had seen. As he, Edwin Jellett, and myself took botani- cal trips together, we were very anxious to find some of this species in our rambles. As we had canvassed most of the locality within twenty miles without results, we - began to despair of ever finding it, though Prof. Meehan claimed the specimen figured had been collected in the Wissahickon. One Sunday, after a most delightful trip along Edge Hill to the Pennypack, Joseph remarked: “ Wouldn’t it be a grand ending to a perfect day to find some Goldieanum?”, and, while drinking from a spring © which ran down along a gentle slope, I noticed a number of extra large ferns growing in the water among stones and proceeded to investigate. On picking a frond and looking for the Spore-cases, I found them to be very close to the mid-vein and on my showing it to Joseph, _ he let out a “Hurrah!” and said: “We have found it EXPERIENCES IN FERN-HUNTING 53 at last.”” It proved to be the best clump I have ever seen, and the plants bore out what he had contended. We visited the locality this fall and were sorry to find a fire had swept through it. I am afraid the colony has gone forever. I have since found three plants in the Wissahickon which have endured for ten years and are there still. I also came across a fine clump at Cold Spring Harbor while residing at Oyster Bay. Of course, we were anxious to find Asplenium ebenoides, now called Scott’s fern. The place of its original dis- covery has been destroyed and our discovery of it was longer delayed than that of Aspidium Goldieanum by a number of years—in fact, the original trio had ceased to explore together. It was while with two other com- panions in the vicinity of Marshall’s Creek, Monroe Co., that we came across two fine specimens. Of course, I brought one away with me and grew it in a four-inch pot and for three years it thrived finely. But when I moved to Long Island I took it along and for no reason that I could see, it immediately started on a down grade and after two summers over there it perished, far from its native state. Camptosorus, one of the supposed parents of A. eben- oides, as claimed by some, I have found to be common, if wide distribution makes it common. I have found it on almost every tramp of any extent in a west and north- erly direction. I have also had some interesting experiences in con- nection with trips to Quaker Bridge after Schizaea and other things of interest to be found there. In late July or early August, Prof. Stewardson Brown says, the railroad station at Atsion is about the hottest place this side of the hereafter, and the walk of four Jersey miles, through soft white sand, tormented by countless myriads of mosquitoes and a few black flies, makes the 54 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL arrival at the bridge, with its cool, coffee-colored, cedar swamp water, like reaching an oasis in the Sahara. One feels as if gallons would be insufficient to slake one’s thirst; and it is no hardship, after such a walk, to go floundering around in the sphagnum and water up to your knees in search of the smallest fern that grows, around the bases of the swamp cedars. The Egg Harbor station is like going into a parlor along side of the effort necessary to be successful at Quaker Bridge. It was while trying to get a little relief from the hordes of mosquitoes that pestered us, that we found it was delightfully cool ten yards in among the cedars and, from some unexplained cause, the mosquitoes were almost entirely absent. There I found that rarity, Habenaria integra, a single plant growing and blooming in the dense shade. I will conclude by mentioning a single plant of Pel- laea atropurpurea growing in a crevice of a cliff at Dark Hollow along the Neshaminy Creek, which remained for close to twenty years alone, as I never found any more anywhere in the vicinity. PHILADELPHIA, Pa. Notes and news A Review: THe FERNS or ALLEGHENY County, PENNSYLVANIA. * By L. 8. Horxrys. In his ‘Ferns of Allegheny County,’ Mr. Hopkins has issued a very interesting and attractively illustrated little manual. It comprises a total of 130 pages of which about half are half-tone plates. Some of these plates are from herbarium specimens, some from live Plants in their natural state. Nearly all of these pic- *Publication IIT, Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Issued it, 1914. AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL ‘ 5. Piats 3 OSMUNDA REGALIS (Reprinted by permission from Hopkins’ Ferns of Allegheny Co., Pa.) 56 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL tures serve the purpose for which they were designed, i. €., to give the beginner a good idea of the appearance of the species illustrated. With the pictures there is given brief text descriptions of each of the species, some citation of specimens, and further comment regarding the rarity, habits, and other points of interest. In this connection I noted a comment regarding Ophioglossum as follows: it ‘‘can- not be regarded as a common plant anywhere and it is safe to say that it is known to a greater number of persons from having seen herbarium specimens than from having seen it growing.” The statement is prob- ably correct in the main, but I should like to invite Mr. Hopkins to go with the Torrey Club toward the last of June to a Hackensack meadow where thousands of plants of Ophioglossum grow. : Mr. Hopkins’s opinion of Mrs. Parsons’s “ splendid little book” exactly meets the views of the reviewer who began his fern study with “How to Know the Ferns,” and found its pages interesting and helpful in this con- nection. Another discriminative comment, anent the walking fern, is as follows: “This fern owes much of its popularity to its name, which seems to be of such a nature that it excites the interest and admiration of even those who do not profess to be fern lovers.” Two of the spinulose ferns are given popular names which are entirely new to the reviewer. Dryopteris intermedia is called the “American shield fern,’’ and D. dilatata is called the “spreading shield fern.” Both names are applicable, but hardly distinctive enough. There are too many other American shield ferns, and there are also other spreading shield ferns. American spinulose fern would be better, and spreading spinulose fern, but there is already a good name for D. dilatata: it should be called the Alpine or mountain shield fern. But these are minor points. The reviewer is glad to recommend the manual for beginners’ use both in field ie AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Vou. 5. PLATE 4 his “ta An HERBARIUM SPECIMEN OF DRYOPTERIS NOVEBORACENSIS (Reprinted by permission from Hopkins’ Ferns of Allegheny Co., Pa.) 58 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL and at home. The wealth of illustrations will serve to make identification of common ferns an easy task. (Two of the plates are here reproduced through the courtesy of Mr. Hopkins.) BR. Cy Tue PRoTHALLIA or OpHIOGLOssuUM AND BoTRYCHIUM The prothallia of ordinary ferns are so well known and so easily obtained that the ordinary stages of prothallial growth are matters of elementary instruction in botany. The prothallia of Botrychium and Ophioglossum, however, are very uncommon and even yet only a few kinds have been found, altogether five species in Ophioglossum, and three or four in Botrychium. Of these five are fairly well known, the others only incompletely. When it is considered that there isa total of over fifty species in these two genera distributed all over the earth it seems strange that so little is known about them. Prof. D. H. Campbell, of Leland Stanford University, has given special study to these two genera, and has made extensive trips to the tropics to secure material of them. In Java, he secured good material of Ophio- glossum moluccanum and O. pendulum, as well as of other ferns of interest. He had as long ago as 1892 begun his study of O. pendulum, and about the same time of Botrychium virginianum. In the intervening time other writers have found and studied Botrychium virginianum more completely (Jeffrey), Ophioglossum vulgatum and B. Lunaria (Bruchman). These five species are really the only ones which are at all thoroughly known, and there are many points about these still to be cleared up. The other species on which a small amount of work has been done are as follows: B. matricariaefolium and B. simplex, and O. intermedium. The list has been given thus completely because our knowledge of the prothallia Notes and NEws 59 of this group of ferns is so small that the finding of the prothallia of any of the species even of those fairly well known, would be well worth notice, especially if the material were in shape for study. Itis suggested that if anyone of the readers finds any of these prothallia, they take care to collect them fresh and send them to some university where they can be studied. They may be looked for wherever colonies of plants are found. Professor Campbell has recently brought together all the results of his and other’s studies in connection with a monograph on the whole group Eusporangiatae, which includes the Ophioglossaceae, and the tropical Marat- tiaceae. (The Eusporangiatae; the comparative mor- phology of the Ophioglossaceae and Marattiaceae. Car- negie Institution of Washington, Publication 140, pp. 1- 229, figs. 1-192, plates 1-13. 1911.) The facts in the present article are derived from the above publication. The prothallium of Ophioglossum as far as known is always a brownish subterranean body, more or less cylindrical in shape. It is also always infected with some kind of fungus without which it seems unable to thrive. Attempts togrow the prothallia from spores have been practically unsuccessful, apparently because none of the fungus was present in the soil used. The prothallia of O. vulgatum are reported to be as much as two inches in length. Their general resemblance is to a root, and, Bruchman believes, they may live as long as twenty years. The antheridia and archegonia are born on all sides. The prothallia of Botrychium Lunaria and of B. vir- gintanum are flatter and bear the sexual organs only on the upper surface, the antheridia along the middle and the archegonia in two rows alongside. Like those of Ophioglossum, they have no green color. In both genera, however, the spores contain some chlorophyll. The prothallia of Botrychium are probably at times very 60 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL long lived. They have been found attached to fruiting plants of B. virginianum. The writer has found prothallia of these plants twice, once of B. virginianum which were buried a couple of inches in the soil of a cedar forest, and one of B. obliquum, in a thicket, an inch or so deep. In both cases they were attached to young immature plants and appeared as small tubers. Readers of the JourNAL are urged to keep careful watch for them especially in the case of the species which have been incompletely studied. R The editors have received from Mr. H. H. Tracy, P. O. Box 173, Fullerton, Cal., too late to be printed in full in this number of the JournaL, a most attractive outline of a week’s camping trip in the Yosemite region which he has arranged for members of the Fern Society. The party will leave San Francisco immediately at the close of the Association meetings on Aug. 7, will go by rail and auto to the Mariposa big tree grove and thence on horse-back, with guides, to Glacier Point, Sunrise Meadows, Tuoloumne Meadows, Lake Tenaya, and the head of the Yosemite Falls, descending thence into the Yosemite Valley and spending two and a half days there. The cost of the trip, exclusive of railroad fares to and from San Francisco, will be from $55 to $60 per person. Further information may be obtained from Mr. Tracy and members intending to go should notify him not later than July Ist. American Fern Society The Treasurer of the Society, Mr. Fred. G. Floyd, having resigned from his position, it became my duty to appoint a successor. As Mr. Floyd considered it desir- able that he be relieved of his duties as soon as possible, Mr. H. C. Bigelow, New Britain, Conn., consented to act temporarily as Treasurer. Later I appointed Mr. Jay G. Underwood, Hartland Vt., to fill out Mr. Floyd’s unexpired term. C. H. Bisseny, Pres. The Council has received two applications for life membership, one of them accompanied by a tender of $15 in payment. At present there is no clause in the Constitution covering this point, and any action taken must be by special vote of the Council. That there may be a general rule to be followed in such cases, it is proposed to submit at the next election an amendment, to be voted on by the members, providing an additional clause in the Constitution covering the point in ques- tion. The Council will be glad to receive suggestions from members as to the form this shall take to be for the best interests of the Society. . H. Bissexx, Pres. The following order has been passed by the Council :— “The Editor of the JournaL, Dr. Benedict, having in- formed the Council that he must either resign as editor or transfer some of the duties of his office to an assistant, and it being the opinion of the Council that Dr. Bene- dict’s aid should be retained if possible, it is hereby ordered that until further action is taken by the Council, the editing of the JourNaL be placed in the hands of 61 62 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Dr. R. C. Benedict, Prof. E. J. Winslow and Mr. C. A. Weatherby, as joint editors, they to be at liberty to ar- range the division of their work as may seem best to them.” The request for copies of the Fern Bulletin in the President’s report has met with a generous response. Particularly noteworthy gifts are those of Mrs. W. F. Brooks, who has presented to the Society all of the rare early numbers of the Bulletin up to Vol. V, with one exception, and of Mr. J. R. Swinerton, who has given 6 numbers of the Bulletin, including Vols. VI-XI complete, and eight miscellaneous pamphlets relating to the Society. The number missing from Mrs. Brooks’s set has been purchased and the Society now has a full set of Vols. I-XI of the Bulletin, with the exception of Vol. V, no. 2. If anyone knows where this number can be obtained, the Secretary will be glad to hear of it. Other gifts, which are hereby gratefully acknowledged, are: From Mr. A. W. Driggs of East Hartford, Conn., 5 numbers of the Bulletin; from Mr. F. C. Greene, 6 numbers of the Bulletin and title-pages and contents of Vols. XII-XVI; from Mrs. M. A. Noble, 3 copies of officers’ reports; from Mr. E. J. Winslow, 2 numbers of the Bulletin. In connection with the meeting of the American As- sociation for the Advancement of Science at San Fran- cisco, an informal meeting of the Fern Society will be held at Berkeley in the rooms of the Herbarium, Hearst Mining Building, University of California, at 2 P. M., Monday, Aug. 2nd. At this meeting Professor and Mrs. Hall, Dr. Badé, and, it is hoped, Mr. S. B. Parish and Mr. H. H. Tracy will be present to welcome eastern members and to arrange for field excursions on which AMERICAN FERN SOcIETY 63 the local ferns may be seen in their haunts. Mrs. Hall writes: ‘“‘Lest anyone be disappointed, I should like to say that 12 or 15 species are a good record here”’ for a day’s trip. But all of them would be of interest to easterners. Mrs. Hall has very kindly undertaken to prepare a list of California ferns, with their localities, for the use of fern students travelling in the State and the specimens in the University herbarium may be con- sulted. The botanical excursions of the A. A. A. S will be open to Fern Society members. Further infor- mation will be sent by the Secretary to all Pacific Coast members and to all others who will notify him of their wish to receive it. In the East, a field meeting will be held in July, prob- ably in the vicinity of Jamesville, N. Y. This region is the home of the hart’s-tongue and of other unusual species, and is of the greatest interest geologically as well as botanically. Just now it has an especial appeal because the best localities for the hart’s-tongue are threatened with destruction through the quarrying operations of a cement company and an active move- ment to preserve them as a State Park is in progress and is receiving the support of our local members. Ex- act details as to the meeting cannot now be given. Mr. James G. Scott, 123 West Price St., Germantown, Pa., is chairman of a committee to arrange for it and he will send definite information to all who will notify him that _ they think of attending. One of the best known of American botanists, Dr. Charles Edwin Bessey, died at Lincoln, Neb., on Feb. 25, aged 69. Dr. Bessey was a graduate of the Michigan Agricultural College and a pupil of Asa Gray, and had — Professor of Botany at the University of Nebraska 1884. He was for many years the botanical editor 64 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL of Scrence, was a member and officer of many scientific societies and the author of a standard series of text- books and of numerous other books and articles, great and small. As a teacher of botany, he heldanimportant place, not only because of his marked success in that work, but because in his earlier text-books he introduced into America ideas and methods which have led to present- day laboratory instruction. He was noted among his colleagues for his ready and kindly appreciation of the good in others’ work; and he was a public-spirited citi- zen. New Members—Mrs. Sidney Armer, 1329 Arch St., Berkeley, Cal.; Miss Louisa Blake, 50 West St., Wor- cester, Mass.; Prof. L. P. Breckenridge, 412 Humphrey St., New Haven, Conn.; Macy Carhart, Keyport, N. J.; Mrs. Orra Parker Phelps, Canton, N. Y.; Miss Maria F. Pratt, 4806 South Salina St., Syracuse, N. Y.; Paul C. Standley, Smithsonian testwedon, Washington, D. .; R. W. Woodward, 22 College St., New Haven, Conn, Wanted—Specimens of the following species of the Ophioglossales, as listed in the North American Flora: Botrychium pumicola, boreale, californicum, Schaffneri, Coulteri, pusillum, Jenmani, alabamense, Underwood- vanum; Ophioglossum reticulatum, Harrisi, crotalophor- oides, tenerum, californicum, Engelmanni; Cheiroglossa palmata. I would expect to make fitting compensation. —Rosert A. Ware, 246 Devonshire St., Boston, Mass. Wanted—I will pay 10 cents per sheet for any North American pteridophytes not now in my collection, or will exchange. List of desiderata sent upon application. —L. 8. Hopxins, 525 E. Main St., Kent, Ohio. American Fern Journal Vol. 5 JULY—SEPTEMBER, 1915 No. 3 The Ferns of New Mexico By E. O. Wooron Anp Paut C. STANDLEY The popular conception of New Mexico in the eastern and northern United States, often even among well educated people, is that it is nearly all a desert, where for most of the year high temperatures prevail. Very little is generally known, outside the State, of the large areas of agricultural land rendered productive by irriga- tion or by recently developed methods of dry farming, and still less of the great mountain ranges, best developed in the northern part, but reaching, as isolated masses of peaks, to the southern boundary. These ranges are similar to those of the states to the north and are fully equal in scenic effects to those of Colorado, so familiar to tourists. Some of the mountains of southern New Mexico, by reason of their precipitous, naked slopes, exhibit beauties of coloration which are unknown farther north. In the more elevated ranges in midsummer the climate is nearly ideal, although at altitudes of only 7500 to 8500 feet the temperature is often uncomfortably low. The highest peaks reach an elevation of slightly less than 14,000 feet, but scores of others, even near the Mexican and Texan border, are well above 10,000 feet. While there is scarcely any part of the State where one is out of the sight of high mountains, the greater portion of its area of 122,000 square miles is composed [No. 2 of the Journat (5: 33-64) was issued May 27, 1915.] 65 66 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL of wide plains, having an altitude of from 3000 to 7000 feet, broken here and there by low hills. In southern New Mexico, at the lower altitudes, these plains support only a sparse vegetation, although even this furnishes forage to thousands of cattle; but in the northern part the plains are covered with grasses and other herbaceous vegetation characteristic of the Great Plains and the Great Basin. If New Mexico were wholly arid one would expect its fern flora to be Jimited. The botanist acquainted only with the vegetation of the eastern and northern parts of the United States or that of the Pacific Slope, if he were seeking for ferns, would have hopes of finding at least a few in the higher mountains of the State. Strangely enough, most of our ferns are not found in the high mountains, but rather in the low arid ranges and foot- hills of the southern part of the State. The species which occur at higher altitudes are mostly those which have a wide distribution in North America, several of them extending to Eurasia. The fern flora of the arid mountains consists largely of species indigenous to the Southwest Ferns seem out of place in a xerophytic habitat, yet many of them grow nowhere else. A few miles southeast of Las Cruces is a low rounded mass of limestone known as Tortugas Mountain. Here, upon nearly bare, arid slopes, often among cacti, agaves, and other desert plants, grow five species of ferns. Several ferns are often associated with cacti in other places. Most of them are well fitted for existence in such situations by the thick texture of their fronds, which are often thickly covered with scales. In most cases the fronds, in arid locations, are involute or much shriveled under ordinary weather conditions, but when the summer rains fall they quickly unroll and growth again begins, although the period of moisture usually lnats for Hoe a few days ata time. oe ares op Bes tae: Soils FSS Ue Sees + Ferns oF New Mexico 67 The most interesting locality for ferns known in New Mexico is the Organ Mountains, near the Texan border. From this low, narrow range, only a few miles in length, none of whose peaks reach an elevation of 9,000 feet, twenty-three ferns and Selaginellas are known. This large number results partly from the fact that a great deal of collecting has been done in the region; but no doubt this range is exceptional in the State, especially in view of its small size. From the State as a whole forty-five ferns and fern allies are known, a number that compares favorably with the fern floras of most other states. In Rydberg’s Flora of Colorado only forty species are listed. Doubtless Arizona possesses a larger number than New Mexico, for, when one con- siders the large number of diverse species discovered in that State in the last few years, it would seem that almost any North American species might ultimately be found there. It is remarkable that several charac- teristically northeastern ferns, such as Dryopteris Dryop- teris and Filix bulbifera should occur in Arizona and not in New Mexico, which apparently lies in the natural path of their progress southwestward. There is still hope, however, that, when the mountains of our State have been more thoroughly explored, some of these species will be discovered. 1. PoLypopruM HESPERIUM Maxon. A _ somewhat abnormal form of this species is known only from Brazos Canyon, Rio Arriba County.’ It is possible that the same plant was collected also by Miss C. C. Ellis in the Sandia Mountains, but there is some doubt concerning the specimens, which are not now accessible. 2. BoMMERIA HISPIDA (Mett.) Underw. One of the characteristic ferns of the low arid mountain ranges. It is known from the Bear Mountains, Organ Mountains, 1Amer. Fern Journal 4: 111. 68 AMERICAN FERN. JOURNAL Black Range, and Florida Mountains, and from Silver City. In the Organ Mountains it is very common, grow- ing at the foot of granitic cliffs or boulders, or sometimes on protected slopes, usually in large colonies, and often intermingled with Selaginellas. 3. NOTHOLAENA BONARIENSIS (Willd.) C. Chr. [N. ferruginea (Desv.) Hook]. A species of wide distribu- tion, extending, as the specific name indicates, as far south as Argentina. In New Mexico it has been dis- covered only in the arid Organ, Dona Ana, and Florida Mountains. It is found in the same environment as Bommeria hispida, the plants often forming large clumps. 4, NOTHOLAENA sINUATA (Sw.) Kaulf. Black Range, Bear Mountain, Carrizalillo Mountains, Big Hatchet Mountains, Florida Mountains, Organ and San Andreas Mountains, Tortugas Mountain, and Guadalupe Moun- tains. Reported also from near Las Vegas by Mr. Brandegee; but this record seems very doubtful, for the locality is far removed from the usual range of the species, in a very different floristic region. No other fern is better adapted to a xerophytic habitat than this, with its coriaceous fronds well protected by imbricated scales. On Tortugas Mountain, at an altitude of about 4000 feet, it receives not more than 8 or 10 inches of rain a year. Here it grows on parched limestone rocks, but in the Organs it is found about granitic cliffs. 5. NOTHOLAENA SINUATA INTEGERRIMA Hook. Black Range, Big Hatchet Mountains, Tortugas Mountain, Organ and San Andreas Mountains, Guadalupe Moun- tains, and Lakewood. In general appearance this is usually readily distinguishable, but, as pointed out by Mr. William R. Maxon, the form of the trichomes is essentially the same as in the typical form, consequently it cannot well be given specific rank. It differs commonly in its small, short, nearly entire pinnae and consequently narrower fronds. It ranges from western Texas to_ southern Arizona and northern Mexico, often growing Ferns oF NEw Mexico 69 with the species. The differences in form do not appear to be the result of variations in environment, for on Tortugas Mountain, for instance, both grow under ex- actly the same conditions. 6. NOTHOLAENA STANDLEYI Maxon.2. Common in nearly all the lower ranges from the Black Range and Socorro Mountain to the Dona Ana and Guadalupe Mountains, and southward. Reported also from Las Lagunitas, near Las Vegas, by Mr. Brandegee; but it scarcely seems possible that the species can be found in such a remote locality. This is one of the most charac- teristic and handsome ferns of the low, arid mountains, growing on both limestone and granitic rocks. Common- ly, in the dry weather that usually prevails, the fronds appear shriveled, but in damp weather, or if placed in water, they quickly resume a plane form. 7. NOTHOLAENA DEALBATA (Pursh) Kunze. Big Hat- chet Mountains, Black Range, Santo Domingo, Sandia Mountains, Burro Mountains, and Tortugas Mountain. Reported from Las Lagunitas near Las Vegas by Mr. Brandegee. Although it occurs in these widely separated localities, this is found only locally. It is very abundant on Tortugas Mountain, on very dry limestone rocks, but strangely enough it is not known from the nearby gans. So far as known, this fern is confined to lime- stone in New Mexico. 8. NoTHOLAENA FENDLERI Kunze. Santa Fe, Sandia Mountains, Cimarron Canyon, and Socorro. Appar- ently this is very rare in the State, and neither of the writers has ever found it. The type was collected by August Fendler, probably somewhere about Santa Fe, in 1847. The species reaches the southern limit of its range in New Mexico, and is said to be more common in Colorado. 2 This name has been proposed recently for the fern known usually as Ni Hookeri D. C. Eaton. See, Amertcan Fern Jovurnat, 5: 1. 1915. 70 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 9. ADIANTUM CaPpILLUus-VENERIS L. Known from only four localities: East Fork of the Rio Gila, in the Mogollon Mountains; Kingston; San Andreas Moun- tains; and a station eight miles northwest of Reserve, beside a warm spring. It is strange that this fern has not been found in the mountains of the northern part of the State, where conditions seem to be much better suited to its growth. ' 10. ADIANTUM MopEsTUM Underw. The type was collected on the banks of South Spring River, near Roswell, by Prof. F. 8. Earle (No. 261).. It grows at a lower altitude than any other New Mexican fern, being the only one found away from mountains or hills. It is doubtful whether this is sufficiently distinct from A. Capillus-Veneris to deserve recognition as a species, and the question cannot be settled until the North American forms of that cosmopolitan fern have been more carefully studied. It is improbable that this form is confined to a single locality, but it has not been found elsewhere in New Mexico. 11. PreRIpruM aQuILINUM PUBESCENS Underw. The pubescent form of the bracken grows in all the higher mountains of the State, often in great abundance, usually at altitudes of 7500 to 8500 feet. 12. CHEILANTHES Wricutm Hook. Of very local occurrence, being known only from the Telegraph Moun- tains (Wooton), Bear Mountains (Rusby), and Conde’s Camp, near the southwest corner of the State (Wright 2128). In general appearance it is very unlike our other species of Cheilanthes, the fronds being bright green and glabrous. Southwestern New Mexico is probably the northeastern limit of the range of this species, which is more common in the dry mountains of southeastern Arizona. 13. CHEILANTHES FEEI Moore. Abundant locally, at middle or low altitudes in the mountains and _ hills AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Vou. 5. Prats 5. CHEILANTHES EATONI GROWING ABOUT AN OPUNTIA, IN THE ORGAN MOUNTAINS da AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL nearly throughout the State. It is often found in very arid situations and usually, but not always, it grows on limestone, frequently in crevices of vertical or overhang- ing cliffs. 14. CuHerLaAnTHES Eatont Baker. This unattractive fern has been collected in nearly all the mountain ranges in the State, except those in the northwest corner. In the Organ and Dona Ana Mountains it is found in arid situations at an altitude of not more than 6000 feet, but on San Mateo Peak and Hillsboro Peak it extends -up to 9000 feet. It is probably more often met than any other species in the drier mountains of the State. 15. CHEILANTHES FeNDLERI Hook. Frequent in most of the mountain ranges, extending up to 9000 feet in places. The type was collected by Fendler in 1847, somewhere about Santa Fe. 16. CHEILANTHES MYRIOPHYLLA Desy. Of local dis- tribution, known only from the Black Range, Big Hat- chet Mountains, the south end of the Organ Mountains, and the Sacramento Mountains, near Alamogordo (Ferriss). On Bishops Cap in the Organ Mountains it grows on limestone, in a very arid environment. 17, CHEILANTHES LinpDHEIMERI Hook. Burro Moun- tains, Telegraph Mountains, Carlisle, Tres Hermanas, Florida Mountains, and Organ Mountains, at low alti- tudes. In the Organ Mountains it is very abundant, in the shade of granitic cliffs. It is perhaps our hand- somest species of the genus because of the broad fronds of a rather peculiar color. Usually it grows in large colonies, the fronds standing perfectly erect. PELLAEA INTERMEDIA Mett. Burro Mountains, Black Range, Tortugas Mountain, and the San Andreas and Organ Mountains. This is another fern of arid situations, growing usually on limestone. It is not as common as the number of localities might seem to sug- gest, never appearing very abundantly at any one station. AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL. Vou. CHEILANTHES LINDHEIMERI, WITH THREE SPECIES OF CAC IN THE OrGAN MOouNTAINS. ’ - 74 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 19. Pentaza scaBra C. Chr. [P. aspera (Hook.) Baker]. Known only from the “Copper Mines” (Santa Rita), a classic locality for New Mexican plants, where Wright and Bigelow collected the types of many common southwestern species. This fern was collected here by both these collectors, in the early fifties, but it has not been found in the State more recently. 20. PELLAEA ATROPURPUREA (L.) Link. Black Range, San Luis Mountains, Bear Mountain, Florida Moun- tains, Mangas Springs, Organ Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains, and on the highest point of the Llano Es- tacado. In the Organ Mountains it grows under thickets among granitic rocks, but elsewhere it usually frequents crevices and ledges of limestone cliffs. 21. PELLAEA PULCHELLA (Mart. & Gal.) Fée. Collected in New Mexico but once, in the Guadalupe Mountains near Queen (Wooton), in crevices of lime- stone rocks. This beautiful little fern is abundant in the region mentioned and is evidently very much at ome. 22. PELLAEA TERNIFOLIA (Cav.) Link. Specimens possibly referable here were collected in the Organ Mountains by Wooton in 1891. It is possible that they are only a depauperate form of P. mucronata, for the species has not been found since in this range, al- though much collecting has been done there. Dr. Underwood reported it from Socorro (Plank), and Mr. M. E. Jones states that he found it at Silver City. The species is not uncommon in Chihuahua, and there is every reason for expecting it in New Mexico. 23. PELLAEA MucRoNATA (D. C. Eaton) C. Chr. [P. Wrightiana Hook.]. Sandia Mountains, Socorro, Santa Rita, Burro Mountains, Florida Mountains, and Dona Ana and Organ Mountains. Common at low altitudes. The type of P. Wrightiana was collected by Wright (No. soe at Banta Since or at least the Wright Ferns oF New Mexico 75 specimens of the type number in the Gray Herbarium are from that locality. The species is quite common and is to be expected in most of the granitic mountains of the State in the oak and juniper zone. CRYPTOGRAMMA ACROSTICHOIDES R. B only from Brazos Canyon, Rio Arriba County a 3 25. ASPLENIUM SEPTENTRIONALE (L.) Hoffm. Known from Brazos Canyon (Standley), Cimarron Canyon (Griffiths), Sierra Grande (Standley), highest point of the Llano Estacado (Vernon Bailey), Santa Rita (Wright 2122), and Ben Moore, near Santa Rita (Bigelow). In crevices on the under side of rocks; probably not so rare as the records indicate, but sbrisesges by collectors. 26. ASPLENIUM RESILIENS Kunze are in New Mexico, but known from Santa Rita pete 2121, in part), Florida Mountains (Ferriss), and Organ Moun- tains (Wooten, Standley). Growing in the Organs in crevices of granitic rocks. AsPLENIUM TRICHOMANES L. Brazos Canyon, Santa Fe and Las Vegas Mountains, Mogollon Mount- ains, Santa Rita, and Organ Mountains. Usually at higher altitudes, on moist shaded cliffs. 28. ATHyrRIUM cyrcLosoruM Rupr. Brazos Canyon, Upper Pecos River, and Mogollon Mountains, usually along water. Very rare on the Upper Pecos, but abund- ant in the other two regions. It reaches the largest size of any fern in the State. 29. Drropreris Fiurx-mas (L.) Schott. Brazos Can- yon, Las Vegas Mountains, Ruidoso Creek in the White Mountains, and Organ Mountains, commonly in fis- sures of shaded canyon walls 30. PHANEROPHLEBIA AURICULATA Underw. Prob- ably this is the rarest fern of the State, for it is known rom a single canyon in the Organ Mountains. Only 2See Amer. Fern Journal 4: 112. 76 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL a few plants are found even here, growing in shaded soil about granitic cliffs. It is the northermost representa- tive of a small genus, most of whose species are of much more southern distribution.‘ It is probable that the fern is doomed to extinction in New Mexico, for the locality where it grows is a favorite spot for picnics, and ferns in such a place always suffer. 31. Frurx rraciuis (L.) Underw. Perhaps our com- monest fern, common in all the higher mountains of the State, but only in the higher ones. It is not known from any of the low ranges of the southwest corner. 32. WoopsiA MEXICANA Fée. Brazos Canyon, Upper Pecos River, Rio Pueblo, Sandia Mountains, Magdalena Mountains, Mogollon Mountains, Organ Mountains, Santa Rita, and White Mountains. On moist shaded cliffs, or rarely in exposed situations 33. Woopsia scoputina D. C. Eaton. Brazos Can- yon (Standley) .* 34. Woopsia PLuMMERAE Lemmon. Known only from the Burro Mountains, where it was collected by Dr. H. H. Rusby in 1881. 35. MarsiLea vestira Hook. & Grev. Collected in the Guadalupe Mountains, near Queen, by Wooton. It was collected by Wright in the vicinity of El Paso, Texas, not far from the New Mexican border. [In the United States National Herbarium there is a specimen of Marsilea uncinata A. Br. obtained by one of the collectors of the Mexican Boundary Survey. The published report states that Dr. Bigelow collected the species somewhere in New Mexico. Althoug very small this specimen is probably correctly deter- mined, and possibly the species should be credited to the State.] nderwood, Bull. Torrey Club 26: 205-216. 1899; also Maxon, moins hed Club 39:23. 23-28. _ es a Amer. Fern J 1 4: Ferns oF New Mexico 77 36. AZOLLA CAROLINIANA Willd. Obtained on Ani- mas Creek in the Black Range by Mr. O. B. Metcalfe (No. 1110) in 1904. Probably it will be found in other localities if searched for carefully. 37. EQUISETUM ARVENSE L. Chama, Brazos Canyon, Taos Mountains, Upper Pecos River, Zuni Mountains, and Mogollon Mountains. Often very abundant along ‘streams in the higher mountains. EquIsEeTUM LAEVvIGATUM A. Br. Common in most of the higher mountains, along streams and in the ‘“‘ciénagas” or marshes. It has been collected also in the Mesilla Valley, at an altitude of 3800 feet, and near Albuquerque. 39. EguisrTUM HYEMALE L. Gallinas River near Las Vegas (Cockerell), Reserve (Wooton), along the Rio Grande near Mesilla (Standley), Gilmores Ranch in the White Mountains (Wooton and Standley). Sometimes growing along banks of irrigating ditches. Our material belongs to the form described as EB. hyemale intermedium by Mr. A. A. Eaton. 40. Eovisetum rospustum A. Br. Mogollon Moun- tains (Rusby 416) and along ditch banks near Mesilla (Wooton 38). 41. SELAGINELLA RUPINCOLA Underw. San _ Luis Mountains, Dog Spring, Guadalupe Pass, and Organ Mountains. The type was collected in the Organ Mountains by Wooton (No. 124) in 1897. It is abundant in the range, forming large mats on granitic ledges. 42, SELAGINELLA DENSA Underw. On the Upper Pecos near Winsor’s Ranch (Standley 4153), and on Hills- boro Peak of the Black Range (Metcalfe 1172). This was found in only one locality on the Upper Pecos, growing on an exposed ledge at an altitude of about 8300 feet. 43. SELAGINELLA Wricntm Hieron. Collected at Las yee: Hee in 1895) and at Lakewood (Wooton 78 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL in 1909). The specimens from Lakewood grew on gyp- sum soil, alongside a new species of Eriogonum lately described by the writers as FE. gypsophilum. 44, SELAGINELLA MuTICcA D.C. Eaton. Pecos (Stand- ley 5199), Ojo Caliente at the head of Canada Alamosa (Wooton), Florida Mountains (Ferriss), and Organ Mountains (Bigelow, Wooton, Standley). 45. SELAGINELLA UnpERWoop1 Hieron. [S. rupes- tris Fendleri Underw.]. Santa Fe and Las Vegas Mount- tains, Brazos Canyon, Ramah, Folsom, Mogollon Mountains, Black Range, Organ Mountains, White Mountains. Our most widely distributed species, often very abundant. The type was collected near Santa Fe, by Fendler. This and the preceding species, together with S. rupincola, are very abundant in the Organ Mountains, on shaded cliffs or ledges, the three growing together, often in the same mats. During the dry season the plants are dormant, with the leaves closely appressed; but when the rains come in July, August, and September, the leaves quickly take on a greener hue and spread from the stems. A single specimen in the United States National Herbarium of a species allied to Selaginella arenicola Underw. purports to come from Las Vegas. There is considerable doubt, however, whether the label is correct, and we prefer to neglect this record until it is substantiated by another collection. The Resurrection plant, Selaginella lepidophylla, will probably be found sometime in southern New Mexico, perhaps in the Guadalupe Mountains, for it is known to grow in Texas, not far from our southern border. Impressions of the Ferns of Porto Rico AGNES CHASE On a first visit to the West Indies a botanist of the northern United States would be most impressed, I think, by the palms and ferns. In the fall of 1913 the writer spent about two months in Porto Rico studying and collecting the grasses of the island. The ferny by- products of this trip have proved to be of some inter- est. Save a narrow strip along most of the coast Porto Rico is all hills and hollows. Except along the dry south coast, ferns are in evidence almost everywhere from sea level to the highest summits, becoming more plentiful the greater the altitude. My first day in the highlands was October 23 at Maricao, which we reached about half-past seven, after two hours’ ride up the winding road through the cool morning mists, past coffee and banana groves, the roadside banks in places completely covered with ferns. After café at the fonda we set out, following up the Rio Maricao, scrambling over the rocks and in and out of the water most of the way. Maricao is 1500 feet high and we ascended some five hundred feet only in the five or six miles we made up river. The beauty of that rocky stream of clear rushing water, its banks hung with strange trees and shrubs and gorgeous flowers, with ferns everywhere they could find a foothold, on rocks, on the trunks and branches of trees, was intoxicating. I met my first tree ferns here. One, some 25 feet high, a species of Also- phila, was collected in fruit. It has fronds six or eight feet long, the stout woody stipes beset with spines like a blackberry cane. On its trunk were growing Poly- podium asplenifolium L., its long narrow fronds droop- ing over on their slender fuzzy stipes, and Trichomanes 80 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL scandens L., a lovely filmy with lacy fronds twelve to fifteen inches long. Two other filmies, Hymenophyllum polyanthes Sw., with lacy fronds six to ten inches long, and T’richomanes arbuscula Desv., with erect, tufted, relatively dense fronds two to four inches high, the latter in turn affording foothold to a minute liverwort, were also collected here. Three species of Elaphoglos- sum with entire fronds, the fertile ones smaller and soft pinkish brown, found space on the tree trunks; also Polypodium piloselloides L. and Rhipidopteris peltata (Sw.) Kaulf., with solitary fronds evenly spaced along slender wide-creeping rhizomes which cling by numer- ous rootlets to the tree, weaving in and out among the other occupants. The Rhipidopteris has sterile fronds in shape much like an attenuated leaf of Viola pedata. The fertile fronds, raised on long stipes, are little pel- tate affairs about half an inch across. It is surprising how many species and individuals can find accommo- dation on one tree trunk. A single tree may bear sev- eral species of ferns, big and little, various orchids, peperomias, and bromeliads. Polystichum adianti- forme (Forst.) J. Sm., with great fronds two to three feet long, spaced upon a twining, chaffy, rope-like rhizome, was perched high up on a trunk along with its small relatives. Two other species of Polypodium also were collected: P. angustifolium Sw., with long, narrow, simple, leathery fronds, and P. duale Maxon, a very delicate little moss-like plant with tiny saw-toothed fronds like a fairy’s scroll saw. Pteris altissima Poir., even more gigantic than our own brake, grew on the banks of the Maricao. The following day I made a trip to Monte Alegrillo, reaching a higher altitude, and seeing mountain palms and more tree ferns, especially the common, but none the less lovely, Cyathea arborea (L.) Sm., with great plumy fronds and a nest of fiddle-heads, three or four _ Ferns or Porto Rico 81 feet long. On an open grassy hilltop overlooking the southwest corner of the island I collected Botrychium Jenmani Underw., the first record of this species from Porto Rico. I rejoiced more, however, over finding here in abundance the hitherto little known Paspalum portoricense. The higher mountains, rich in quality, but poor in quantity of grasses, afforded time for collecting ferns which were always abundant where grasses were scarce. Filmy ferns were found on all the dense moist forested upper slopes. A species of Trichomanes with fronds about a quarter of an inch long was found on moist rocks by a waterfall on the Arecibo road to Utuado, but nowhere else. Alta de Bandera, east of Adjuntas, was the ferniest place I have yet seen, with the possible exception of El Yunque. Three species of Hymeno- phyllum were here, two with tiny fronds suggesting thalli of Riccia fluitans strung along a thread, the other H. microcarpon Desv., with fronds three to six inches long. With these were Trichomanes scandens the lovely, T. crispum L., and T. capillaceum L., the latter a species with fronds emaciated to the last degree, with nothing left of them but the nerves—all fairly common on the wet, jungly mountain side. Asplenium Serra L. & F., A. salicifolium L., A. cristatum Lam., Diplazium ar- boreum (Willd.) Presl., and Vittaria lineata (L.) Smith were also found here. Olfersia cervina (L.) Kunze with large pinnate sterile fronds, with entire firm pinnae as much as eight inches long and two inches wide, and bi- pinnate fertile fronds reduced to a skeleton, was strik- ingly unlike anything I had ever seen before. But the strangest fern I ever saw was Hymenodium crinitum (L.) Fée, with a cluster of sterile fronds in shape and size like the leaves of skunk cabbage. The fertile frond is of like shape, but much smaller, about six inches long. The stipes are densely clothed with coarse black hairs. 82 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL These hairs (or more properly scales) with enlarged bases and attenuate tips are sparsely scattered over the under surface of the sterile frond. Facing in all direc- tions they look absurdly like infant tadpoles with their enlarged heads and long wavering tails. On El Yunque, in the luxuriant mountain palm forest,every stump and tree and stone was covered with ferns. In one slightly open spot was a lovely grove of tree ferns, the finest I saw anywhere. Among species I had not before collected were Polypodium cultratum Willd., Trichomanes rigidum Sw., Vittaria remota Fée, and a species of Pleurogramma, the latter resembling Vittaria, but with the sporangia down the center in- stead of along the margins. A beautiful Selaginella found in most of the wet forests was abundant here. Most of the Lycopodiums of Porto Rico are very dif- ferent from any of our species. Lycopodium reflecum Lam., found growing on wet rocks on Alta de Bandera, reminds one of L. lucidulum, but the other species, grow- ing high up on trees and hanging in great tassels two or three feet long appear strange to northern eyes. Ly- copodium linifolium L. and L. tazifolium Sw. have linear leaves half an inch to an inch long, crowded and imbricate in the second species. In L. aqualupianum Spring the crowded leaves are elliptical, about a centi- meter long, the slender terminal fertile branches with small scale-like leaves. Lycopodium setaceum Lam., a common species, has minute, oblique, scale-like leaves throughout, these lax, but resembling those of our own L. clavatum. Polystichum rhizophyllum (Sw.) Presl, with the habit of our walking fern, is found about mountain passes in the center of the island. On the limestone cliffs of the northern and western coast the ferns were mostly those with compact habit and more or less leathery fronds. In pockets in lime- SEED-BEARING FERNS 83 stone cliffs, somewhat sheltered by brush, grew Sphen- omeris clavata (L.) Maxon, well named, for the sterile pinnae are wedge-shaped and the fertile club-shaped. Anemia adiantifolia (L.) Sw. and Asplenium dentatum L. grew in like places. Polypodium exiguum Hew. and Adiantum melano- leucum Willd. grew in shaded places on the limestone cliffs. A peculiar fern ally, suggesting Gnetwm in ap- pearance, Psilotum nudum (L.) Griseb., braved the sun on the open cliffs. Seed-bearing Ferns. By F. H. Know.ton, United States Geological Survey The prevailing belief of three centuries ago as regards the mysterious process supposed to surround reproduc- tion in ferns was well voiced by Shakespeare when he says: ‘We have the receipt of fern seed; we walk in- visible.” Now, since the compound microscope and an improved technique has put us in the possession of the intricate details of reproduction and development in the ferns, it is not much to be wondered that it then seemed so shrouded in mystery. But, complicated as the process is known to be, it is only a step in the history of the evolution of the great group of ferns. Until a few years ago we rested secure in the belief that the dominant types of living plants—the flowering plants—were dominant because they had developed the seed-bearing habit. Within the past dozen years, however, it has been demonstrated that in the oldest land flora of which we have any knowledge, namely, that which lived in early and middle Devonian time, there was a great group of plants, which, while still 84 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL retaining the fern-like foliage, had already developed the seed-bearing habit in a high degree of perfection. This group, now known as the Cycadofilices, or better as the Pteridosperms or ‘‘seed-bearing ferns,” is the subject of this brief note Until a few years ago the Paleozoic era used to be called the “Age of Ferns,”’ on account of the obvious dominance of this type of vegetation. While these “ferns,” as they were supposed to be, were extremely abundant and exhibited great diversity in form and size, it was always a matter of wonder as to why so few showed the presence of sori. As the vast majority were ey sterile, these had to be aggregated in “‘form’’ genera, or so-called genera of convenience, but always with the hope that some time the fruiting state might be discovered. As we no look back, it is recalled | that certain seeds were often found preserved in the same beds with the fern-like foliage, but the idea that there could be any connection between them was un- thought of. These seeds were supposed in large part to belong to the Cordiatales, a large group of mostly tree-like plants which show kinship with the living cycads, conifers, and ginkgos. In , however, Prof. F. W. Oliver announced the astekishing discovery that the little seeds known as Lygenostoma Lomaxi were produced by the well-known “fern” from the English Coal Measures known as Lyginodendron Oldhamium. This discovery of course stimulated investigation with the result that Lyginoden- dron is probably the most completely known fossil “fern,” though it had taken nearly a hundred years, as now turns out, to get the whole story. The foliage was named and deseribed in 1829 under the name of Sphenopteris H oeninghausi; the stem was named in 1866 as Dadoxylon Oldhamium, but was transferred to Lyginodendron in 1872; the roots, under the name of SEED-BEARING FERNS 85 Kaloxylon Hookeri, were named in 1876; the petioles as Rachiopteris aspera in 1874; the seeds, known as Lagenos- toma Lomazxi, in 1903; while the pollen-bearing organs, called Calymmatotheca Stangeri, were not recognized as belonging to this remarkable plant until 1905. We are now in position to draw a fairly complete picture of the plant as it must have appeared when living. It was in effect a little tree fern, with long, slen- der, sometimes branched, stem 4 cm. or less in diameter, and provided with spines by means of which it probably climbed on its neighbors. The foliage was disposed spirally and consisted of relatively very large, finely divided fronds with small, thick pinnules with revolute margins, suggesting a xerophytic or halophytic habitat. The stem in the lower portion gave rise to numbers of slender roots, some of which appear to have been aerial in their origin. These grew downward and often branch- ed where they entered the soil. The stems, roots, and petioles, and even the pinnules, have been found silicified and so beautifully preserved that their entire structure can be made out with cer- tainty. Without going into a technical description of these organs, it may be said that the stem when young, and before secondary growth has begun has a very strong resemblance to the stem of Osmunda, but when more mature certain cycadean characters appear to predominate. The roots when young are marattiace- ous in character, but after secondary growth has been inaugurated they assume the well-known character of gymnospermous roots. The most interesting feature of this plant was, of course, the seeds. Beyond the fact that they were a part of a pinnule, as is shown by the structure of the pedicel, the exact manner of their attachment is not wn. The seed itself was a little acorn or barrel- shaped structure about a quarter of an inch long, and 86 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL was borne in an open cupule somewhat as is a hazel nut in its involucre. The cupule is studded with capi- tate glands exactly like those borne by the fronds and stems of Lyginodendron. As already mentioned the seeds are silicified and retain most of their structure so well preserved that almost every part can be studied. The following des- cription is by Dr. D. H. Scott, President of the Linnaean Society of London: “The seed itself is orthotropous and generally of cycadean organization; it shows com- plete radial symmetry. * * * It consists essentially of a central body or nucellus, enclosed in a seed-coat; these two parts closely united together except at the top. It will be remembered that in modern cycads and in the maiden-hair tree (Ginkgo) there is a hollow chamber in the apex of the nucellus serving to catch the pollen- grains. The same arrangement is present in the seed of Lyginodendron, and pollen is still found in the pollen- chamber; the latter, however, is less simple than in living cyeads, for a column of tissue rises up in the middle of the chamber, leaving only a narrow space around it for the reception of the pollen. It is interesting to find that the mouth of the pollen-chamber projected a little through the micropyle, so that it received the pollen directly instead of the grains having to traverse the micropyle first. ’’ The last chapter in this fascinating history was the finding of the pollen-bearing or male organs. It appears that on the same fronds which bear the ordinary vege- tative leaflets, there are certain fertile pinnules which ar a number of oval dises 2 or 3 mm. in length. On the under side of each dise there are from 4 to 6 two- chambered, spindle-shaped pollen-sacs, and_ pollen- grains were actually found in them. Until these pollen- bearing organs were found in organic connection with foliage of Lyginodendron there was nothing to suggest FERNS OF THE WISSAHICKON 87 that they belonged to seed-bearing plants; in fact, they were supposed to belong to marattiaceous ferns. The more or less complete life history of a number of other pteridosperms is now known, and from these it appears that there was considerable diversity not only in the form of the seed but in the manner in which it was borne on the plant. Thus, from the Carboniferous (Pottsville beds) of West Virginia, Mr. David White has described a plant under the name of Aneimites fertilis, which bore small, winged, rhomboidal seeds on the apices of reduced terminal pinnae. However, lack of space forbids further description of this and other forms It is evident from what has preceded that we are not dealing with ferns at all, but veritable seed-plants. It is probable that less than half of the Paleozoic ‘‘ferns’’ will ultimately be shown to be true ferns. Ferns of the Wissahickon Valley Epwin C. JELLETT (Address egies at the Philadelphia meeting of the Fern ceiety, December 29, 1914.) I shall endeavor to speak, not of ferns, but of where ferns grow in the Wissahickon district. To our local members present Wissahickon Creek is well known, but for the benefit of visitors it may be well to state it is a beautiful, romantic, historic stream, which rises in Montgomery County, Pa., and for 22 miles flows in a general southwesterly direction to the Schuylkill River, with which it unites south of Mana- yunk. For 16 miles this stream meanders through a picturesque open territory to Chestnut Hill, where it enters a great, tortuous, longitudinal ravine, connect- 88 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL ing with many secondary lateral ravines, accommodat- ing streams, and for 6 miles, as part of Fairmount Park, it struggles onward over dams, between precipitous, rocky hills clothed by sweet-fern, wild honeysuckle, and laurel—by juniper, pine, and hemlock—by oak, chest- nut, and tulip-poplar—shrubs and trees of unusual size and vigor—with an exceedingly rich floral undergrowth —until it finds its release at “Riverside.” From colonial days “the Wissahickon” has been a resort for nature-lovers, and upon its northern bank near Ridge Road John Kelpius in 1695 founded and conducted what is believed to have been the first Botanic Garden of America. Here plants were grown and their uses taught, and from it Dr. Christopher Witt proceeded to Germantown, where, in 1705, the second garden for the study of plants was established. Philadelphia being the important city of America until after the Revolutionary War, in it, first in the United States, the study of the natural sciences became popular, and, in connection with the Philadelphia Col- lege, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and other insti- tutions of learning, teachers and their classes made frequent excursions and became familiar with the Wissa- hickon territory. From records existing it is of interest to note changes. Dr. W. P. C. Barton, in his Com- pendium Florae Philadelphicae, published in 1818, noted that Viola rotundifolia “is rare and grows only upon Wissahickon-hills near Ridge Road,’’ while now it appears two miles northwest upon the stream. Here C. 8. Rafinesque was a frequent visitor, and from here, near Schuylkill Falls, Thomas Nuttall, in 1818, described Asplenium pinnatifidum. It would be difficult to name a Philadelphia botanist not connected with “the Wissa- hickon,” for, from the days of Kelpius to those of Stone and Brown, all known to us were familiar with it. Upon its banks flourished the nurseries of Maupay, Meehan, - FERNS OF THE WISSAHICKON 89 and Andorra, and here, at Kieffer’s nursery, was born the celebrated Kieffer pear. Indeed, the whole region is so rich in botanical lore and treasure that it is difficult to pass its many charms. In the Wissahickon district, there are, so far as known to me, 38 varieties of ferns, which here, as elsewhere, frequent situations favorable to their growth, and are so generally distributed that one with confidence may go to a habitat and collect the fern he desires. In low grounds and along fences, Onoclea sensibilis is common, while the var. obtusilobata, its abnormal product, is infrequent, though not exceedingly rare. In damp places or in open woods appears Dicksonia pilosiuscula, and in deep, well drained mould Phegopteris hexagonop- tera is not uncommon. Common everywhere in_pro- tected dry places is Aspidium noveboracense and As- plenium ebeneum, while more rare is A. angustifoliwm. On ledges, on the under side of shelving rocks, and in caves, Asplenium Trichomanes is not uncommon. Along swampy rivulets is Aspidium Thelypteris and Athyrium thelypteroides. Nowhere in Maine did I see a more beautiful hill of Pteris aquilina than appears upon the east side of Creshiem Creek, near “‘Devil’s Pool.” Near the same place, also upon stone walls and upon rocks, appear Cystopteris fragilis, Woodsia obtusa—and, it is said, Woodsia ilvensis, although the latter I have not collected. Everywhere in Wissahickon woods upon micaceous rocks Polypodium vulgare is common, while upon steatitic rock in both upper and lower Wissahickon woods appears sparingly Camptosorus rhizophyllus. Also upon rocks, near Ridge Road, are, or were, Asplen- tum pinnatifidum, Pellaea atropurpurea, and Cheilanthes vestita. Here also has been collected Asplenium Ruta- muraria, but I have not been fortunate enough to collect it myself. A fern peculiar to the district grew near Allen’s Lane. This was Athyrium Filiz-femina. It 90 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL grew upon a shelving elevation, and, as it is several years since I visited the spot, it may have disappeared. For a knowledge of its hiding-place I am indebted to Joseph eehan. Everywhere throughout ‘the Wissahickon” appears Polystichum acrostichoides, while near Springfield Avenue grow Aspidium marginale, A. spinulosum, A. cristatum, and A. Goldianum. Nearby also appears a solitary group of Woodwardia angustifolia. Upon ‘“ Paper-mill Run” are, or were, Osmunda regalis, O. cinnamomea, and O. Claytoniana. I have now named our best-known ferns, some of which are very common, others being rare—a!though all may be common to another locality. Among those rare with us is Lygodium palmatum, a single station of which in Wissahickon is near “Old Red Bridge.’ Adi- antum pedatum, once with us very common, is now rare and only sparingly appears throughout the district. Perhaps the rarest fern now appearing near Wissahickon is Struthiopteris germanica, confined to one station and appearing out of place, for one usually thinks of it in connection with the Woodwardias and Schizaea of New Jersey. The locality was made known o me by George Redles. In many places appear the Botrychiums, the most common being B. virginianum, while close behind is B. ternatum, with its varieties intermedium and dis- sectum, for I hold the last two as but varieties of the first, produced by check, and which, like Onoclea sen- sibilis, var. obtusilobata, may be produced at will. Variations bring us to hybridization and our most interesting fern, which was described from Roberts's Run, almost directly opposite the mouth of Wissahickon Creek, and is known as Asplenium ebenoides. This was discovered by the father of our worthy chairman, who was Robert Robinson Scott, and in the year 1862. For many years this district had been visited by a coterie ¥ Notes AND NEWS 91 of Darby-Road botanists, composed of William Hob- son, William DeHart, Robert Kilvington, Thomas Meehan, and others, but the ‘‘find” was made by Mr. Scott, who noted the dual character of the plant in his first report of it to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, which later appeared in the columns of the Gardeners’ Monthly. From the date of its first report until now, and in spite of experiments and demonstra- tions by Miss Slosson and others, the plant yet con- tinues a “‘bone of contention,’ and I know not a better subject to start an argument among botanists than to assert that it is, or is not, a hybrid. As I wish not, at this time, to start a discussion, I shall conclude by stating that the ‘“‘Fern Flora’’ assigned me is but a small part of the wonders of the region, and I trust that, when again our members meet in Philadelphia, a day will be reserved and that you will ask me to guide you through our wondrous Wissahickon. GERMANTOWN, Pa. Notes and News A Review: W. R. Maxon. THe NortH AMERICAN SPECIES OF PSILOGRAMME.! Psilogramme is a genus of tropical ferns belonging to the tribe Pteridiw, and is one of the groups formerly included under the omnibus generic name of Gymnogram- ma. In the present paper eight species are dealt with, of which three are new, all from Mexico or Central America. Besides these eight there are two species which have been called Psilogramme but which are here considered as of doubtful relationship to the others. R, C. B. 1 Bull. Torr. Club 42: 79-86. Fe 1915. 92 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL OF INTEREST TO FERN GARDENERS. A catalogue of one of the largest florist companies of the country lists twenty-nine species and varieties of hardy ferns. Of these less than half are native, the remainder being European and Japanese. The foreign list includes horticultural varieties of lady fern and hart’s tongue, species of Dryopteris and Polystichum, and the Japanese variegated lady fern, Athyrium Goringianum pictum. The list in many cases uses obsolete nomenclature but there need be no doubt as to the fact that the ferns listed are different in many cases from our native species and would make attractive additions to any hardy fern garden. The writer has seen them growing as thrifty good sized plants. An interesting point is the use of an attractive and appropriate common name for Dennstaed- tia which is called “ gossamer fern,” surely more accurate than “boulder fern,” and more euphonious than “hay scented fern.”’ Members interested in getting any of these ferns are requested to send to R. C. Benedict each an unused post card with their name and address on the correspondence side, and a request for a catalogue. These will then be forwarded to the florist. This method is taken that the Journal may receive credit for any orders sent in. The twentieth anniversary of the founding of the New York Botanical Garden will be commemorated at the Garden during the week commencing September 6, 1915. Botanists from all parts of North America are invited to attend. The program includes two days’ sessions for the reading of papers and the inspection of the grounds and buildings of he Garden, a visit to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and excursions to Staten Island and to the pine-barrens of New Jersey. American Fern Society In accordance with the requirements of the Consti- tution, I have appointed the following members a com- mittee to make nominations for officers for the year 1916: Miss Nellie Mirick, Mr. Robert A. Ware, and Rev. James A. Bates. C. H. Bissewu, President. Tue Summer Meerincs.—The present number is issued especially early in order that the final plans for the Central New York field meeting may be thoroughly known. The meet will be held July 13-16, with head- quarters at the Mizpah Hotel, Syracuse, N. Y. Visiting members may stop at any of the downtown hotels, of which there are several good ones, or arrangements can be made for rooms at lower rates in the University section provided application is made beforehand to R. C. Benedict. The first meeting planned is an informal reception to be held at the home of Mrs. Wm. Spalding, 405 Comstock Ave., at 8 P. M., Tuesday, July 13, to which invitation is hereby given. At this time the actual plans for the field trips will be thoroughly discussed and the evening will also give a good chance for members to get well acquainted. Those who expect to be present are re- quested to send a word to Mrs. Spalding. The first trip will take place the following morning. The route will be by way of a Suburban R. R. trolley car for Jamesville, leaving the downtown terminal at 8:30 A. M. Bring lunch. The main object of the whole meeting is to visit the Green Lakes region near James- ville. These lakes (there are two) are famous geologic- ally as representing the plunge basins of former glacial waterfalls comparable with Niagara. Today they are 93 94 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL small bodies of water surrounded on three sides by steep rubble banks and cliffs several hundred feet high. The lakes are also famous as harboring in their environs the best stations in North America for the hart’s tongue fern. Tennessee has a few small plants; Ontario, Can- ada, has a few more, as described by H. E. Ransier in an early JourNAL. In: the Jamesville region it will be possible for members to see and collect leaves (not plants) in considerable quantity and of good size. Besides the hart’s tongue it will probably be possible to see in the same section the slender cliff brake, purple cliff brake, adder’s tongue, the Onondaga grape fern (Botrychium onondagense), the oak-fern, Goldie’s fern, and other species of Dryopteris. Of special interest will be the possibility of rediscovering the original plant of the hybrid, Dryopteris Goldiana x intermedia, which is known only from its original discovery in this region and which is the most striking of all the hybrids, a tall- growing black-scaled plant of Goldiana habit with the cutting approximating that of intermedia. D. Goldiana x marginalis has been found near one of the lakes at least twice. One of the two lakes has, with seventy-five acres surrounding, been recently presented to the State as a park, and is known as the Clark Reservation in honor of its donor. There is now under way in Syracuse, with strong prospects of success, a movement to have the other lake with seven hundred and fifty acres set aside also as a state preserve in order to protect both its geological and its botanical features. If this is not done there is immediate danger that the land may be pur- chased and developed by a lime company. Three days will probably be spent about the lakes. Other trips can then be arranged if desirable. We ex- pect all the Central New York members to be there with a good representation from New England, New York, and Pennsylvania, and, we hope, other sections. : AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 95 Members who are in California this summer should not fail to attend the Society meeting at the Herbarium of the University of California, Hearst Mining Building, Berkeley, at 2 P. M., Monday, August 2. A notice of it appeared in the last number of the JOURNAL. A pleasant fern meeting was held at Worcester, Mass., on May 8, in the rooms of the local Natural History Society, to whom, and especially to their curator, Mrs. Horr, thanks are due. About 25 persons were present. Mr. Jackson welcomed the visitors to Worcester, point- ing out, among other things, that that city has one member of the Fern Society to every 50,000 of its in- habitants and that if the same ratio were maintained throughout the United States, the Society would num- ber 1,800—a millenial condition. Short talks on var- ious subjects of interest to fern lovers were given by Miss Rowe, Miss Marshall, and Messrs. Bissell, Ware, and Winslow, and there was a liberal display of speci- mens, local and exotic. It is, not for the first time, earnestly recommended that members in other parts of the country: get together for similar local meetings. They are worth the trouble. New members—Dr. James H. Barr, Yuba City, Cal.; Mrs. L. P. Breckenridge, 412 Humphrey St., New Haven, Conn.; Mrs. Mary Flannery, 608 D St., Marysville, Cal.; : Charles N. Forbes, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, H. as Miss Daisy Levy, 403 West 115th St., New York City; Soh ities Reimers, 2637 Rose St., Berkeley, Cal.; Mrs. Herbert 8. Utley, 299 Blue Hills See. Hartford, Conn. ; Miss Mary L. Utley, 301 Blue Hills hve. Hartford, Conn. Change of address—Rev. H. G. eae Apartado 221, Sagua la Grande, Cuba. The name of one of our 96 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL new members, Mrs. Charles Pratt, 4806 South Salina St., Syracuse, N. Y., was given, by mistake, as Miss Maria F. Pratt in the last number of the JoURNAL. Through another error, the name of Miss M. A. Mar- shall, Still River, Mass., was omitted from the printed list of members. Mrs. M. A. Noble has generously added to her former gift the four numbers of Vol. V of the Fern Bulletin. This gives the Society a complete set up to and includ- ing Vol. XI. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden will build special fern beds to house a Society fern garden if members will send in the plants. Let us start it now. Send in any rarities which are in danger of destruction. In response to a suggestion of Dr. Benedict’s in a recent number of the Journat, Mrs. D. 8. Hartline, State Normal School, Bloomsburg, Pa., writes that she has a successful fern garden and would be ‘only too happy” to receive any living plants to add to her col- lection and would pay postage on them. Rev. James A. Bates, South Royalston, Mass., offers for sale unmounted herbarium specimens, partly ferns, at $5 per hundred. Write to him for further par- ticulars. A member asks where living ferns of the Southwest can be obtained. Write the Carnegie Experiment Station, Tucson, Ariz. They can put you in touch with some reliable dealer. 7 T > _ AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL -b, PuatTp 7 i as a’, Messrs. WARK AND BiGeLow at tHE Homes or AsSPLENIUM EBENOIDES, BERLIN, CONN. . \ American Fern Journal Vol. 5 OCTOBER-—DECEMBER, 1915 No. 4 The southern California Ferns! S. B. Parisu While California is a narrow state, measured across from east to west, it is a very long one, measured from north to south. On the Pacific coast it occupies the same degrees of latitude as does the whole row of states between Boston and Charleston on the Atlantic seaboard. And there is no other tract of equal size on the North American continent which can compare with it in topographical and physical diversity. All altitudes, from 14,000 feet above sea level to nearly 300 feet below it; a wide range of temperature, from many degrees below zero to 140 degrees above; all amounts of precipi- tation, from at least 80 inches per annum to none at all. Such a diversity of environment would lead one to expect an extensive fern-flora, but the fact is that the combina- tions are not suited to produce such a development. If the redwood belt, the part of the state which is soaked in rain and blanketed with fogs, had the temperatures of the Colorado and Mojave deserts, or if the transfer were reversed, and the northern rains and fogs were brought down to the hot, but arid south, what a land of ferns California would be! Even if the total moisture were evenly distributed over the whole state, and the varied temperatures averaged throughout its whole ‘ Pot at the meeting of the Fern Society, at Berkeley, California, August (No. 3 of the Journat (5: 65-96) was issued July 10, 1915.] 97 98 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL extent, a much larger fern-flora might reasonably be expected. For heat combined with moisture forms the combination which the fern family finds best suited to its requirements. It is where such conditions exist that “fern paradises” are found. If ferns make their homes where other conditions prevail, there is required, or rather, to speak more correctly, there is developed a modification of form and habit. The result of actual conditions is the development in the cool fog-belt of a luxuriant growth of Polystichum munitum and Pteris aquilina, which prevail abundantly from one end of it to the other, and of a very limited number of other species. At the other geographical extreme, the arid south, there is a greater number of species, but the abundance of individuals admits of no comparison with the fecundity of the northern coast. The open pine intervals of the forests support an under- growth of the same Pteris that abounds in the north, but in stature, in the structure of its contracted fronds, its aspect is very unlike the robust and tall coast form. Pteris aquilina is the only fern that forms a growth over extended areas in the south. The others grow in the select places to which their specialized structure and habits of life fit them. They seek the shelter of boulders, of shrubs, and of rock crevices, and are thus able to exist under very unfavorable conditions. As there are only special places in which they are able to grow, and these limited in respect of the whole area, there is a comparative scarcity of individuals; in some cases more than a comparative, a positive, scarcity. I have in mind a species (Cheilanthes fibrillosa) of which the type collection is the only one known, yet its validity has never been questioned by fern students. Of another (C. Parishii) there have been but two scanty collections, made at an interval of 20 years, and both in the same canyon. These two are, at least so far as this slender knowledge indicates, endemics, but there are two other ee ee oi Sp See cea ae eae SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FERNS 99 ferns (Notholaena tenera and Cheilanthes Feei) of wider distribution beyond the limits of the state, one of which is known within it by a single collection, the other by only four or five. The rain belt exhibits nothing of this; its ferns are of wide-spread species, and its most prominent one is of cosmopolitan distribution. The arid regions are the homes of Pellaea, of Notholaena and of Cheilanthes, all ferns modified by the conditions under which they exist. These modifications are two- fo'd, and affect the structure of the plant, and its manner of life, and I do not recall a southern California species of these genera which does not exhibit both of these characteristics in some degree. In structure, in addition to histological modification, there are the external adaptations manifested in the small size of the frond and the multiplication of its divisions into contracted pinnae which are often broken up into bead-like tessel- lations. The fronds are thick, the opposite extreme in fern structure from the filmy ferns, which grow at the opposite extreme of conditions, but with which they are connected by a long series of ferns of intermediate structure, the results of adaptations to al] the intermedi- ate conditions. All but one of these ferns have evolved organs which serve to protect them in some degree from too great transpiration, to which they are exposed by the excessive insolation, the arid air and the drying winds of their habitat. Cheilanthes viscida has a coating indicated by its specific name; Notholaena cretacea and Gymnogramme triangularis a powdering of yellow or white grains; Notholaena Parryi is densely woolly, and Notho- laena Newberryi has a close cottony tomentum; Cheilan- thes Fendleri is clad in scale armor, and Cheilanthes fibrillosa has fibers mingled with its scales. The other adaptation affects the habits of these ferns; their life-histories. Ferns, I take it, are normally ever- greens, enjoying an uninterrupted growth, each leaf 100 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL continuing its active functions for the whole period of its life. In the different regions to which ferns have become acclimated other habits of life have become necessary. In cold climates the low temperature may destroy the aerial parts, or may suspend their functions, so that all the operations of life,—growth and the re- productive processes-—must be carried out in the summer months. In our region this is the case with Pteris, which is cut down by the first frost. But the ferns we are now considering have an opposite life-problem to solve. They have at all seasons sufficient heat and sun- light, and for half the year an excess. Their greatest need is water. Our arid ferns meet the situation by making their growth in the winter, at which period of the year the rains occur, and by passing the summer in dormancy. But these rains are small in amount at any one time, they are uncertain, and the moisture is liable to be speedily evaporated by drying winds, Their fronds, therefore, unfold at once as soon as moistened by the first shower and resume life at the point where they dropped its functions, perhaps months ago. How long this active life may continue depends wholly upon the meteorological conditions. So long as moisture is attainable there is no cessation; but as soon as it fails active life is suspended. In this condition the fern appears dead; the frond is dry and crumbles in the fingers, the stipe and rhizome are brittle and break up in handling. These resting fronds assume various forms. Many curl up into more or less compact balls, exposing to the air the back of the frond,. which is the most heavily protected. A study of the mechanics by which this rolling up is effected would be of interest. Perhaps it has been made, but, if so, I have never happened to read of it. If not, it is well worth making. The same phenomenon is familiar in the Mexican Selaginellas, which are sold under the name of “resurrection ferns,” " AES May eh Gas VER one Lira Sey OE Re eee eT ne REIDY By ke, ot yi SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FERNS 101 but Notholaena cretacea would be an excellent subject for investigation, for its fronds roll up into very compact balls. The same intermittent manner of growth is uni- versal among the rock lichens of arid countries, and some of the mosses possess it. I do not know how often this alternation of active and suspended life may be repeated before a frond exhausts its ability to respond; nor whether the duration of the life of a frond is measured by a definite number of months, or by the number of days of active growth, so that in one good season a frond might complete the cycle of its existence in a single winter, but in a less favorable one might require a longer period. Again, the habit is possessed by species which differ in several respects, and appears to be more fully developed in some than in others, but the degree and nature of these differences are not known. These are subjects worthy of investiga- tion, and information concerning them would add much to our knowledge of fern-life. I am recalling to your attention the characteristics of the arid Californian ferns, not as peculiar to them, but as examples of the phenomena shown, as you are aware, by ferns of all similar regions; nor is it to ferns alone that the question of life under the condition of too much sunshine and heat, and too little moisture is presented. It confronts the whole desert flora, and every plant must find a solution of the problem under penalty of death. How they severally and variously do it is one of the most interesting studies in plant ecology. Although I have dwelt at such length on the arid ferns, if I may so call them, it is not to be inferred that there are no others in southern California. They are to me the most interesting, because they differ in so many ways from the ideal fern, and because, since this region has an unfortunate deficiency of precipitation and excess of heat, it is the arid ferns which most abound in it. But as there are places in which there is a sufficiency, 102 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL or an abundance of moisture, and some shelter from the sun’s too-powerful rays, there are a number of semi- arid and of moisture-loving species. By a semi-arid fern I mean one that has some of the physical or habital characteristics of the arid species, or has developed independent methods of meeting the same necessity, namely, of retaining life through the heat and drought of summer. Such a fern is Cheilanthes Californica. This has the small and exceedingly divided frond of an arid fern, but it is entirely without any pro- tective indument. It grows at the foot of cliffs, where it obtains shelter from sun and wind, and where it is reasonably sure of a supply of moisture for a considerable period. When that fails it remains dormant until the next winter. Adiantum emarginatum is without pro- tection to its fronds, which have broader and less divided pinnae, consequently it also seeks the protection of cliffs, or other shelter, and reliable water for its roots, and when at length moisture dries up the fronds wither and die, and only the root remains alive, I am inclined to put Polypodium Californicum also in this class, al- though its only claim to inclusion is the fact of its summer dormancy. Its rhizomes creep along the crevices of shady cliffs in canyons. It starts into growth very early in the winter, unless the season is unusually dry and late, and in the most favorable places it is able to put in a long working period, but sooner or later the rocks become dry, and its foliage withers and dies. Apparently it needs a summer rest, for it does not grow where there is permanent moisture, although such places are available. There is another form of this species, seldom seen, which grows on open grassy banks. There the effect of the exposure is seen in the thick texture of its much smaller fronds, but its habit is like that of the common thin-textured form of the rock crevices, winter growth and summer dormancy. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FERNS 103 A third class of the southern California ferns includes those with perennial foliage and a continuous period of growth. Of necessity they are confined to situations which afford them a reliable supply of water throughout the entire year, and where the extremes of seasonal variations do not, at any period, entirely prevent growth. These conditions may vary within certain limits, so that the activity of life may be accelerated or diminished at certain periods for some of these ferns; and in this respect these vary among themselves, but they must at no time prevent the verdancy of the foliage, or suspend the activity of the vital functions. Two ferns which are at the outer limits of this class are Nephrodium rigidum argutum and _ Polystichum munitum. These ferns, which are found throughout the whole length of the state, and northward to British Columbia, and even one of them, to Alaska, in the southern part of the state grow on lightly shaded canyon slopes, and have a range of altitude which does not expose them either to the intense heat of the lower hills, or to the great cold of the higher mountains. Their water supply is greatest in late spring and early summer, and it is at this period that they make their most vigorous growth; in the late summer their growth is checked by the diminished moisture in the soil, and in winter by the lower temperature. They, therefore, at least for a part of the annual cycle, require a degree of economy in the conservation of their water content. This results in fronds intermediate in form and texture between those of ferns which must live on the scantiest allowance of water, and those which have it in abundance. Adiantum capillus-veneris illustrates the other ex- treme in this class. It affects the face of well-shaded cliffs, over which drips water from a perennial source, and being more sensitive to cold, it is limited to a much narrower altitudinal range than the two species last 104 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL mentioned, and in more exposed positions its fronds are killed in unusually cold winters; otherwise it retains continuous verdancy and maintains continual growth. The — pinnae reflect the moist conditions under which it grow: Our aa class of ferns are those which grow during the summer, and in winter lose their fronds and retain - yitality only in their roots. The most abundant of these ferns are Adiantum pedatum, Cystopleris fragilis and Athyrium filix-foemina. It will be noticed that these are species which are common over a large part of the country, and with us they occur in that_part of our territory which differs little in physical character from their habitats elsewhere. The precise stations which they inhabit here are probably more restricted than in regions where the rainful is more abundanf and better distributed. Here, their requirement of abundant and unfailing moisture at their roots, confines’ them very closely to the margins of streams and springs, and to bogs. I have, in this imperfect outline, endeavoured to place before you a general idea of the southern California fern-flora, and to indicate the effects of external factors in determining the distribution, the habits of life, and the structural forms of the various members which constitute it. The ferns are not an exceptional family of plants, nor is California an exceptional region, in respect to the conditions which determine plant life. These laws are universal in their application to all vegetation, and to all parts of the world. The study of the results of their decisions upon the life of the plant- kingdom where they rule the court of last resort, is a study fruitful and interesting, and there is no place where it cannot be prosecuted. San BERNARDINO, Ca., A preliminary List of the Ferns of Rolla, Missouri F. C. GREENE Rolla is situated near the center of the Missouri por- tion of the Ozark region. The surrounding district is rather rough and is consequently well drained, marshy Jand being almost unknown. The divides are capped by the Jefferson City formation, consisting of cotton rock above and pitted dolomite below. Underlying this is the Roubidoux sandstone which forms low cliffs along the streams. The lowest formation is the Gas- conade with its cliff-forming dolomite. Near the Gas- conade River this formation produces some fairly high and steep bluffs. The ferns found, as may be judged from the above statements, are chiefly rock-loving species. Further search will doubtless reveal some lowland species and the dry Gasconade cliffs should add several to the list. The most interesting find to date is Ophioglossum Engelmanni. On June 20, the writer found, in a hollow one mile west of Rolla, several thousand plants of this species, many of which were in fruit; on some plants the spikes had turned brown and on others had not yet attained the length of the leaf. Fertile plants three or four to eight inches long were found. The pitted dolomite mentioned above here forms a low cliff, back of which, away from the branch, is a small bench carved from the cotton rock. On this bench, for about one mile down the hollow—the distance examined—the adder’s tongue was very abundant among the rocks, growing in a dry, sterile soil. A few plants were found in the narrow bottom near the stream where the rock ledge dips below the water. Onoclea sensibilis. One colony of this species was found growing on sandstone in the bed of a creek. 105 Pee) 106 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Botrychium virginianum is common in deep shaded ravines and along wooded stream courses. One small patch of Polypodium vulgare was found at King’s sink, southwest of Rolla. So far, it has proven the rarest species of the region. Adiantum pedatum is widely distributed along the base of wooded slopes. Pteridium aquilinum has been found both on dry and somewhat moist hillsides. Cheilanthes Féei is abundant on the dry cliffs of the Gasconade dolomite along the Gasconade River. It has also been found on the pitted dolomite near Rolla, but is seemingly rare. Pellaea atropurpurea occurs on rock ledges throughout the district. Pellaea glabella is common on dolomite, and especially so along the north bluffs of Little Piney Creek. It grows with Pellaea atropurpurea, but can be distinguished at a glance by its lighter green color and the shape of the pinnae. Asplenium platyneuron is common on outcrops of sand- stone and is not at all rare on other rocks. Asplenium trichomanes appears to be rather rare and has been found only on sandstone. : Camptosorus rhizophyllus is found on wet rocks at the base of cliffs and along streams. Dryopteris marginalis seems to be confined in this region to outcrops of sandstone, though future observa- tion may prove this wron Polystichum acrostichoides, chiefly the incised form, is abundant in the same situation as the maidenhair. Filix bulbifera grows luxuriantly on wet cliffs about four and a half miles west of Rolla and will probably be found at other places. Filix fragilis, like the cliff brake, occurs on rock ledges throughout the region, though in crevices and beneath ee ae acs iti is shaded. ' ecg oe Mug patency RAMs Cae Wing : potas ae RAE Hm ae oe he Se RES, op ae PRS Fee eae ee ESD Saga a em Re ge ea re th, Pens Gee ee ee I eee a PELLAEA RAFAELENSIS, Sp. Nov. 107 Woodsia obtusa is common on shaded cliffs of both sandstone and dolomite. Equisetum hyemale, possibly a variety, occurs on the Frisco Railroad near Arlington, a few miles west of Rolla. (E. laevigatum of Bush). The writer will be glad to furnish specimens of Ophio- glossum Engelmanni and Pellaea glabella upon receipt of postage. Roiua, Missourt. Pellaea Rafaelensis, Sp. Nov. GEORGE L. MOXLEY Some seven or eight years ago, when I had just begun to study the ferns, I found in Eagle Rock Canyon, near Los Angeles, Cal., a fern so different from the ordinary “Coffee fern” as to attract my interested attention. I referred it tentatively to P. fleruosa (Kaulf.) Link, which I found credited to California.. In moving, some- time or other, I lost the specimen and had no oppor- tunity to study it further. I have since seen Mr. 8. B. Parish’s statement in the Fern Bulletin, xii: 9, 1904, that the reference of P. fleruosa to California is “almost certainly erroneous.” Last year in another canyon in the same range of hills I found another plant that very much resembles the one I found before, as I now remember it. I have also recently seen what purported to be a specimen of P. flexuosa and my plant is most certainly not that species. Neither does it agree with our common P. andromedae- folia (Kaulf.) Fée. I wish to publish it as laea Rafaelensis, sp.nov. Rootstock slender, short-creeping, covered with narrow brown scales; stipes tufted, pale, glabrous, 30-40 em. long; fronds 20-30 em. long, 9-12 cm. broad, lanceolate, mostly bipinnate; 108 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL ultimate pinnules 5-15 mm. long, ovate-oblong; texture subcoriaceous; veins evident, numerous, once or twice forked. Scholl’s Canyon, San Rafael Hills, Los Angeles Co., Cal., May 30, 1914. Geo. L. Moxley, No. 214. Known only from the type specimen in my herbarium. This species differs from P. andromedaefolia in its long, narrow frond and more herbaceous pinnules. Indeed in this latter respect it seems to more nearly approach section Cheiloplecton than Allosorus. The ultimate pinnules do not seem inclined to be revolute and the indusium is rather narrower than in P. andromed- aefolia, which is, however, probably its nearest ally. Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. Fern Trips in Virginia MARY LOUISE TUTTLE During the summer of 1914, we made several trips to Virginia in search of ferns. The results of these trips were so satisfactory that it seems quite possible that they would be of interest to the members of the Society. The first trip was to Rock Enon Springs, Frederick County, Va. This is reached by train to Winchester, and thence by coach or automobile some seventeen miles west to the Great North Mountair. The follow- ing ferns were collected during our stay: POLYPODIUM VULGARE. Common. PHEGOPTERIS HEXAGONOPTERA. Common.’ ADIANTUM PEDATUM. Common. PTERIS AQUILINA. Common. CHEILANTHES LANOSA (C. vestita). There is a good sized station located halfway between Gore and Rock Enon, on the west side of the road. Several plants had fronds at least twelve inches long. AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Vou. 5. Priate 8 HERBARIUM OF . Soins iQ MOsMEY ite Lack. ms Sant th eee: é << ed tena or vey eee aes out J PevvagA RAFAELENSIS MOXLEY Fern Trips IN VIRGINIA 109 PELLAEA ATROPURPUREA. This fern was found in two places only, about three miles apart, and in each locality there were only a few plants, and these were dwarfed and in poor condition. ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES. Common. ASPLENIUM PLATYNEURON. Common. ASPLENIUM BrapDLeEyI. Near the top of one of the smaller ridges, a colony of some seven or eight plants was found. They were facing the east, and in a rather exposed position. In spite of their small size, they seemed to be thriving very well indeed. ASPLENIUM MONTANUM. It would be difficult to per- suade a resident of Rock Enon that this is one of our rarer ferns. For miles along the Catamount ridge, it is to be found on almost every boulder, in almost every crevice. There are positively hundreds of plants. Many fronds seven inches in length were observed. Numerous plants had upwards of twenty-five fronds on them. Perhaps the most interesting plants were observed on the summit of Pinnacle, the highest point in the vicinity, 2800 feet above sea level. There were only a few plants, so stunted by exposure that one could scarcely believe them to-be identical with the luxuriant plants to be found in the valley. This one fern would in itself justify the trip; in fact, our main reason for going to Rock Enon was to see it, for Dr. Waters had told us that it was abundant in this place. ASPLENIUM THELYPTEROIDES (A. acrostichoides). Common. ASPLENIUM FILIX-FOEMINA. Common. POLYSTICHUM ACROSTICHOIDES. Common. Dryopteris THELYPTERIS. Not common. DRYOPTERIS NOVEBORACENSIS. aaa DRYOPTERIS MARGINALIS. Comm DRYOPTERIS SPINULOSA. Fairly common. DRYOPTERIS SPINULOSA, Var. DILATATA. Only one Plant was seen, and this during our last excursion, and 110 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL in a locality which we had not previously explored. It is probable ‘ping further search would have discovered additional plant DRYOPTERIS INTERMEDIA. Fairly common. FILix FRAGILIS. Rare in this localit Woopsia ostusa. One station only, of some twenty or thirty plants. DICKSONIA PUNCTILOBULA. Fairly common. ONOCLEA SENSIBILIS. Common. OSMUNDA REGALIS. Common. OsMUNDA CLAYTONIANA. Common. OSMUNDA CINNAMOMEA. Common. BoOTRYCHIUM VIRGINIANUM. Common. Ferns at Naturau Brince, VA. PHEGOPTERIS HEXAGONOPTERA. Not very common. ADIANTUM PEDATUM. Com oo LANOSA (C. sinitia. Near the N. and W. statio Petia ATROPURPUREA. Very common, one frond in our collection measuring seventeen inches. This fern was noted for the size and complexity of its fronds. ASPLENIUM EBENOIDES. One locality. ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES. Very comm ASPLENIUM PARVULUM (A. betvieel! “Very abundant. ASPLENIUM PLATYNEURON. Comm ASPLENIUM BRrapLeyI. Two aks only. These, however, were growing in a protected place, and were much larger than the plants previously seen at Rock Enon ASPLENIUM MONTANUM. About a dozen plants, grow- ing on a ledge of sandstone rock a mile or two to the west of the Bridge. AsPLeNIUM Ruta-muRARIA. Very abundant on the i ne rocks. ee: FERN TRIPS IN VIRGINIA 111 ASPLENIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM. One good sized clump — was observed. ASPLENIUM FILIX-FORMINA. Less abundant in this locality than one might expect. CAMPTOSORUS RHIZOPHYLLUs. Carpets the ground and rocks in every direction. POLYSTICHUM ACROSTICHOIDES. Common. DRYOPTERIS MARGINALIS. Common. FILIX BULBIFERA. In great profusion. Firx FrAGILIS. Not nearly as common as F. bulbifera. Woopsia ostusa. Fairly common. BoTRYCHIUM TERNATUM. Common BoTRYCHIUM TERNATUM, var. DISSECTUM. Common. BoTRYCHIUM VIRGINIANUM. Common Specimens of A. Bradley’, A. montanum, A. Ruta- muraria, A. resiliens, A. ebenoides, and Hanes spinculose: var. dilatata, were submitted to Dr. Cam bell E. Waters, for his confirmation of our one a tion, in order that there might be no question as to the correctness of our list. The foregoing is practically nothing more than a sort of check list of the ferns to be found in these two local- ities. However, these places are not very far apart, are located in the same range of mountains, and pre- sumably have the same climate. It is, therefore, of more than passing interest to note that ferns which are common in one place are either missing in the other or, if found at all, in exceedingly small quantities. Since the climate is essentially the same, it is obviously a matter of soil which causes these differences, and a brief discussion of this phase of the situation may prove of value. The Natural Bridge consists of dolomitic limestone, the limestone formation extending for some distance around the Bridge. About a mile or more to the West, there is a small outcrop of sandstone. At Rock Enon, 112 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL there are two main formations, one a very hard white sandstone, and the other a soft shale. I am informed by surveyors of the U. S. Geological Survey that only one outcrop of limestone occurs in the immediate vicinity of Rock Enon, and that is in a dry, open field, and contains no ferns whatever. At Natural Bridge, Filix bulbifera, Pellaea atropur- purea, Asplenium angustifolium, A. Ruta-muraria, Camp- tosorus rhizophyllus were found in the greatest abund- ance, while the shield ferns were represented by only one species, Dryopteris marginalis. Asplenium mon- tanum was represented by a single colony which was located on the sandstone ridge. At Rock Enon, Filix bulbifera, Camptosorus rhizophyllus, Asplenium Ruta- muraria, and Asplenium angustifolium were absent entirely, and only a few plants of Pellaca atropurpurea were found. On the other hand, Asplenium montanum occurred in abundance, the shield ferns were well repre- sented, and a fair sized colony of Asplenium Bradleyt was found. Cheilanthes lanosa grew only on the shale formation. It is apparent, therefore, that A. angusti- folium, A. Ruta-muraria, F. bulbifera, C. rhizophyllus, and P. atropurpurea prefer a basic soil, such as is found at Natural Bridge, whereas A. montanum and C. lanosa prefer the acid soil of Rock Enon. This is further borne out, at least as far as P. atropurpurea is concerned, by the fact that we have noted perhaps half a dozen localities around Washington and Baltimore, where P. atropurpurea was found growing in the mortar on old walls. Members of the Society will remember the profusion of A. angustifolium, F. bulbifera, and C. rhizo- phyllus growing on the limestone formation at James- ville, New York. These preferences of various ferns for certain kinds of soil are, of course, not at all new, but the present instance serves to emphasize the point in question. Notes AnD NEws 113 By far the most interesting fern in the two localities is A. montanum, although the finding of either A. Bradleyi or A. ebenoides would in itself be a pleasure without alloy. The western spur of the Great North Mountain is called the Catamount Ridge, and takes the form of a tall narrow ridge about five miles or so in length, and having at times sides which are perpen- dicular for fifty feet or more. All along this ridge, A. montanum can be found. It is practically impossible for this station to be wiped out of existence by any of the common causes for such disasters. In the first place, the huge bare rocks preclude the idea of a forest fire destroying the plants, the stone itself is of little value, even for building purposes, while to gather more than a small proportion of the plants would require the agility of a circus acrobat and at least a fifty foot ladder. In view of the comparative rarity of this fern, and its gradual disappearance from some of its former haunts, it is a great pleasure to be able to record the existence of such a wonderful station which bids fair to be with us for many years to come. Wasuinerton, D. C. Notes and news MoreE ABOUT THE HABITAT OF OPHIOGLOSSUM While the subject of the habitat of Ophioglossum vulgatum is still warm a few notes from southwestern Vermont may not be amiss. In this connection it is interesting to learn what Clute in “Our Ferns in Their Haunts” says of it. ° “Doubtless the most promising place to look for it is among the grasses and sedges in moist meadows, but upon this point there is considerable difference of opin- ion. Some years ago, in the Fern Bulletin, several writers gave their experiences in collecting it. One _ oe 114 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL wrote that in northern New York he found it in ‘dry pastures, on and about hummocks of hemlock loam,’ and added ‘it is seldom found in moist places.’ Another in Vermont says, ‘in old meadows, they will grow in little hollows where it is richer and more moist,’ while still another in Kentucky found it common ‘in dry open woods,’ and the writer that ‘it may safely be looked for in red cedar groves,’ adding, ‘I know few such places where it does not grow.’ In contrast to these, Mr. A. A. Eaton has found fine large plants in seven inches of sphagnum moss in New Hampshire swamps.”’ In Gray’s ‘‘New Manual’ the habitat is given as: “Meadows and pastures, rarely on dry slopes,’ which is much the same as that quoted from D. C. Eaton on page 43 of the current volume of the JouRNAL. My own experience goes to show that, like Mr. Jenks, “unnoticed” is a better term to use in describing the frequency of its occurrence than “uncommon”; still it may well be that, like so many other plants, it is common in some sections and rare in others without any apparent reason. Whenever I have been to the summer meetings of the Vermont Botanical Club there are always some people present to whom it is rare. Leston A. WHEELER. TownsuEND, Vermont. Notes AND NEws 115 I find Ophioglossum everywhere except in sphagnum. I found them in Salisbury, Conn., in an old cart-path on the mountains. Here they grow in every pasture, right out in the open, along with Antennaria and hawkweed. I have found them in clear sand along a railroad, and in dry, open ground at an elevation of over 1400 feet. I mention this last because I was told by a fern student that there was a tradition that Ophioglossum had never been found above 600 feet. I fancy that here they may be found in any place where there is clay soil or subsoil to hold the water. Mrs. Orra PARKER PHELPS. Canton, N. Y. Mr. R. A. Ware contributes the following list of habitats for Ophioglossum as recorded on the sheets in his herbarium: Georgeville, Quebec, cedar swamp; Pleasant Ridge, Somerset Co, Maine, ‘‘with Liparis Loeselii in slight depression in open, upland grass field’; Dover, Maine, meadows; Hinsdale, N. H., sphag- num swamp; Alton, N. H., wet meadow; Westmore, Vt., ‘upland, open grass field, with young plants of Onoclea sensibilis after mowing’; Harvard, Mass., in sphagnum; Plainville, Conn., moist rocky woods; Corn- wall, Conn., dry, wooded hillside; Mansfield, Conn., open bog; Lima, Delaware Co., Pa., swamp. Also specimens labeled O. arenarium from “Longport, N. J., gea beach.” Dors OpHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM REQUIRE TEN YEARS FROM SPORE TO FIRST GREEN LEAF? In addition to the points mentioned in a recent number, Prof. Campbell has brought out in his monograph of the Eusporangiate many other very interesting points re- 116 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL garding Ophioglossum and Botrychium. Two of these which are of special interest relate to O. vulgatum and B. Lunaria. When a spore of O. vulgatum germinates it appears probable from the work of Bruchman as reported by Campbell that the first green leaf is ten years in getting above ground. This first green leaf is really the second leaf of the plant and is always sterile. The third leaf may be fertile but is not always so. A similarly long time is required by B. Lunaria to pro- duce its first fertile leaf if Bruchman’s conclusions re- garding this species are correct. He reports that there are first produced seven to nine scale leaves at the rate of one a year. Following these come the green and fertile leaves. In B. virginianum, however, the first leaf produced is believed to extend above ground, although it is not fertile. The time required is not stated. Two points of interest attach to these facts. First, imagine planting spores or seeds and then having to wait ten years to have the crop appear above ground! Second, it is probable that the long developmental period re- quired explains some of the peculiarities in distribution of various species of these two genera. It is a common experience to search very thoroughly some likely place for Ophioglossum without finding a single plant. One may even have difficulty in finding the species in the same station two years in succession. If it requires ten years for O. vulgatum to develop its first green leaf from the spore stage one can understand why a field which had been ploughed nine years previous- ly would show no plants of this species, even though conditions were in all other respects favorable. If we go a little farther with hypothesis and suppose that the next year ten fruiting plants were found and all collected we should then have to wait ten years more for another crop, assuming that some spores had dropped in con- nection with the collection. Notes AND NEws 117 I hereby invite all those who contributed to the very satisfactory answer to my earlier question as to the habitat of Ophioglossum to turn their attention to a new enquiry along the same lines. Does O. vulgatum require ten years to produce its first green leaf? The method of answer will be easy. Visit any station you may know, as many as possible, and find out from the owners of the land, or otherwise, whether it has been cultivated within ten years. It is practically certain that ploughing, etc., would destroy all rooted plants and require a sowing of spores for the production of more plants. If any one finds a station which has certainly been under cultivation within ten years it will serve to amend the conclusions of Bruchman noted above. R. C. BENEDICT. Of interest, especially in connection with the field meeting of the Society in Onondaga County, New York, is the publication by a member of the Society, Mrs. L. Leonora Goodrich, of a Flora of Onondaga County as collected by the Syracuse Botanical Club of which Mrs. Goodrich has been president for many years. The list includes fifty-two different kinds of ferns and allies, eleven lycopods, and seven equisets. To this may certainly be added three hybrids in Dryopteris and possibly also D. simulata which is known to occur just over the border in Oneida County. Seventy species of pteridophytes makes a very good list for one county of about forty miles square. It may well be added that the Syracuse Botanical Club with its one honorary male member, Rev. Dr. Beauchamp, has done a great deal in making the flora of Onondaga County known. R. C 118 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL A Review: W. R. Maxon. Report UPON A COLLEC- TION OF FERNS FROM WESTERN SoutTH AMERICA! The ferns referred to in the report here considered were collected in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia, by Dr. and Mrs. J. N. Rose in the latter part of 1914. The special object of the trip was the collection of cacti. Of the twenty- five species listed by Mr. Maxon, twenty-two are ferns and three so-called ‘fern allies,” i. e., equisets and lyco- pods. Five of the ferns are found to be new species, as follows: Polypodium, two, Cheilanthes, two, and Notho- laena, one. This large proportion of new species is of special interest as an emphasis of the fact that the Andean chain, both in South America and in North America, is probably the most extensive terra incognita of ferns now left to be explored. Every collection from these regions includes numerous new species. Dr. Rose’s expedition for cacti naturally took him into regions poor in ferns, but even these yielded over twenty per cent. new species. In the regions of greater rainfall, the moist forested slopes toward the west, not only are there many more species, hundreds indeed, but there are also at least as large a proportion of undescribed forms. Bm. CoB: American Fern Society THE Syracuse MEgrrtIne A field meeting of the Society was held, as announced, July 13-16, with headquarters at Syracuse, and with a total attendance of about forty. Nine new members were enrolled during the meeting. The visiting members were very hospitably received. Mr. and Mrs. William Spalding entertained them most 1 Smithson. Misc. Coll. 65: no. 8. 1-12. 3 May 1915. AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 119 pleasantly at an informal reception, a unique feature of which was the presentation to each guest of a living plant of the hart’s-tongue—a cultivated plant, be it known, raised from spores by a florist. The Syracuse Botanical Society provided a picnic luncheon of almost dangerous proportions and attractiveness on the last day of the meeting. On this day, also, what remained of Mrs. Spalding’s supply of hart’s-tongue plants were set out in favorable places on the State Reservation, in the hope of establishing new stations for this rare fern. All three days were spent in exploring the region about East and West Green Lakes and White Lake, already described in the announcements of the meeting. This area, small though it is, proved well worth the time spent on it, both for its unusual geological fea- tures, and for the richness of its fern flora in number of species and in their intrinsic interest and peculiarities of distribution. A list of the species found follows: Polypodium vulgare, Phegopteris Dryopteris, Adian- tum pedatum, Pteridium aquilinum, Pellaea atropurpurea, Cryptogramma Stelleri, Asplenium Trichomanes, Bs platyneuron, A. angustifolium, A. acrostichoides, A. Filiz-femina, Scolopendrium vulgare, Camptosorus rhizo- phyllus, Polystichum acrostichoides, Dryopteris Thelyp- teris, D. noveboracensis, D. marginalis, D. Goldiana, D. cristata, D. Clintoniana,’ D. spinulosa, D. intermedia, Cystopteris bulbifera, C. fragilis, Dennstaedtia puncti- lobula, Onoclea sensibilis, O. Struthiopteris, Osmunda cinnamomea, O. Claytoniana, O. regalis, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Botrychium simplex, B. ramosum, B. obliquum, B. dissectum, B. ternatum, var. intermedium, B. onon- dagense, B. virginianum, Lycopodium lucidulum, L. annotinum, L. complanatum, var. flabelliforme, and two hybrids, Dryopteris Goldiana x marginalis and D. in- ia x marginalis. A nearly complete set of speci- mens will be deposited in the Society herbarium. 120 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL The Society owes much of the success of the meeting to the hearty interest and co-operation of the local naturalists, members and otherwise. In recognition of this, resolutions were passed, formally thanking Mr. and Mrs. Spalding and the Syracuse Botanical Society for their hospitality; the guides, Mr. Ransier and Dr. Todd, whose accurate knowledge of the Green Lakes region enabled the visitors to see its many points of interest in the most satisfactory way; and the Syracuse newspapers for their full reports of the work done. The following resolution in regard to the proposed extension of the State Reservation to include all the Green Lakes area was also passed: Whereas, The region about East and West Green Lakes in James- ville possesses, in its geological and botanical aspects, a character of unusual interest, including as it does within a limited area an ge variety of ferns and other plants, and ereas, The acquirement of such areas, where possible, con- Aa ee to the health and enjoyment of an increasing number persons of the present and future generations, and Whereas, It seems particularly desirable that this area should be acquired before it is in any way despoiled or disfigured through mercantile interests Resolved, That in the opinion of the visiting members of the American Fern Society this region is one which should be set aside 48 a permanent public reservation in its present natural and wild state. : The following communications from different members present may serve to bring out points of special interest and to indicate some of the uses of such meetings. The thing that impresses me is the fact that there are all over the country people who are interested and would be glad to join the Society if they only knew about it and its work. Our problem is to get the mem- bers we have to tell others. C. H. BIssELL. AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 121 Notwithstanding the fact that the Jamesville region was familiar country to me as I had tramped it from boyhood till through college, I was greatly impressed with the large number of species of ferns which we were able to discover in the three days of our Society meet- ing in July. Of the forty different kinds found I had in my earlier tramps seen all but perhaps three or four kinds, but it was somewhat surprising to have even that number added to your list for your home region. When it is realized that two or three more species are known to occur in the neighborhood and should be added to the list the great richness of the two or three square miles is apparent. Remember, too, that this list includes no lycopods or equisets, although it does contain two or three hybrids. Interest is added in this connection to the project which had been agitated for some time in Syracuse, a few miles away, to make the region around East Green Lake a State reservation, not only on account of its fern riches, but because of its generally interesting flora, its great geological distinctiveness, and its natural beauty. In the Society excursions both East and West Green Lakes were visited. As has already been noted in the JOURNAL the region immediately adjacent to the west lake has already been set aside as a State preserve. But the west lake contains nothing in the fern line not found near the east lake and furthermore lacks a con- siderable number of species which occur about the east lake. Mention made above of finding forty kinds of ferns in two or three square miles, had in mind a strip of land including the west lake but this would be unneces- sary. A triangle with the longest side not more than a mile including the east Green Lake and extending to the shores of White and Evergreen Lakes to the east would contain practically all the forty kinds of ferns found. 122 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL One of the local newspapers, the Syracuse Post- Standard, suggested that the Fern Society in its field meetings might well determine from the botanical standpoint what the area of the proposed new park should be. As it happens the area the botanist would preserve is practically co-extensive with that which would be desirable from the geological and scenic view- points and includes East Green, White, and Evergreen Lakes, the swamps surrounding them, with the cliffs and woodlands which lie to the west and south. R. C. BENEDICT. While visiting the Green Lake region of New York State last July I was interested in noting the apparent effect of the extraordinary ecological conditions upon the relative abundance of the common pteridophytes. To one accustomed to the fields and woods of the aver- age locality in northeastern North America, where the various soil elements have been pretty well mixed together by glacial activity, this region of rock almost exclusively calcitic seems to exhibit a fern distribution somewhat strange and unbalanced. The almost total absence of Equisetums is not sur- prising when we consider the prominence of silex in the Equisetum anatomy, but the similar absence of Lycopodiums is not so easily explained. In several places the steep talus slopes drop down into sink holes where the air feels distinctly chilly, an indication, possibly, of ice deposits in adjacent caverns, or roc crevices. In one of these “refrigerators,” as they were dubbed by some of our party, I found a thick growth of Lycopodium annotinum ‘covering an area of several Square rods—the only occurrence of this plant that came to my notice during the trip. Perhaps the continuous low temperature served to retard the growth of lime AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 123 loving plants that otherwise might have been com- petitors too strong for the Lycopodium. Polypodium vulgare was seen but twice—in one case growing on tree roots and in both stunted. Dicksonia was very uncommon, and in order to add Dryopteris noveboracensis to our list it was necessary to make a side trip of a mile or more to the very outskirts of the Green Lake country. In the open woods and clearings where these species were to be looked for Cystopteris bulbifera held undisputed sway. Of the three Athyriums A. filiz-femina was least abundant. But as has been recorded of many other localities, so here A. angustifolium was always found associated with Dryopteris goldiana. E. J. WINsLow. THe CaLirorniA Mreretinc—A meeting of the Amer- ican Fern Society was held at 2 P. M., August 2, in the Herbarium of the University of California. The meet- ing was announced in the A. A. A. S. program, so, although but few members of the Society were present, a number of botanists attended, making twenty in all. An excellent paper on Southern California Ferns was presented by the well-known California botanist, Mr. S. B. Parish of San Bernardino. An interesting dis- cussion of the paper followed, participated in by Prof. F. E. Clements of Minnesota, Prof. E. B. Copeland of the Philippine Islands, Dr. R. M. Harper of the Flor- ida State Geological Survey, and others. We were very sorry not to have some of the eastern members with us. If any members visit California later we shall be glad to be of service to them in any way we are able. Caruorta C. HALL. ee The fern garden of the Society, suggested in the last _ Issue of the JourNaL, was actually begun at the Brook- 124 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL lyn Botanic Garden in July with two plants collected at the central New York field meeting. The plants sent were Dryopteris Goldiana and D. intermedia x mar- ginalis. These and others received later were placed in rotted leaf mould under trees to await the construction of a specially designed bed. ; Further shipments were received of plants from the Adirondacks and from Vermont and others are expected or may already have arrived. Members are urged to send in not only rarities but common species, and without fear as to duplication, as plants of the same species from different localities are always interesting. - Where possible large sods or large single specimens should be sent. Transplanting will be safe even up to frost time if considerable soil is included and the roots well packed. A list of species received will be published later. When the plan for a Society fern garden became known, the excellent suggestion was made that such a garden would be accessible to many more people and so of greater usefulness, if it could be put into the plural—that is, if collections of living plants were main- tained, not only at Brooklyn, but in different parts of the country. Some effort has been made in this direc- tion. The Botanic Garden of Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., has agreed to receive and cultivate plants sent in, on the same terms as_ the Brooklyn garden; and a beginning has already been made there. It is hoped that similar arrangements may be made with other botanic gardens. New Members—Dana S. Carpenter, Middletown Springs, Vt.; Miss Una G. Dawson, 97 Mountfort St., Boston, Mass.; W. R. Dunlop, Fayetteville, N. Y.; Edwin T. Emmons, Geneva, N. Y.; Henri Gadeau de AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 125 Kerville, Rouen, France; Frederic W. Grigg, P. O. Box 43, Newtonville, Mass.; Miss M. L. Hall, 130 Spring St., Rochester, N. Y.; Mrs. Mary B. Hummel, 3632 Powelton Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.; Prof. F. P. McFar- land, 703 South Limestone St., Lexington, Ky.; Thomas H. Mather, 108 Comstock Ave., Syracuse, N. Y.; Dr. George T. Moore, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo.; Miss Minnie L. Overacker, 109 Robineau Road, Syracuse, N. Y.; Prof. Ida L. Reveley, Wells College, Aurora, N. Y.; Miss Louise W. Roberts, 520 Roberts Ave., Syracuse, N. Y.; Miss Ida H. Stebbins, 52 Albe- marle St., Rochester, N. Y.; Rev. J. H. Stolz, 211 Cedar St., Gary, Ind.; Dr. J. B. Todd, 740 South Beech St., Syracuse, N. Y.; Miss Alice W. Wilcox, Fairbanks Museum, St. Johnsbury, Vt. Changes of Address— Walter H. Aiken, 1520 Aster Place, Cincinnati, O.; Dr. Ruth Marshall, Northern Illinois State Normal School, De Kalb, Ill.; Rev. George L. Moxley, 626 W. Ave. 54, Los Angeles, Cal.; Charles O. Rhodes, Lock Box 366, Groton, N. Y. The annual election resulted in the re-election of the present officers and in very large majorities for all three of the proposals laid before the members. The report of the Judge of Elections will be printed with the annual reports, in the next number of the JouRNAL. C. A. WeatuEersy, Secretary. INDEX TO VOLUME 5 a Capillus-Veneris, 10, 70, 03; emarginatum see Jordani, modestum, 110, ee philippense; 16 ere Ophioglos- p ensartiaty elie Society, 15, 61, 93, 118; annual reports of, 22; letter erns, cee on, 1 ae ree nse tary of ‘ae Society, 22 Aspiaiam B Boottii, 32; gsecinerscig atum, 90; aga marginale, ne marginale, 90; noveboracense, 89; l muraria, 32, 89, 110, 111, 112; salicifolium, 81; Serra, 81; thelyp- teroides, 109; chomanes, 13, 75, 89, 106, 109, 110, 119 thyrium angustifoliu 4, = cycloso: , 75; Filix-femina, 38, 39, 104, 123; Goringian Go tum, pia thelypteroides, 89 Azolla Mr a 4 ig ba R. oi Does Ophioglos- sum po! ern hats and fern cig: Fae ad 2 yracuse en. 121; Where Op lossum , 42 Bessey, CHARLES gn (obituary notice), Bissett, C. H. The Syracuse Bommeria hispida, 67 = abet im ee of, 58 Bot chium ; dissectum, 119; ossum grows, 4 California ferns, the aprons 97 e, California meeting, th aly toth acy “ Camptos ia of, orus, pro Camptosorus chiasbicteel: 11,32, 89, 106, 111, 112, 119 Carex pennsyivanica, 48; riparia, 48; stri 8 Impressions of the ferns of Porto Rico, 79 rj 16: ves 108, ae viscida, 99; nee 70 Coffee fern, 107 Cryptogramma acrostichoides, 75; Stelleri, 119 Cyathea arborea, Cystopteris shoe Ee fragilis, 89, 104, 119 119, 123; mation Oldhamium Denns a punetloala 119 pilos Dithaonia, 123; uscula, 89; punctilobula, Dicranopte “ah g iplazium arbor » ol opteris Boottii, 20; mas, 75; fragrans, ana, 119, 123, 124; X in’ INDEX 94; XX marginalis, 119, 124; marginals 106, 109, 111, 113; 119; oveboracensis, 57, 109, 119, oe: rigida arguta, 9, 10; simulata, 117; spinulosa, 109, 119; var. dilatata, 109, gS Ths Thelypteris, 109, 119 Eaton, D. Ferns of North merica, note on, 14 Equisetum, 122; arvense, 77; v diffusum, 36; fluviatile, 37: hye- ee Si, a var. intermed- oi, 44. aevinarum, «i; hake 37; 7; scir- ust poides Ff ; aptiaBeiate var cap- illare Severe gypsophilum, 78 state emblem, the, 14 r Philadelphia, in, 52 Fern trips in so 108 Fern, Coffee. Ferns of xi egheny County, Pa. view), New M Of | ran: nee e fo .. 2 re pend lil Fiorpv, F. G. Note on Eato ferns of North America, 14: Where Ophioglossum grows Fragrant pene Cn an taterestine renee Fraxin Gooprica, L. Iecomasieges Flora of Onondaga unty, N. Y. (re- w), 1 ee Greenz, F. C. Preliminary list of the ferns of Rolla, Mo., 105 Gymnogramme triangularis 127 Habitat of Be teaeria more about the, H LL, Sache Cc. The Cali- mitis arifolia, 12 PKINS, L. a me eegtar ony specimen of d- fern, 41; aie ia of mee County, Pa. (review), 54 Hrymenophthim crinitum, 81; mi- ocarpon, 81; polyanthes, 80 Impressions of the ferns of Porto Rico, 79 Isoétes Engelmanni, 12; Braunii, Isoétes, Notes on, 12 Jevuett, E. C. Ferns of the Wis- a Valley, 87 Jzenxs, C. W. PPro Ophioglos- sum tape JENNINGS, O. Notes on the Pte a phries ‘of northwestern On beara Hookeri, 85 “ape F, H. Seed-bearing aefolium, 3, 4, as: gprereate 3; taxifo. lium, 82; tristachyum. Lyginodendron Oldhami Lyg um, 84 odium Rexuon. a “Japon! ; palmatum, 90; scan- on, 13 cinata, 76; vestita, 76 128 = otholaena degeowenteigreny and gras aogevews 4; Report on fieckis erns fro wes South Kain (review), it the California, 12; the Philadelphia, 18; See Syracuse, ae pol een notes, 9; Pellaea ioe, sp. nov., 107 ephrodium rigidum argutum, 103 Rie Mexico, Ferns of, 65 Note on Pcp: ferns of le Ameri 4; om Pol sabia Ag related e Isoétes, 12; on Maine ferns erns, 13; on the Caan of north- Ww —— Notes, fe Notho snena, oa 118; Sangoma ana, 4, 6; bonariensis, 68: can- 69; tenera, Ophioglossum, about the habitat of, s15:4 secaliaaiie of, 58; d req Ophioglossum, 115; arenarium, 4 48, 115; Engelmanni, 105; inter. ‘um, pendulum, 58; 47, bes — 58, 59, eee 115, ic 117, iia ‘escens, cae Lewopedicen inundatum 2 unda cinnamomea, 90, 110, 119; Claytoniana, 38, 90, 110, 119; rote, 90, 110, 119 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Parisu, 8. B. The southern Cali- fornia ferns, Paspalum og meee Pellaea, 99; Phegopteris Dryopteris, 38, nexaabiiolen, 13, 89, 108, 110: Phegopteris, 38 Pa HELPS, Onna P. More about the 83; ium, 67; piloselloides, 80; sub- 0, 52; vulgare, 38, 89, 106, acrostichoides, 90, Ze - Braunii, 13; — 10, 98, 1038; pradtck Hoven Pica a ee 36, 37, 38 Porto Ric ressions of the ferns of, ~~ Prothallia of ger neste, Lio Phioglossum and rychium, 83 ‘um squilinum, ag — 119; pubescens, aquilinum Pietaophyter of northwestern On- cage notes on. Pteris altissima, fie aquilina, 89, 98, 108 Rachiopteris aspera, 85 Ransier, H. E. Where Ophio- lossum grows, 45 ReEp.uzs, ae ences in roy delphia, 5: Some experi- unting near Phila- INDEX Report upon a collection of ferns from western South America (review), 118 Reports of the nimi annual, 22 ‘urrection fer: 100 R WSs: erns of Allegheny Co ty, Pa., 54; Flora of Onon- dag: t Va, 217: h American species of Psil 3 91; Report u say from western Rnipidoptecis Eeospstndir olla, ees eliminary ers of the ferns § eS m vulgare, 119 Seed-bearing ferns, 8. Belaginella, 100; areni ‘ ; densa, 77; lepidophylla, 78; mu- tica, ; upestris, me 36; rupestris Fendleri, 78; pin- cola, 77, 78; Unde heel: 78; Wrightii, saw Hed cininaecin * — hilade Iphia, Seovallas Cal Res pel the, 97 Sphenomeris clavata, 83 1 ipa 5 Hoeninghaus, vee mat ON, of New “Mexico, 65 satire ganas ica, Syracuse meeting, the, 11 . Toprrna, <4 D. L. Letter to the Society, 15 129 Tracy, H. H. Notes on Isoétes, 12 Trichomanes arbuscula, 80; capil- crisp 1; rigidum, 81 Fern trips in Vermont Botanical Club, annual eeting 0: field Viola pedata, 80; rotundifolia, 88 Virginia, fern trips in, Vittaria lineata, 81; Sak: 82 More about the baer of Ophiogtossum, 115 WeartHerty, C. A e Ophio- Sas ape 4 WHEE . A. More about the habitat of Aroscmmga pee um s—a ba Wacoal on Maine fern The Syracuse mgpsta 122; Pibaes sere um grow 45 Wissahickon Valley, ferns of, 87 Wo — il — 13, 39, 89; mexi- ob , 89, 107, 110, “re “Phammerae, 76; sc Woodwaridia angustifolia, ©0; vir- ginica, 13 Wooros, E. O. and Sranptey, P Ferns of New Mexico, 65 ERRATUM a Page 84, line 26, for Lygenostoma read Lagenostoma | American Hern Journal A QUARTERLY DEVOTED TO FERNS Published by the AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY Editors: R,. CC. BENEDICT E. J. WINSLOW Cc. A. WEATHERBY VOLUME VI hy) 8 AUBURNDALE, MASSACHUSETTS CONTENTS Votume 6, NumBer 1, Paces 1-32, Issupp Marcu 15 Ferns of Dutchess County, New York......... P.C. Standley Some Horticultural Fern Variations........... R. C. Benedict Schizaea Aeris at Toms River............ Pauline Kaufman VOU Hid Deen = oS a a eee ee American Fern Sasicky yeaa eet) hay Ge Sey Vo.tumE 6, NumBer 2, Pages 33-64, Issuep June 15 Fern Papers in Rhodora (Review)............. R. C. Benedict An Interesting Fern Hybrid...................... A. Hans Ferns of Duval County, Florida........ Mrs. M. W. Satchwell Fern Hunting in the Phosphate Solagyors ee ea M. A. Noble Ferns of Greene County, Missouri.......... P. C. Standley A Collector’s list of New Jersey reali ste Si eh M. Carhart Notes on American Ferns—X.............. W. R. Mazon Fern Grottoes of Citrus County, Florida...... R. M. ia An Adirondack Fern List. 2.0... 00.2.4 3. R. C. Bened Ferns of the om George Flora—I.......... Ae: bike Pepto Gant News... i VotumeE 6, Numser 4, Paces 97-136, Issuep DeceMBER 13 Ferns of the Lake George Flora—II.......... S. H. Burnham Ferns at Douglas Lake, Michigan.......... F. T. McFarland Standley’s Ferns of Greene County, Mo......... B. F. Bush A new Station for Scott’s Spleenwort.......... Clara G. Mark ae POWDORY. a ee Lillian A. Cole Pameriean Varn Boca i ee pean Sas Valine Go vs a bees bee Ampvriran Fern Journal Vol. 6 JANUARY-MARCH, 1916 No. 1 Some Ferns of Dutchess County, New York PAUL C. STANDLEY.! The latter part of August and the early half of Septem- ber, 1915, the writer and Mr. H. C. Bollman spent camping at Clove in southern Dutchess County, New York, upon the farm of Mr. P. H. Christie. Much of the writer’s time was given to collecting plants and he found many of interest to him, especially since he had never before had an opportunity to botanize so far north. While the area explored was not very large, a number of rather rare plants were discovered, as well as several which show slight extensions of range, judging from the lately published Flora of the Vicinity of New York. Thirty-six species of ferns and fern allies were observed, surely a large number for any area of the same size in temperate North America, and probably others were overlooked. While none of the species are rare, it seems worth while to publish some record of them, es- pecially since two represent southward extensions of range, according to Miss Slosson’s treatment of the group in the work just mentioned. The settlement of Clove occupies the broad, open valley of one of the heads of Fishkill Creek, which runs southward. Abruptly on the east and west rise two ranges of low mountains. The writer collected chiefly on the East Mountain, as it is called. This, like most ' Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. [Vol. 5, No, 4 of the Jovrnat (pp. 97-129, plates 7 and 8) was issued 1915. 1 2 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL similar mountains of the regions, is well wooded, at least on the sides, while its summit is broad and flat, embracing large areas of open meadows, broken by numerous marshes or outcroppings of polished rocks. Many springs issue from the sides of the mountain and, uniting with streamlets from the marshes, fall down over mossy boulders hidden in the shade of chestnuts, oaks, elms, and other deciduous trees. It is along these wooded ravines that ferns are most abundant, but some, like Dryopteris Thelypteris and D. Clintoniana, prefer the wooded swamps of the valley, where in September great beds of fringed gentians spread a sheet of blue. The royal fern frequents chiefly the dark blueberry swamps which lie high up on the mountains, but it, too, sometimes descends to the valley. These upland swamps, which were brightened by the crimson leaves of the swamp maple and sometimes by the scarlet berries of mountain holly, occupy hollows on the moun- tain sides, shut in, often, by huge walls of rocks. Above and around them stretch acres of scrub-oak thickets which exactly simulate the oak thickets which occupy the summits of some of the lower mountains in New Mexico, the resemblance being accentuated by the scattered pines which rise here and there. The following is a list of the ferns and their relatives which were collected or observed, all in the immediate vicinity of Clove. A visit was made one day to the Shawangunk Mountains of Ulster County, where there have been found Asplenium Bradleyi and other rare ferns, but during the brief time spent there only some of the very common species were noticed. 1. Potypopium vutcare L. Common on rocks and in rich shaded soil nearly everywhere. - ADIANTUM PEDATUM L. Very abundant, the fronds reaching a large size. Some of the young plants strik- ingly suggest the fronds of A. Capillus-V eneris. Ferns oF DutcHess County, NEw York 3 3. PTERIDIUM AQUILINUM (L.) Kuhn. Abundant on hillsides and in open mountain meadows. 4, ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES L. This was found in but one or two localities and only a few small plants were found each time, growing on moist cliffs in the woods. 5. ASPLENIUM PLATYNEURON (L.) Oakes. The ebony spleenwort, frequently so abundant, is apparently far from common here, being seen in only a few places. It was noticed in one locality upon a stone wall along a lane. Thriving individuals were also observed on the rocks lining an old well. 6. ATHYRIUM THELYPTEROIDES (Michx.) Desv. Very abundant in rich woods, and one of the most common ferns of the region. 7. ATHYRIUM Finrx-remMina (L.) Roth. Not very common, apparently, but some atypical, much reduced plants were collected. 8. CAMPTOSORUS RHIZOPHYLLUS (L.) Link. The walk- ing leaf is as local here as elsewhere. A fine colony was observed on some boulders lying among hemlocks on an eastward slope. A few plants were found in another locality on a small mossy boulder lying in a brook. 9. PotysticHuM AcROSTICHOIDES (Michx.) Schott. The common form of the Christmas fern is abundant. The writer collected plants, however, which afford an excellent example of entropic homoeosis, as defined by Mr. R. G. Leavitt.!. In these plants the pinnae have all been variously modified. In some of the fronds they are merely deeply toothed; in others they are pinnately cleft nearly to the midvein, and in some the two basal auricles have developed into pinnules, while the rest of the pinna is toothed. In a few fronds the sterile basal pinnae are truly pinnate, reproducing exactly the form of a normal frond. Even more striking are 1R. G. Leavitt. A vegetation mutant, and the principle of homoeosis in Plants. Bot. Gaz. 47: 30-68. 1909. 4 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL some of the fertile terminal pinnae, which, also, are pinnate, each pinna thus simulating a normal frond. On one frond there are six terminal pinnae thus meta- morphosed. Only one clump of this interesting form of Polystichum acrostichoides was found, growing with typical plants. ). DRYOPTERIS HEXAGONOPTERA (Michx.) C. Chr. Widely dispersed in moist woods. In Gray’s New Manual it is stated that in this species the blades are “usually broader than long,” while in D. polypodioides they are “‘longer than broad,’ but the statement for D. hexagonoptera does not hold in this locality, where many of the fronds were longer than broad. 11. Dryopteris Dryopteris (L.) Christ. The oak fern was found in some abundance in a damp ravine, growing among moss along with Lycopodium lucidulum. In the recent Flora of the Vicinity of New York it is stated that in New York this fern is not known south of the Catskills, consequently the present record is 4 slight extension of range. Mr. H. Woynar has pointed out in a letter to Mr. Maxon, and it also is shown in Christensen’s Supplement to the Index Filicum,' that the binary name Dryopteris Dryopteris was published before the appearance of the second edition of Britton and Brown’s Illustrated Flora, where it was proposed as new.? 12. Dryopreris THELypreris (L.) A. Gray. Com- mon in swamps and marshes. 13. DRYOPTERIS NOVEBORACENSIS (L.) A. Gray. Well distributed, but not very abundant, in rich woods. 14. DRYoOpTERIS MARGINALIS (L.) A. Gray. One of the common ferns of this locality. The writer was im- pressed by the fact that the fronds were much larger 1P. 32. 21:23. 1913. Ferns oF Dutcuress County, New York 5 than in the plants of certain Missouri localities at which he has observed the species. 15. DryoptTreris cristata (L.) A. Gray. Seen only once, a few plants growing in a swamp under red maples and poison sumac. 16. DryoprEeris CLINTONIANA (D. C. Eaton) Dowell. This, also, was found but once, growing with the preced- ing, but more abundant. 17. DrYOPTERIS INTERMEDIA (Muhl.) A. Gray. Com- mon in damp woods. 18. Fiurx BULBIFERA (L.) Underw. Very abundant and well developed, on moist rocks along brooks, the fronds freely bulbiferous. 19. Fiurx rraaiuis (L.) Underw. Much less common than the preceding. 20. Woops1a ostusa (Spreng.) Torr. Occasional on rather exposed rocks. 21. DENNSTAEDTIA PUNCTILOBULA (Michx.) Moore. Very abundant, some of the fronds reaching a large size. 22. ONOCLEA SENSIBILIS L. Common. One colony of the plants was extensively infested by a fungus which Prof. W. G. Farlow has identified as Uredinopsis mira- bilis (Cke.) P. Magn. 23. PrereTis NopuLosa (Michx.) Nieuwland.! On- oclea nodulosa Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer. 2: 272. 1803, excluding synonyms; Matteuccia nodulosa Fernald, Rho- dora 10: 164. 1915; Matteuccia Struthiopteris and Onoclea Struthiopteris of American authors, not Osmunda Struthiopteris L. In the recently published Flora of the Vicinity of New York the New York range of this species is given as “The region of the Catskills, in Delaware and Greene counties.” The writer, however, found it growing abundantly in a wooded swamp near Clove, along with opteris cristata and D. Clintoniana. He also saw 1 Amer. Midl Nat. 4: 334. 1916. 6 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL cultivated plants said to have been brought from Dover Plains in the Harlem Valley. Fernald has shown recently! that the American ostrich fern is specifically different from that of Europe, and has restored to it its first distinctive name, applied origin- ally by Michaux. Other early writers, like Willdenow, Desvaux, and Lowe, also considered it a valid species, although recent American and European botanists have taken it for granted that the European and American forms were conspecific. In distinguishing the two species Fernald, however, evidently overlooked a recent paper by Nieuwland? in which that writer has shown that the proper generic name for the ostrich ferns is Pteretis Raf., rather than Matteuccia Todaro. The lat- ter name, which has received wide recognition in recent years, was published in 1866, but it is antedated by that of Rafinesque by 48 years. There is no doubt as to the validity of Pteretis. Rafinesque publishes it in the second instalment of his caustic review of Pursh’s Flora,* which appeared in 1818. Upon page 268 of that work we find the following: “137. Struthiopteris, Willd. is abominable, should Pteris stand, being formed of two coupled names, Struthio and Pteris; and at.all events it is bad, therefore Pteretis may be substituted.”’ It thus appears that the type of the genus is Struthiop- teris germanica Willd. The European species should be known as Pteretis Struthiopteris (L.) Nieuwland, and the American one as P. nodulosa (Michx.) Nieuwland. 24. OsMUNDA REGALIS L. Abundant in swamps, es- pecially in those high up upon the mountains. 25. OsMuNDA CLayTontana L, Common. 26. OSMUNDA CINNAMOMEA L. More common, per- haps, than the last, and often growing with it. The plants in this locality seem remarkably uniform. 'Rhodora 17: 161-164. 1915. - *Amer. Midl. Nat. 3: 194-197. 1914. *Amer. Monthly Mag. 2: 265-269. 1818. Ferns or Dutcuess County, New YORK 7 27. BoTrRYCHIUM OBLIQUUM Muhl. Observed in sev- eral localities, usually in open pastures but once in a swamp. Probably the plants were abundant, for when one was noticed careful search always revealed others in the immediate vicinity. 28. BorRYCHIUM DISsECTUM Spreng. Reduced plants referable to this species were collected in an open hill- side pasture. In the specimens collected the differences between this and the last preceding seem very slight and hardly specific. 29. BorryYcHIUM vIRGINIANUM (L.) Sw. Scattered plants were frequent in the moist woods. 30. EquisrrumM ARVENSE L. Rather common in damp shaded soil of the valley. 31. EquISETUM HYEMALE RoBUsTUM (A. Br.) A. A. Eaton. Observed in several localities about pools of water. 32. Lycopopium LucipuLUM Michx. Rather abun- dant in deep ravines, at the foot of cliffs. 33. Lycopoprum opscuruM L. Apparently rare, for it was seen in a single locality. 34, LycopopIUM COMPLANATUM FLABELLIFORME Fern- ald. Very abundant, especially in birch thickets, where it was the most conspicuous herbaceous plant. 35. SELAGINELLA RUPESTRIS (L.) Spring. This was very abundant in one locality on some wide expanses of worn rocks in a pasture near the summit of a mountain. Growing with it were Polygonum tenue and Sarothra gentianoides. 36. SELAGINELLA Apopa (L.) Fernald. Among moss in open marshes, among Drosera, Parnassia, and other bog plants. Wasuinoeton, D. C. Some horticultural Fern Variations R. C. Benepicr The variations to be dealt with here exist in the tropi- cal fern genus Nephrolepis, of which one or two species occur wild in the United States in Florida. Some of the variations found in this genus have been found as wild forms but the large majority are only known from their occurrence under cultivation in florists’ greenhouses. They are none the less of interest to students of wild forms not only because of their intrinsic interest, but because in some cases they show differences similar to those existing between distinct species of wild ferns. In other words, we have in the variations of N. ephrolepis an illustration of one possible way in which species may have been differentiated. In about fifteen years more than fifty distinct forms have arisen from one species, Nephrolepis exaltata. Of course these fifty new forms are not all separated inter se by what would be considered specific differences. Some of the forms very accorded specific rank, It may be added, that, para- doxically, the variations of this one species have gone beyond the commonly accepted generic limits of Ne- phrolepis. The variations to be considered here have all arisen from the one species, N. ezaltata. Other species of Nephrolepis have also given rise to somewhat similar Some HorticuLtTuRAL FERN VARIATIONS 9 horticultural variations but in small numbers, probably because they are much less widely cultivated than exaltata. This species has been cultivated more than fifty years, in increasing amounts as time passed. By 1895 it had become a comparatively well-known house plant with the popular name of “sword fern.” About this time florists became aware that they were growing under this name two different ferns, one rigid, rather erect-leaved, with plane pinnae, and spore-fertile, the other more flexible, drooping, with slightly undulated pinnae, and mainly, if not entirely, spore-sterile, repro- ducing only by runners. These two forms are said to have been referred to the late George E. Davenport of the Fern Society for diagnosis, the second form being — named by him N. exaltata bostoniensis because of its prevalence and possible origin near Boston. The old sword fern then practically went out of existence as a trade species, and the Boston fern was grown in ever increasing numbers. Nowadays the few dealers who advertise the sword fern or N. ezaltata seem always to have it confused with other species, NV. cordifolia or ‘‘N. tuberosa.” True exaltata, as I consider it, I know only as Porto Rican plants collected for the New York Botanical Garden. The fifty varieties already referred to have all come from the Boston variety of N. ezaltata. Beginning about 1900 there has been an increasing number of new forms appearing in the greenhouses each year. About fifty have been named as commercial varieties. Prob- ably almost an equal number have been discarded or are still held for further tests to determine their value. It has been my privilege to study these forms in two ways; first, by frequent visits to the establishments of com- mercial growers where I have seen them literally by the hundred thousand; second, by assembling at the Brook- lyn Botanic Garden a collection of all obtainable varie- 10 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL ties for closer study and experiment. This collection now numbers over seventy different varieties, named and unnamed, and I have ordered for delivery in the near future all European forms catalogued, besides commis- sioning collectors in the tropics to send me wild forms. The varieties of N. exaltata bostoniensis may be roughly classified under three heads: (1) variations which show increase in the amount of division; (2) variations show- ing increase in the undulation of the pinnae; (3) varia- tions showing various degrees of dwarfing. Besides these, the forking of pinnae and leaf tips, the “fish-tail” variation, as the florist calls it, is also rather common. Perhaps the most interesting fact about these variations is that they are nearly all progressive or orthogenetic; i. e., each new form along any given line seems to carry the potentiality of producing another sport showing the same new character in greater development. This is well illustrated in the series shown in Plate 1. The forms represented in Plate 1 illustrate progressive variation along the line of increased division of the leaf. The relationships can be well indicated by setting down — the technical scientific names of the different varieties pictured with the figure numbers and amount of division. Fig Name Amount of division 1. N, exaltata bostonieusis.................. ...... 1—pinnate 2. N. exaltata bostoniensis Piersoni................... 2-pinnate 3. N. exaltata bostoniensis Piersoni Wiitmani, 2.2 3 2.. 2-3—pinnate 4. N. exaltata bostoniensis Piersoni Whitmani gracillima 3-pinnate 5. N i - exalt. bost. Piers. (Whitmani?) Smithi Craigi.. . , 5-pinnate It should be noted that the varieties Piersoni and Whit- mani were really separated in origin by another form, Barrowsi, which was not available when the illustra- tion was made. The complete history of the origin of the 5-pinnate form, Craigi, is uncertain. It may have come through another sport than Whitmani but this se ee ‘ tec age AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Vou. 6, Puats 1. VARIETIES SHOWING PROGR 4 ASE IN THE Le RESSIV 1, bostoniensis. ge INCRE Division or toe Lear. (Named from right to left) 2, Piersoni. 3, Whitmani. 4, gracillima. 5, Craigi. 12 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL will serve to indicate the probably course of its evolu- tion. Smithi, its immediate ancestor, is a four-pinnate form, which presumably came from a form like Whit- mani or gracillima, if not from one of these. The pro- gressive decrease in leaf-length shown in the illustra- tion is probably not to be considered as progressive dwarfing, but merely as correlated with the increase in division. - The forms represented on the other two plates illus- trate variations which can only be briefly indicated here. All of them are Pierson forms (bostoniensis of course excepted), i. e., they have originated in the establish- ment of F. R. Pierson, Tarrytown, N. Y., which has been most prolific of new and interesting varieties. The origin of bostoniensis and Piersoni (Plate 2, Figs. 1 and 2) has already been indicated. It may be added that Piersoni created a furore in the horticultural world when first introduced but is very little grown now owing to its tendency to revert, or throw once-pinnate leaves together with its twice-pinnate ones. The other two, elegantissima (Fig. 3) and elegantissima-compacta (Fig. 4), are both direct sports from Piersoni in which a greater division of the leaf exists. They thus correspond to Whitmani in division. Elegantissima-compacta also illu- strates dwarfing. Plate 3 shows another dwarf sport from Piersoni, one in which no increase in division has taken place, super- bissima, (Fig. 3). Figure 5 of the same plate shows muscosa, a sport of superbissima, showing an increase in division and possibly also further dwarfing. The other figures of Plate 3 illustrate reversionary varieties of two different forms. “Dwarf Boston” ‘Cf. “Some modern varieties of the Boston fern at their source,” — EE nse Garden, 16: 194-197, plates 161 and 162. — pekiniiadudaos ege of reproducing these two plates is hereby gratefully ‘a, AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Vou. 6, Puatr 2. Tue Boston FERN AND SOME PIERSON VARIE * bitioaeasts, 2, Piersoni. 3, siiamuniatuie: 4, ori pe: (Reprinted from the secant N. Y. Bot. Gard. 16; Pl. CLX]T) AMERICAN Fern JOURNAL Vou. 6, Pats 3, Morn Pierson VARIETIES OF THE Boston FERN 1. * Dwarf Boston.” is unnamed soon pes Se Sagha ine! Tigo upahnace dy Pp So ie epliconn 4, viridissima. 5, muscosa. Pie: Shae M A aly ota = (Pie wer isa tech from: ae 8: Bi. OLX) | | Some HortTicuLTuRAL FERN VARIATIONS 15 (Fig. 1) and the unnamed sport (Fig. 2) both are sports from elegantissima-compacta, the first representing a full reversion to a once-pinnate condition, the second, a partial reversion, since it has lobed pinnae. Viridis- sima, (Fig. 4) is the revert of swperbissima, and shows the stiff dwarf leaf of this variety together with its twisted pinnae. In general, reversion is a most prolific source of new varieties. All more than once pinnate forms tend to produce reverts but these appear never to go all the way back to bostoniensis, nor do they ever exactly agree with each other. It should be noted that almost all of these varieties are vegetatively produced. Few or no fertile spores develop, the sporangia seeming generally abortive. New plants are grown from runners which spring from near the bases of the leaves. For house cultivation, the old Boston is still the best. Next come large once-pinnate forms with wavy pinnae, Harrisi and Roosevelti, and the once-pinnate dwarfs, Scotti and Teddy Jr. Whitmani, elegantissima, and Scholzeli are the best sorts of the two to three pinnate. The more finely divided varieties are extremely beauti- ful but require greenhouse conditions for good develop- ment. Plants of these kinds should be renewed from florists’ stock from time to time just as one buys cut flowers, only these fern plants will last months instead of days. It may be mentioned finally that the Boston fern with its varieties constitutes the most popular house plant in America today and is grown for this pur- pose in greater numbers than any other fern or flowering plant. It is safe to say that a million plants are grown and sold in the Eastern States alone every year. Boranic GARDEN, Brooxtyn, N. Y Schizaea Pusilla at Toms River PAULINE KAUFMAN Among the pleasant days given over to the celebra- tion of the twentieth anniversary of the New York Botanical Garden, September twentieth, nineteen hun- dred and fifteen, will long be remembered. At about ten o’clock, members and guests of the Torrey Club, numbering fifty-two, left the New Jersey Central sta- tion in a special car, for the Pine Barrens of Toms River. The Fern Society was represented by Prof. R. A. Har- per, Dr. John H. Barnhart, Mr. O. A. Farwell, Miss Laura M. Bragg, of the Charleston Museum, Mrs. L. Keeler, and Miss I. H. Stebbins, of Rochester, who had been at the Hart’s-Tongue hunt. To my regret, I did not meet our President, Mr. Bissell, who, I have since heard, had joined our partyintheafternoon. Mr. Long also join- edus at the station, which we reached at half past twelve. After our lunch at the Ocean House, we started on our sandy walk. There are many ponds, pools, and sphag- num bogs in this section. Before reaching the first bog, we saw Eupatorium hyssopifolium and E. verbenae- folium, Cassia nictitans } Mariana, and the rarer C. faleata. The exquisite wands , Liatris graminifolia, var. dubia, made the places glow with color. It was said that Hupa- tor’um resinosum was found. I did not see it, but have read that nowhere in the world, except in the pine bar- rens of New Jersey, is this plant found. Tufts of Hudsonia tomentosa and ericoides and the dainty Poly- gonella articulata grow here and there. The first bog, having been reached by this time, gave such treasures as late specimens of the branching white flowered Sab- batia, red root, Lachnanthes tinctoria, Cranberries, Pitcher plants, the three Sundews, the round leaved, spatulate and thread leaved, a tiny Xyris—but no Schizaea. 16 Spc? PE cee Po ek he ear eee Pati Be oy Ph Sie enees zie a 58 ao ea ee eet era ee oh Ae eR 2 el Poe ar es Peer SCHIZAEA PUSILLA AT Toms RIVER Le further, walking over Pyxie and Bearberry past Kalmia angustifolia, Beach Plum and Huckleberry bushes, from which we took toll, down to the pond. It was very wet there, but a number of people tried their luck. At last the long searched for was found—three plants. of the Curly Grass. Mrs. Keeler took first honors by finding two and Dr. Levine the third. In the meantime to those of us who did not want to wade, Mrs. Martin said, ‘“‘though I have often looked for the fern and never found it, I know a place with a greater diversity of flowers; and Rev. Dr. Lighthipe said, “and I know a bank whereon Schizaea used to dwell.’ So leaving word for any one to come who cared to, Miss Jud and I followed our leaders, past the Pennsylvania Railroad station, past the mill where pencils and taleum powder are made, seeing en route the beautiful orange polygala and its relative P. cruciata, Lobelia cardinalis and the dainty Lobelia N uttallii, Aster nemoralis, Solidago odora and S. puberula, Rhexia, the Chain fern Woodwardia angustifolia, Gerardia purpurea, Bartonia tenella, and many other good things. The place was bordered with cedar trees. There had been more, but a fire along shore had ‘necessitated the cutting away of many of them. We were this side of a cranberry bog, separated from it by a little ditch. Our position was now on hands and knees, and the hunt began. Illustrations of the Fern were familiar to me and I had long owned a frond, but in spite of this, did not know just what to look for, until Miss Jud announced the first find. Gradually the eye grew accustomed to the tiny green curls, an inch and a half high and about the third of a grass blade in width, which were the sterile fronds, and the tiny brown pinnae in crowded pairs on the top of a longer, straighter frond which was fertile. Miss Jud found a second one, Mrs. Martin and I each found two plants, which we shared with Dr. Lighthipe, who had none. 18 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL The ferns were in the sphagnum among Lycopodiums, cranberry, sundews, and many smaller plants. Just at this time, a man came along, with fire in his eye, and told us that no one was allowed on the cranberry bogs. We assured him that we did not want his cranberries, whereupon he said that didn’t make any difference. We said we were not harming his berries, and showed him what we were looking for, but you and I can imagine in which of two categories he placed us. However, he left, and if Mrs. Martin had not wanted to get an earlier train we might have made a larger capture. When, on returning, we told of our good luck, others tried theirs, but were not successful. In the sphagnum, which was around my plant, I found another sterile one. Kept wet for days, the fronds took on the exact curl of a corkscrew. Other plants found were the horned bladderwort and a very tiny one, sand myrtle, Eriocaulon septangulare, Eryngium Virginianum, with its peculiar blue gray thimbles, St. Andrew’s cross, and a great many more. To our regret, the purple Bladderwort was no longer in bloom, and we did not find the lovely Pine Barren Gentian G. Porphyria. : At six o’clock came the call for the homeward journey. Box suppers had been provided, and every detail looked after, by our splendid guide, Mr. Perey Wilson, who will always be associated with a perfect day at Toms River. New York Crry Notes and News THE FERN-PICKING Inpustry. The following item appeared in a Vermont paper some time in the past summer: Norges anp NEws 19 Oar Loans or Ferns Over 50 car loads of ferns have been sent this season from gaat ton County to refrigerator headquarters in Pittsfield, Mass car loads are sent from Bennington village each day An article by F. E. Robertson in The Vermonter for October gives some additional information regarding the fern picking industry. He says: ‘‘in the towns of Woodford, Searsburg, Stamford and Readsboro over 50,000,000 ferns’ (doubtless meaning fronds) ‘are gathered annually. These have a local value of some- thing over $20,000. These ferns are picked when in prime and tied in bundles of 100 each. The picker is paid about four cents per bundle—a good picker will gather from 10,000 to 12,000 ferns daily.” A correspondent in another part of Vermont, refer- ring to Dryopteris Goldiana, says, “I recently shipped 1700 plants to a firm in N. J.” and in another part of the same letter, “I am not a collector of plants for sale, but have yielded to the request of florists and removed about 3000” (D. Goldiana plants) “from this location taking care that plenty were left to develop.” This sudden activity in the market for wild ferns is not apparently related in any way to the European war and seems likely to have a continuing development. Judging by the fate of certain wild flowers this develop- ment will probably be attended with a certain amount of destruction and extermination. The transplanting of wild ferns for cultivation in well kept gardens is a commendable practice, and the demand for live plants must be strictly limited as they are perennial. The collection of fronds of the ever- green wood ferns may not seriously injure the plants, if it is done in the later part of summer, and if a proper method is used for separating the fronds from the crown. If some Vermont reader who is in position to observe will report to the JourNAL the methods and conditions under which this industry is carried on and any ap- 20 AMERICAN FerRN JOURNAL parent effects upon the fern growth of the region, we shall be prepared to advocate suitable conservation measures, in case such action appears to be desirable. E. J. WINSLOW. Of further interést in connection with Mr. Winslow’s note are advertisements of the following sort which are taken from a florists’ trade paper: ‘Dagger and fancy ferns, finest quality, $1.50 per 1000.” ‘New crop fancy ferns and dagger ferns, $1.25 per 1000.” “Dagger fern”’ is a name for Polystichum acrostichoides. “Fancy fern” refers to Dryopteris intermedia, which is available for this purpose owing to its evergreen char- acter, an interesting point of distinction from D. dilatata and D. spinulosa. The leaves collected are finally baled in bales several feet in each dimension, and then shipped to cold storage to be held till called out for the retail florist at so much per thousand Jeaves. Has ATHYRIUM PYCNOCARPON BEEN FOUND IN NEW Jersey? If Athyrium pycnocarpon (A. angustifolium) has not heretofore been recorded from New Jersey, the record may now be entered. On June 19 last the Tor- rey Botanical Club carried out a field trip for ferns in the woods near West Englewood, N. J. Eighteen species were found, including the species named above, which was not noted as of particular interest. A few weeks ago, however, Mr. Percy Wilson called the writer’s attention to the fact that it had apparently never been recorded for New Jersey before. The latest flora dealing with New Jersey, The Flora of the Vicinity of New York by Mr. Norman Taylor, makes no mention of this species, and a brief search in other local floras has failed to show any record of it. Herbarium material AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 21 of it has been deposited at the New York Botanical Garden. ae the «? American Fern Society Our First Honorary Memper. The Index Filicum of Carl Christensen is easily the most indispensable of all fern books for the fern systematist who deals with more than local groups. Add to this his scholarly monographic work on the genus Dryopteris and related genera, mainly concerned with American forms, some briefer papers of which have appeared in the pages of the JourNaL, and we have the basis for his election as an honorary member of the American Fern Society. The Society is honored in his acceptance which appears elow. In Vol. 2, p. 52 of the Journat will be found a bio- graphical sketch with a list (not quite complete) of his papers on ferns up to that time. We expect to publish a complete and up to date bibliography in the next issue. We may hope that future numbers of the JOURNAL- may include many more contributions from our first honorary member. R. C. B. To THE AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY: I take great pleasure in expressing My acceptance of and gratitude for the honor which the American Fern Society has conferred upon me by electing me a hon- orary member of the Society, and of which I hope I shall prove myself worthy. I wish that your Society may be continuously grow- ing for the benefit of that branch of botany, that its members and myself are so devotedly studying. I will always be glad to publish in the AMERICAN FERN 22 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL JOURNAL smaller contributions relating to American ferns. CarRL CHRISTENSEN. CoPpENHAGEN, Dec. 1, 1915. ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOCIETY Report of the President for 1915 The year 1915 was one of progress for the Society. In my report last year I asked the coéperation of the members in attaining certain results, and I have to thank them for the response made. I asked for help in securing a file of the publications of the Society, with the result that, where two years ago the Society had no records at all, it has today a practically complete file of its reports and publications and will soon have one of the Fern Bulletin. I asked that local meetings be held: four have been reported, at three of which it was my privilege to be present. I asked for increased member- ship, and it has come, largely as a result of the local meetings. I stated that the Council believed that receipts from the sale of back numbers of the JouRNAL should not be used for ordinary running expenses, but set aside to form a special fund against possible future contingencies. This we have been able to do and still pay all bills for the year, with a few dollars to spare. That these results have been attained is—beside the interest and codperation of many members—largely because of the efficient work of the editors, the secre- tary and the men who have served as treasurer. We have been so fortunate as to be able to retain the services of Dr. Benedict as editor-in-chief. We have had four good numbers of the JournaL and even better things are planned for the year to come. We have a JouRNAL AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 23 to be proud of, and the editors would enlarge it at once if the Council did not stint them as to expenditures. Under the care of Curator Hopkins the Society herbar- ium has been largely increased, valuable additions having been made during the year, as will be seen from his report. So much for the year past; now, what of the coming one? I shall be much disappointed if, when I turn over my office to my successor next year, I cannot say that the Society has 300 members in good standing. There is no reason why we should not have that number and more, but the increase must come as a result of the work of individual members. It is planned to enclose two application blanks with the first number of the Journat for 1916 and if the members will see them properly placed, we shall, without doubt, get the desired increase. Members should, where possible, arrange for local meetings. These will be especially valuable if they can have the aid of some local botanical or natural history society. Members are asked to re- member the Society fern gardens and send in plants for cultivation in them. I suspect that to many members the coming of the Journat is almost the only evidence they have of their connection with the Fern Society. This is not as it should be, for one of the first objects of the Society is to promote acquaintance among the members. I can say, personally, that some of the most valued friends I have came to me through such acquaintance. The best wish, then, for the coming year that, as President, I can leave with the members, is that it may bring to . each, through our Society, at least one new friend. C. H. Bisseuu, President. . Report of the Secretary for 1915 The year has been one of considerable activity in the Society. Four meetings have been held—at Worcester, Mass., Rainbow, Conn., Syracuse, N. Y., and Berkeley, Cal. Three of these have already been reported in the JournaL. The fourth, at Rainbow, was an informal one-day field meeting in late June, attended by Messrs. Bissell, Winslow, and Weatherby from among the officers and by about twenty nature-lovers from the vicinity of Hartford. Under the guidance of Mr. Bissell and Mr. H. C. Bigelow, the day was agreeably spent in exploring a tract of woodland remarkable for the number of forms and hybrids of the shield ferns which grew in it. Some of the rarer Botrychiums were also found. During the year one member, Dr. Charles E. Bessey, has died. Six have resigned: four, after every possible effort to reclaim them, have been regretfully dropped for non-payment of dues. 40 new members have been received of whom one, Mr. Carl Christensen, is an hon- orary, and one, Mr. Seth Bunker Capp, a life member —in each case, the first of his class. The total number of members, not including the single honorary one, is now (December 31, 1915) 255, the largest in the history of the Society. But it is not enough. Probably it is @ comparatively small proportion of the Americans who are interested, more or less, in ferns; and the Society should not be satisfied, nor can it reach its full useful- ness, until it has them all. The annual election brought out the largest vote yet cast—a gratifying indication of active interest on the part of the members. Two amendments to the Consti- tution were adopted, the text of which follows: “Add to Article III the following: Section 5, Any eligible i€ person may become a life member on ap subject to no dues or assessments. All euch for hall be held and invested AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 25 as a permanent fund, the shape of which shall not be expended, but the income from which y be used for og fot of the Society on vote of the Council. entitles for t and other apa moneys may be added to this d at the geod of the Coun Recommended by the Coun oo Article VI by striking out Section 2 and substituting the following This ri ommittee shall nominate officers for the coming year and for- ward the list of nominees to the President before prance! Any be incorporated nap gu eging that yea Proposed by R. A. Ware, E. J. Winslow. and H. G. Rugg. Three species of ferns—Botrychium. simplex, Ophi- oglossum Engelmanni, and Pellaea glabella—have been offered to members during the year. It is planned to make at least one such offering in each number of the forthcoming volume of the JoURNAL. C. A. WeaTHERBY, Secretary. Report of the Treasurer I took over the treasury in April, and this report must include the work of my predecessor, Mr. F. Floyd, from January until April. I found the books in fine shape, they having been most conscientiously kept by Mr. Floyd. So far as the treasurer is aware, every bill that was incurred in 1915 has been paid, and there are no debts of any sort whatever.* Last year the Society had an available cash balance, after providing for bills contracted in 1914, of $6.05. There is in the treasury today, aside from the Life Membership Fund, .34, a gain of $50.29 for the year, a cause for con- gratulations to the Board of Officers who planned the year’s finances. As stated in the report of the Treas- urer last year, a plan for a budget was tried for 1915 *Since writing this — the Treasurer learns that there is a bill not yet Presented for plates for No. 4 of the Journat to be paid from Mlustrating fund one: for that object. 26 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL expenses, the Treasurer being thus able to pay the regular bills of the Society after proper certification without having to send an order around the Council for each bill. The plan has worked well, in only three cases was it necessary to increase budget amounts and those were on account of unforeseen events in the life of the Society. The total of original allowances for the budget was $280.00, the actual expenditure on budget account was $278.08. The same plan is to be carried out for the year 1916. TREASURER’S ACCOUNT FROM JANUARY 1, 1915, TO DEC. bf RECEIPTS oatly On hand Samilaty F, 101b.2 2 004s) ie eae est oes $109.12 Membership dues MOP AGN ae i ae es Fw a Ais . sit ALAR ice ME gh ie mua oer, 4.00 . Hen Rat a 2 SUE DRA Ss Cas Ns rae tes 26.50 oi Rie ep ROE Sieh aan Gee ole irl 203.00 Pit ee SR Spe aed ua Raia Sees. 6.00 i ot aR er gone, We ig hee 6 241.50 Subscriptions RAGA er ia nd Si ey ee es, 33.12 ee es U5 1: Mies eg ole a aa aCe eta Soke ReaD ee 36.38 OVINE re ete ee Oe eae 4.00 Special stating _ are ae ey a tonrey oat Gece Vata 11.50 =f RA Se So rah 7.50 Sale of Back N umbers of DOUENAL (ee ee 28.75 oe inascaspaterec denne, uct Ree Ae ee ea 1.94 $440.69 Lire Mempersuip Funp Received, 1 Life Membership $15.00 ee ee ea ee a a a ec ae ee DispurseEMENTS Bills incurred for Journat in 1914 as per Treasurer’s statement of last year, but not paid until after Jan. 1, 1915 $103.07 r 1915 President's Expense, Postage.......................... $2.00 "aa 5) Sen Se a ara athe ile ella me ge aaa a ee eS ee he AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 27 Brought forward io, ba Se ee Rea oe ae Pee $2.00 $103.07 Curator’s Expense, Supplies.......--..+-+-s+seer ttt 7.40 Editors’ Expense, Posting, Mailing Journal, etc......--- 16.97 Treasurer’s Expense, Postage and Supplies.....-...----- 16.01 Secretary’s Expense, Postage and Printing......-.------ .03 Printing Membership Lists and Letterheads......------- 16.50 Publishing JourNAL, 4 numbers.......----2+++2s+8e00? 208.67 Tncidantal Weponses., 6.66 oy ia ke ee $281.28 $384.35 Cash on hand December 30, 1915......------2sct etc tt 56.34 $440.69 Of the cash balance, $28.75, received from the sale of back numbers of the JouRNAL, is held as a special emergency fund. J. G. UnpErwoop, Treasurer. Report of the Curator for 1915 The Society herbarium has grown during the past year and now numbers 2234 mounted sheets. Eight loans were made to members during the year. The exchange department is flourishing and exchanges have been made with twelve different persons since the last report. Members are asked to send a list of their material first, as the department cannot give out rare material and receive none in return. The collection of Phillipine material, 483 sheets in all, donated by Mr. D. LeRoy Topping and mentioned in the last report, has all been mounted. This collec- tion contains about 180 different species in about 55 genera. Through an exchange, the Society has received a set of the pteridophytes of the Hawaiian Islands from Mr. C. N. Forbes, Curator of Botany in the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu, H. I. There are 259 sheets in this collection, representing 38 genera and 113 species. 28 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Miss F. E. Corne has contributed an interesting set of 30 sheets collected by her in the vicinity of Grafton, Vt Mr. B. F. Bush is credited with 8 sheets from Mis- souri. When the Society Herbarium was turned over to the present curator some seven or eight years ago the material received, as shown by the report issued shortly after, numbered 553 sheets. During the early part of the present year, in looking over some old reports, it became plainly evident that not all of the Society’s herbarium had been transferred to the present curator. Considerable correspondence followed, with the net result that 205 sheets were recovered. It seems that most of the A. A. Eaton herbarium was acquired by the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, where it has been gradually incorporated into the gen- eral collection, and that, by mistake, a Jarge part of the Society Herbarium went with it. As it was not marked in any way, there was no means of telling the two herbaria apart. When his attention was called to the error, Dr. B. L. Robinson of the Gray Herbarium courteously permitted our Secretary, Mr. C. A. Weatherby, to examine all the available material Moreover, in addition to specimens which could be identified as the property of the Society, he very gen- erously presented to it a set of the remaining Eaton duplicates, the whole amounting to the 205 sheets already mentioned. This material was mounted by Miss Una L. Foster and Mr. Weatherby, for which the Curator wishes to thank them. Future mix-ups of this sort cannot occur, as each Sheet belonging to the Society is now stamped as its Property and numbered. Also, a card index is kept which gives the name, number, and place of collection of each sheet, AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 29 Specimens will be determined for members free of charge. All specimens sent in for determination should be accompanied by full and accurate data, and will be placed in the Society Herbarium. All members of the genus Isoétes and all the more critical species of the genus Equisetum are especially desired. L. S. Hopkins, Curator. Report of the Editors for 1915 Aside from the Society membership there are forty- four paid subscribers for the JOURNAL, chiefly public libraries, colleges, and natural history clubs. Six of these were received during the year 1915 and four were lost, two by withdrawal and two by transfer to the membership list. Many sample copies have been sent to libraries and institutions, but to bring the matter properly to the attention of a periodical committee a personal interview is usually necessary. Members who live in the vicinity of large libraries can do good service for the Society by presenting this matter to the proper authorities. Sample copies will gladly be sent at the request of any member who will undertake this work. There remain exactly 30 full sets of Vol. I of the JouRNAL among the back numbers held for sale. These will doubtless be exhausted sometime before the end of another five years, so subscribers who wish to fill their sets should act promptly. From the standpoint of the preparation of the JouR- NAL number by number there is little for the editors to report which differs from reports of other years. We find no dearth of copy. In fact, we are usually one or two whole numbers ahead and the major part of every number comes to us unsolicited. There is little ques- tion that if finances permitted, we could issue forty or 30 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL fifty page numbers instead of thirty-two. Judging by a number of commendatory letters and_ practically none finding fault, the contents of the JourNAL meet the approval of the members. The prospects for the present year include two state: fern floras, two detailed studies of related ferns, and, we hope, a check list which will bring out the almost complete unanimity which now obtains with respect to the scientific names of our native ferns among the various institutions of the country, as well as serve as a basis for collectors. An interesting suggestion has been made recently that there should be prepared a list of native ferns giving the best common names as far as there are any, and proposing new ones where good ones are lacking. We shall be glad to receive the opinions of members both as to the advisability of such a list and as to names which it should include. Un- doubtedly there are a considerable number of members who do not readily accustom themselves to the tech- nical names and who would like a standard list of English synonyms. inally we can only reaffirm that we wish to act for the members: to prepare for publication what they send in, and to contribute as opportunity offers to the general knowledge of ferns. We shall accept anything which adds to fern knowledge, or is of interest in this connection—especially checks to pay for more pages or or for more illustrations. For the latter as heretofore our funds are inadequate and before the year is over we shall probably have to ask some contributors to furnish part of the cost of any plates, as well as to con- tribute toward them ourselves, R. C. Benepict, E. J. WinsLow, C. A. WEATHERBY, Editors. Report of the Judge of Elections To THE SECRETARY OF THE AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY: The undersigned, Judge of Elections by appointment of President Charles H. Bissell, respectfully presents the following report of the balloting at the annual election held in October, 1915: Whole number of ballots cast 305 2-6 Og AON Os ES ee 108 For President For Secretary Mr. Charles ae ogee Home wea 87 WM A WeEMtnerny coe oa oes BE ah opt rae 19 Mr. Stewart H. B Mos i Not votin, Perea orca ngs ge ema Se ae PCG WCRI «vs ck sass cies oe acs 30: 4 For Vice-President For Treasurer ep eg eel moar g fa iE; eae ate Oe Mr; Harold: We Prous sss ia 28 Miss Mina K. Goddard........ 37 BP. James G. Scott.) i... 0s 1: Notrwotmg. i605 ee a eee Mot WOUNR ee ris es See ai, Wee ee ee 100 Election of Carl Christensen as honorary member:< against........- 3 not voting...... 5 TOD Se ee ke wees 94 Amendment to Article III of the Constitution:, against..........-- 6 not voting. ........- 8 for Amendment to Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution: a. 5 § voting. 5 I therefore declare the election of Mr. Charles H. Bissell as President, Rev. John Davis as Vice-President, Mr. Charles A. Weatherby as Secretary, and Mr. Jay G. Underwood as Treasurer, of the American Fern So- ciety for 1916; of Mr. Carl Christensen as an honorary member; and the adoption of the two proposed amend- ments to Article III and Article VI, Section 2, of the Constitution. EpwIn C. JELLETT. GERMANTOWN, PHILADELPHIA, Pa. 31 oa AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Dr. A. J. Grout sends an attractive invitation for a field meeting, next July, at his cabin in Newfane, Vt. He writes that he can furnish shelter for about twelve women and an equal number of men, transportation for supplies and guides for excursions and that his wel- come holds good for as many days as the party wish to Stay. Bedding, food, and, in the case of a very large party, tents would have to be furnished by the visitors. Photographs sent with his letter show an exceptionally beautiful country, and he promises good fern-hunting. Further notice will appear in the next number of the JOURNAL; meantime, the Secretary will be glad to hear from members who think they could attend such a meeting, that tentative plans may be made. Mr. C. H. Bissell, Southington, Conn., offers Schizaea pusilla and Scolopendrium vulgare for postage. The number of specimens which he has is somewhat limited, but he will make them go as far as possible, on the principle of “first come, first served.” ae Will any one who knows the present address of Mr. Herbert M. Mapes kindly inform the Secretary what it is? His address, as last reported, is given in the list of members, but letters sent there have been returned. American Fern Journal Vol. 6 APRIL-JUNE, 1916 No. 2 Some Interesting Fern Papers in Rhodora R. C. BENEDICT During 1915, there were published in Rhodora four papers of especial interest to members of the Ameri- can Fern Society. The papers were written by Prof. Fernald in connection with his study of the flora of New England and northeastern North America, and contain changes in the naming of some well known species. The first paper! deals with the North American repre- sentatives of Dryopteris spinulosa var. dilatata. On the basis of the pale scales of the American form called var. dilatata, together with the glandless indusia, and other facts, the conclusion is drawn that the so-called dilatata of eastern North America should be considered as not so closely related to true European dilatata as it is to the so-called species, spinulosa. His conclusions are partly expressed in the following words: “ Except in stature, broader fronds, and more elongate irregularly triangular lower pinnae, the plant is close to Dryopteris spinulosa and in our northern forests certainly grades into it. As a variety, however, it deserves recognition as Dryopteris spinulosa (Miill.) Kuntze, var. americana (Fischer) Fernald.” Aspidium spinulosum, var. dilata- tum, forma anadenium Robinson is cited as a synonym. True dilatata is recognized from the Pacific coast. ‘ Rhodora 17: 44-48. F 1915. (Vol. 6, No. 1 of the Jovrwax (pages 1-32, plates 1-3) was issued March 15, 1916.) 33 34 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL The reviewer is especially interested in this group of ferns, and has been making it the object of special study for ten years intermittently. As a result of this study he is obliged to dissent emphatically from some of the conclusions indicated above. The statement that dilatata grades into spinulosa is, the writer believes, en- tirely incorrect. The spinulosa group is and has been correctly divided into its three constituent forms, spinulosa, intermedia, and dilatata, by general usage in this country. All three forms are well distinguished, specifically, the writer believes. In its typical development, the distinguishing features of Fernald’s var. americana as distinguished from typical European dilatata are found only in its concolorous scales as opposed to dark striped ones, and its glandless indusia as opposed to glandular indusia. Now there can be no doubt that dilatata of eastern North America differs in these particulars from typical dilatata of Europe, and may well deserve to be separated as a variety of dilatata? but that these characters constitute sufficient difference to separate it from dilatata entirely and attach it to spinulosa seems far from established. There is scarcely space here for an extended discussion at this time, particularly as the writer hopes to indulge in an extended one in connection with a paper on the spinulosa group some time this year. It may be of interest, however, to record some observations made at the Gray Herbarium on the material Prof. Fernald had studied and identified. 1. Americana is not limited to America but occurs 10 Eurasia. That is, in the reviewer’s opinion, dilatata 1s represented in eastern North America almost entirely by the form with pale scales and glandless indusia, but this same form of dilatata also occurs sparingly through- out its whole range. The leaf form is always the same- ? So separated, it should be called Dryopteris dilatata var. american® — “ ope Sees ee FerRN Papers In RHODORA oo 2. A considerable number of leaves, without petiole bases, and therefore unidentifiable on scale characters, were placed in the americana covers, presumably on in- dusial characters. The scale character, however, is too uncertain in this group to make it certain that one or more of these leaves might not be glandless and at the same time have dark scales. A further argument for keeping together dilatata and var. americana so-called is found in the fact that both are alpine or arctic forms, i. e., they require a cold climate. In Labrador and Greenland it is cold enough at sea level, but farther south in Europe and in America, dilatata finds suitable coolness only on mountains. This cer- tainly is not true of spinulosa although this form may also occur in cold as well as warmer regions. The inter grading’ so called between these two is explained by the fact that in the north dilatata is sometimes stunted and no larger than spinulosa, but the two forms are separable on other grounds despite that, and the reviewer believes that Prof. Fernald has identified as spinulosa some leaves which are unmistakably small dilatata. The second paper’ is also concerned with a plant which is part of a group to which the writer has given considera able study but in this case he does not find himself obliged to dissent. Botrychium angustisegmentum (Pease & Moore) Fernald is recognized as a species distinct from B. lanceolatum on the basis of spore and sporangium characters, different life zone, and generally slenderer character. It is a fact that in the case of practically all species of Botrychiwm recognized as common to Europe and America, the European plants are almost invariably thicker and fleshier. If similar forms occur in America they are usually found in the northern portion of the continent. A good illustration is found in the case of * Rhodora 17: 87, 88. Ap 1915. 36 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL B. Lunaria, European and in boreal America. A slender form sometimes identified as Lunaria is more properly separated as onondagense. The same is true for matri- cariaefolium. The writer retained this name for the American plant in the North American Flora because there was not available sufficient material from Europe to justify its separation at that time but it is probably a case similar to that of lanceolatum and angustisegmen- ium. It is, however, a mistake, the reviewer believes, to use for this form the name ramosum as Dr. Underwood did at one time, and as Dr. Robinson does in the new Gray Manual. The name ramosum was based on an ab- normal form of another species, as Davenport has point- ed out, and as the reviewer took pains to verify some years ago. The form should be called either matricari- aefolium or neglectum. The fourth paper’ may well be dealt. with before the third because it deals with a case similar to that of Botrychium angustisegmentum as compared with B. lance- olatum. In this case there is pointed out the differences between the European and American forms commonly known as the ostrich fern, Matteuccia Struthiopteris. Prof. Fernald concludes that the American form shoul bear a distinct name as a species and designates it Matteucia nodulosa (Michx.) Fernald. The differences are found in the size, cutting, and habit of growth of the two sorts, and also in the fact that the European form has black scales on the petioles and the American form pale brown ones. This brings to mind the separation of the American and European royal ferns as Osmunda spectabilis and O. regalis. It is quite possible that this is justified but satisfactory characters have not yet been pointed out, and the problem is complicated by the fact that regalis or some related form is distributed throughout the * Rhodora 17: 161-164 8 1915. _ An INTERESTING FERN HYBRID 37 American tropics. All these forms, including the Euro- pean plant, must be studied together before a satisfactory conclusion as to their separateness canbereached. Only on the basis of the ‘‘made in America” slogan can they be distinguished at present. The third paper® chronologically has the title ‘The American variations of Lycopodium annotinum.” Three varieties besides the typical form are recognized, one, acrifolium, being new. The typical form is transcon- tinental, being distributed from Newfoundland to Alaska and from New York to Washington, also in Eurasia. The variety, acrifolium, is cited as from Newfoundland and Connecticut to Michigan, and also in Siberia. It may be pointed out that the differences between these two are exactly analogous to those existing between L. lucidulum and its var. porophilum. “ Varie- ties alpestre and pungens seem to be the alpine and boreal extremes of the two woodland plants of more temperate habits, true L. annotimum and var. acrifolium.” It is also noted that ‘“‘The ranges of these varieties thus fall essentially into the definite groupings—Europe and western America, eastern America and Asia—already familiar in hundreds of cases.” Brooktyn Boranic GARDEN. An Interesting Hybrid AMEDEE HANS. A very interesting case of accidental hybridization happened among my seedlings some time ago. In a lit- tle frame where I used to raise ferns from spores I had, among others, Scolopendrium and Asplenium Tricho- _manes. In the Scolopendrium pot, by accident, grew a ee -* Rhodora 17: 123-125. Je 1915. AMERICAN Fern JOURNAL Vou. 6, PuaTe4 ae | eee a ee Asplenium Trichomanes, var confluens. Fronds from Mr. Hans’s plant, about 5/6 natural size. Ferns oF Duvat Co., FLoripa . 39 few plants of Asplenium Trichomanes. There was noth- ing astonishing about this; the air sometimes carries spores where you do not want them. In taking the plants out, I found one which did not look like the others. I took good care of the little plant and, as it grew up and became well-developed, it turned out to be a plant iden- tical with one which was found in England in a wild state in 1870 by a Mr. Stabler and is now in cultivation under the name Asplenium Trichomanes, var. confluens Moore or var. hybridum Lowe. It is a very distinct, robust growing and nice form. The fronds are much longer and larger than in the type and the leaflets grow together at the top (confluent). Lowe says it is probably a hybrid between Asplenium Trichomanes and A. marinum; Druery believes it a hybrid between Scolopendrium and Asplenium Trichomanes. Locust Vau.ey, L. I. Mr. Hans’s experience seems to be of exceptional interest. For, judging from Druery’s statement,’ the true nature of var. confluens has remained a matter of doubt in England and Mr. Hans’s observations go far to prove it a hybrid between the hart’s-tongue and the maiden-hair spleenwort, as Druery conjectured. It would thus add another to the rather rare cases of hybridization between plants usually considered to be- long to different genera, of which our own Asplenium ebenoides is a well-known example.—C. A. W. Ferns of Duval County, Florida MRS. M. W. SATCHWELL There are no rocks or hills in our county; it is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean; the soil is sandy. Conditions are not such as ferns generally like, yet 1 In British’ Ferns and their Varieties, p. 77 (1910). i ee AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL they flourish in abundance. In woods a mile back from the ocean, in a radius of half a mile, eleven species grew. I have personally found all the ferns mentioned, except 1. BorrycHrum oBLiguuM Mubhl. I have not found this common. At the first station it grew in an old field under a scattering growth of Magnolia grandiflora; the location was quite dry. Sec- ond station, in a pasture among pine stumps, also dry. Third station, in oak woods near the ocean; there were only two plants, but they were the finest of all. 2. BorrycHIUM OBLIQUUM TENUIFOLIUM (Underw.) Gilbert 1 is In February, 1914, on the outskirts of the city I found a colony of plants new to me, the fruiting fronds had disappeared. I watched the place anxiously; as houses were going up close to the ferns I feared one might be built where the ferns grew before they came up and fruited. However, fortune favored me and I collected a number of good specimens in October. 3. Preris aquiuina L, 4. PTERIS AQUILINA PsEUDOCAUDATA Clute. In pine woods. 5. OSMUNDA REGALIS L. 6. OsMUNDA CINNAMoMEA L. 7. PoLypoprum Incanum Sw. : _ The Gray Polypody, on trees and roofs of old build- ings. i 8. Potypopium aureum L. Golden Polypody. The late A. H. Curtiss reported it as “extending northward nearly to St. Augustine.” I found it grow- ing on live oaks and cabbage palms near Pablo Beach, also on a large exposed root of Magnolia grandiflora on the bank of the St. John’s River, at Ortega, six miles from this city. Not common. 9. Woopwarpia ANGUSTIFOLIA J. E. Smith. An damp places, common. —™” y © Frerns oF Duvat Co., FLorma 41 10. Woopwarpia Virernica J. E. Smith. In swampy places where it is somewhat shady they grow tall and are very dark green. About the margin of ponds in the pine barrens where they are exposed to full sunlight they grow hostel and stunted. 11. ASPLENIUM EBENEUM Ait. Near the mouth of McGirts Creek, Ortega, close to the water’s edge on a pile of old brick was a vigorous growth of several hundred plants. Two years later they were nearly exterminated by a tiny insect. I also found this fern on the banks of the St. John’s river near Ortega. Just back of the sand dunes at Pablo Beach in the shade of some bushes I found a few plants; they were growing well though the location was uncongenial. 12. ATHYRIUM FILIX-FOEMINA Roth. Not common, have only found a few stations. 13. PoLYsTICHUM ACROSTICHOIDES Schott. On the damp mossy banks of a creek, the oniy station found. 14. NepHrRopiuM THELYPTERIS L. In swamps, common. 15. NepHROpIUM PATENS Desv. In rich woods; not very common. 16. Neranopivu Fiormantm Hook. A handsome evergreen fern growing in rich moist places. 17. ViTTARIA LINEATA Sm. Grass fern. Growing on palmettos near the ocean. When the palmettos grew in dry locations the pendent fronds were not more than three inches in length. Where the palms grew in swamps, the fronds were eight or ten inches long. There are two more that should be added to the list of ferns of this county. A. H. Curtiss, in his article “The Fern Flora of Florida,” published in the Fern 42 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Bulletin, April, 1904, mentions Ophioglossum pusillum utt. “This I onee found growing abundantly just west of Jacksonville in a damp sandy spot with Lud- wigia palustris, etc. It has also been found much further south.” “Cheilanthes microphylla Sw. Found by me about twenty-five years ago, on a shaded shell mound near the mouth of the St. John’s River. It seems since to have entirely disappeared.”’ Curtiss reports Botrychium obliquum Muhl., Asplen- tum ebeneum L., Polystichum acrostichoides Schott, as found only in northwestern Florida, so I have had the pleasure of adding a new station. JACKSONVILLE, FLA. Fern Hunting in Florida in the Phosphate Country M. A. NOBLE _ About seven miles southwest of Inverness, the county seat of Citrus County, following the winding roads of the turpentine orchards and phosphate mines, one comes to a circular basin, whose gently sloping sides are broken by three or four groups of rocks, bearing a scanty growth of ferns, mostly Asplenium platyneuron and Dryopteris patens. In the center of the basin is a moist pot, with a few clumps of Woodwardia Virginica. But one of the rocks, the last to be found, is quite different. Almost hidden in the sloping bank appears a small cave, the earth above it bearing a luxuriant vine, whose leafy stems strung with snowy berries hang like a curtain over the entrance. A few irregular rocks form a rude stairway down to the mouth of the cave. Among these grow Dryopteris patens, Asplenium platy- neuron, and A. parvulum. Overhead is a low arch of rock, completely covered with the moss-like fronds of FERN HUNTING IN THE PHOSPHATE CountTRY 43 Asplenium myriophyllum. The sight was well worth the ride through hot sunshine, followed by soaking rain. At about the same distance southward from Lake Tsala-Apopka is an interesting fern hammock. As this term is frequently misunderstood, it may be well to borrow a definition from a Report of the State Geo- logical Survey. ‘‘A hammock is nothing more nor less than a certain type of vegetation; namely, a compara- tively dry soil (or at least not wet enough to be called a swamp), in a region where open pine forests predom- inate. The ground in such places is always covered with more or less humus derived from the trees, but immediately under the humus the soil may be either sand, clay, marl, or limestone.”’ After a long ride through the “cut-over’’ lands of several phosphate plants, where the stumps of the dead pine trees rise at intervals over the low oak scrub, the lofty trees and the green leafage of the hammock is a welcome sight. In this moist shade are jagged, irregu- lar rocks covered with ferns. On fallen trees, and along the lofty branches, droop the graceful fronds of Polypodium plumula; while in the crevices of the rocks, and on the crags, thick as grass, grow Dryopteris patens, Asplenium platyneuron, with its brown stipes; A. par- vulum, with shining black stipes, and very narrow frond: Adiantum tenerum, so strong and tall that it seems abnormal in outline; Pteris Cretica, with long lance-like pinnae appearing like some stout, short- bladed grass; Asplenium firmum, well-named from the plain, undivided form of its pinnae; and, most beautiful of all, the delicate, feathery Asplenium myriophyllum. A few miles further south, following the track of the Atlantic Coast Line, is the flag-station of Pineola: no town, nor post office, but simply a station at the southern edge of Citrus County. About a mile to the east of the station, and near the left bank of the Withlacoochee 44 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL River, is a wonderful rocky hammock; one writer calls it “‘a Paradise of ferns.’ Here are all the rock-loving ferns of the West Coast that can be found in this lati- tude, among them the rare creeping fern with so many different names of which the most recent is Goniopteris reptans. It has two sorts of fronds, one erect and stout, the other long and tapering, and bending over to the ground to take root like the well known Walking Leaf of the Northern woods. Another fern of unusual appearance is the Tectaria trifolata, with fronds 12’-18’ long, 6’-12’ broad. It has scant resemblance to the usual form of a fern, but the large round sori are very evident and unmistakable. INVERNESS, Fa. The Ferns of Greene County, Missouri PAUL C. STANDLEY Greene County lies in the southwestern part of Mis- souri, its western and southern borders being about 55 and 40 miles distant, respectively, from the Kansas and Arkansas borders. 1t occupies the Missouri summit of that geologically most ancient part of the central Mis- sissippi Valley, the Ozark Uplift. The central and western parts of the county consist chiefly of a nearly level prairie, given over to agricultural uses and now possessing but little of the original forest, while the eastern, northern, and southern parts are composed largely of low, rocky, thinly forested hills. The rocks are chiefly Carboniferous and Ordovician limestones, but sandstone is found occasionally. The flora of this part of Missouri possesses many features of interest, for this county is one of those several hundreds in the United States which are “‘peculiar”’ in be- ing the meeting point for the eastern, western, northern, and southern floras. It is a fact, nevertheless, that the FERNS OF GREENE Co., Missourtr 45 flora of Greene County does exhibit an interesting mix- ture of certain eastern, western, and southern elements, as might well be expected from its geographic position. This is not as well shown, however, by the ferns as by the flowering plants; nor do the former include more than one or two particularly interesting species. The phan- erogamic flora consists chiefly of typically eastern plants which extend to the Atlantic coast, some of them being here near the western limit of their range, such as Hydras- tis canadensis, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Bicuculla cuc- ullaria, Spiraea alba, Micranthes virginiensis, Rhexia virginica, Erigenia bulbosa, and Cynoxylum floridum. Associated with the eastern plants are many that are southern or western in their distribution, like Callirrhoe digitata, Cissus ampelopsis, Psoralea pedunculata and P. tenuiflora, Kneiffia linifolia, Megapterium missouriense, Mentzelia oligosperma, Ambrosia psilostachya, Bumelia lycioides, Androsace occidentalis, Salvia Pitcheri, Evol- vulus argenteus, Manfreda virginica, and Othake callosum. The region is particularly rich in species of Crataegus. Twenty-six species of ferns and fern allies are known to grow in the region under discussion, a number in which it will compare favorably with most areas of similar size in the Mississippi Valley. Most of the species have a wide range in the eastern United States, but a few are of less general distribution. Several which are common in the East are rare or local in this part of Mis- souri. Only one of the species listed, Filix fragilis, is found, except perhaps rarely, in the prairie region o Greene County, the others being restricted to the w ooded hills and valleys. In addition to Greene County, the writer has included the region about Graydon Springs, Polk County, only a few miles to the north, a locality of particular interest because of the large exposures of sandstone, resulting in the development of a peculiar flora similar in many 46 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL respects to that of the serpentine barrens of Pennsyl- vania and Maryland. One of the most interesting plants is Selenia aurea, a southwestern crucifer of ex- tremely local occurence. The sandstone deposits here are of comparatively recent formation, marking the course of a large river long since extinct. In the sandstone along the old river-bed one finds many impressions left by trunks and branches of trees, as well as other rem- nants of vegetation. In 1904 Mr. 8. F. Prince published! a list of 17 species of ferns from the vicinity of Marble Cave, Stone County, . south of Greene County. All of the species listed except : one, Asplenium Ruta-muraria, occur in the area here treated. 2 1. NorHoLAENA DEALBATA (Pursh) Kunze. This is a : southwestern species which reaches the northeastern limit of its range in southern Missouri. It is said to occur in Greene County at several places along Sac Creek, but | the writer has found it but once, at the Matherly Bluffs | along the Sac near the northern edge of the county. . Here it grows in a most arid environment, in pockets in : the face of magnesian limestone cliffs, exposed to the | direct rays of the sun. In very dry weather the fronds shrivel, to expand again when moisture is abundant, much like the resurrection plant of the Southwest. The writer has seen Notholaena dealbata growing abundantly in a similar situation in southern New Mexico upon s rocks of almost exactly the same appearance. It seems : to be confined naturally to clefts of limestone rocks; but in spite of this, one instance in Missouri is known to the writer in which plants were transplanted to ordinary garden soil, on the north side of a house, and continued to thrive for several years. _ 2. ADIANTUM PEDaTUM L. Common in many places in damp woods, either along small streams or on north- ward slopes. — bpesorsneeneun gs etc rence ’ 1 Fern Bulletin 12: 42-77, TERNS OF GREENE Co., Missourr 47 3. ADIANTUM CaPILLUS-VENERIS L. Collected on cliffs along the James River near the southern boundary and possibly inside the county. This fern apparently is local and certainly most elusive. Although he has botanized in regions where it is known to occur, the writer has never been able to find it growing 4. PreripIuM aQqui~tinum (L.) Kuhn. Ahuatant locally, especially in the northern part of the county. It grows usually in rather dry soil in thin scrub-oak woods. The habitat of this species in Missouri and in Maryland appears very different from that in which the subspecies pubescens occurs in the Rockies. There the bracken is found in comparatively damp woods, in New Mexico under aspens, but, of course, the actual rainfall in such situations is much lower than in the apparently dry woods of the East. 5. Cuemantues Freer Moore. Collected in crevices of dry limestone cliffs near Willard, but said to grow also on sandstone in this part of Missouri. 6. CHEILANTHES LANOSA (Michx.) Watt. On sand- stone cliffs at Pearl, and at Graydon Springs, Polk County. The species is rather rare in this region. 7. PELLAEA ATROPURPUREA (L.) Link. Very common nearly everywhere except on the prairie, frequenting limestone cliffs or very stony, shaded ground. It often occurs in arid situations; the plants are then depauperate and the fronds shriveled. The species is not confined to calcareous soil, for at Graydon Springs it is plentiful on sandstone, in rather moist places. 8. AspLentum Brap.eyi D. C. Eaton. There is a specimen of this in the U. S. National Herbarium col- lected at Cave Spring by Mr. J. W. Blankinship in 1893. The writer has botanized about this locality several times and has searched for this fern, but without success. No doubt it is very rare here, and it is one of the rarest ferns of the Eastern United States. In Gray’s 48 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL New Manual the range is given as ‘‘On rocks, e. N. Y. to Ky., ‘Mo.,’ and southw.” There is no longer reason to question its occurrence in Missouri, for the specimen from Greene County is undoubtedly this species. Pre- sumably it occurs here on limestone, for all the rocks in the vicinity are calcareous. [Asplenium pinnatifidum was reported from this county in Tracy’s Check-list of Missouri Plants,! but probably the report is based upon an incorrect deter- mination. 9. ASPLENIUM PLATYNEURON (L.) Oakes. One of the most frequent and abundant ferns of the region, occuring in the woods nearly everywhere. It is con- fined to calcareous soil or rocks, preferring considerable moisture, but is able to grow in comparatively arid situations. 10. ASPLENIUM PYcNocARPON Spreng. In Greene County this fern is not common, but it occurs in a few places in the hilly country along the James River, usually in low damp ravines. In Camden County, Missouri, east of Greene County, it is very abundant in places, especially in the limestone sinks so characteristic of that region. The writer has seen it. there densely covering areas of an acre or more in extent to the exclusion of nearly all other vegetation. 11. ASPLENIUM RESILIENS Kunze. This is one of the rarest ferns of the region and the writer has found it in only a single locality, along the Sac a few miles northwest of Springfield, where it grows in deep shade in recesses of the northward slope of a low bank, the individuals being rather numerous. In the writer’s mind this plant is associated with mosquitoes, for these shaded banks are infested with swarms of them, which add little to the pleasure of fern collecting in this particular locality! Another rare plant of the immediate vicinity is Caulo- phyllum thalictroides. oS) eae PENS tee ine Be eee 2 2 apes =: 4 a 2 ‘ ; Seiya Soa ee vas Pere Sane epee ae? ee i i Cpe teay ae pry we ib feat 2 A Ae ES Sasa ee Sues SAL Roe Ee RS GPa paste Bet RS agg i Sa cae ee eee es shh iat ai on ob oly yl Ge fea ied Relea ca om a ieee ee he me ceo sabe ee Sh iS fot ae a e S ye a3 Ee Loree ee hn se dos FERNS OF GREENE Co., Missouri 49 12. AspLENIUM TRICHOMANES L. According to notes by Mr. Blankinship this is found in a few places along the James River. The writer has never found it and has seen no specimens. It may be that the material so identified is really A. resiliens. 13. AtHyrium Frurx-rormina (L.) Roth. The lady fern has been collected only at Pearl, probably in sand- stone soil. Specimens in the Drury College herbarium at Springfield were gathered here by Mr. Blankinship in July, 1889. 14. Camprosorus rRu#IzopHyLLUS (L.) Link. The walking fern is rather local, but often occurs in consider- able abundance. It is confined to limestone boulders or cliffs, invariably in moist shaded situations. 15. Pouysticnum acrosticHorpEs (Michx.) Schott. Widely distributed and often abundant in damp shaded places. It is found in both calcareous and sandy soil. 16. DRYoOPTERIS HEXAGONOPTERA (Michx.) C. Chr. Rather abundant locally. It occurs in many places along the James in damp woods, and the writer has col- lected it near Strafford, where it grew on a rather dry, steep, stony hillside in thin oak woods. 17. DRYoPTERIS MARGINALIS (L.) A. Gray. This has been found in only two localities, at Pearl and at Graydon Springs. It is rare at Pearl, where only a few plants were seen, these on limestone cliffs along a creek. At Graydon Springs it is more plentiful, growing on shaded limestone cliffs. 18. Frurx rraciuts (L.) Underw. This ubiquitous plant is the commonest fern in this region, as it is in many other parts of the United States. It is seen oftenest on lime- stone cliffs, but it will grow almost anywhere in damp woods. The writer has seen it growing luxuriantly under plank sidewalks in Springfield. It often persists for a long time after timber has been cleared away, in open fields. 50 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 19. Finrx BuLBIFERA (L.) Underw. Much less abund- ant than the preceding species, but not rare. It fre- quents moist, shaded, limestorie cliffs, and is one of the associates of Aspleniwm resiliens. The pendent fronds sometimes reach a large size and are very freely bulbi- ferous. 20. Woopsta optusa (Spreng.) Torr. Rather com- mon on shaded cliffs, frequently associated with Filix fragilis. Along the James it grows on limestone, but about Pearl it inhabits sandy soil. 21. ONOcLEA sENsIBILIS L. Known only from Pearl and Graydon Springs. In both cases it grows in sandy soil in thin woods, near the edge of small streams. At one place near Graydon the writer has seen it in a marsh that doubtless is underlain by limestone. 22. OSMUNDA CINNAMOMEA L. Apparently this spe- cies is confined to sandy soil, and occurs only in the vi- cinity of Pearl and Graydon Springs. It is found in thin white oak woods or along sandstone cliffs. At Eudora, near Graydon, it is most abundant, the plants often reaching a large size and forming large colonies. 23. OsMUNDA REGALIS L. So far the royal fern has been collected only at Graydon Springs, where it grows in a restricted area in sandy soil along the edge of the creek. Conditions at Pearl are almost exactly the same, but while all the other ferns partial to acid soil are found there, this appears to be lacking. 24. OpHioGLossumM ENGELMANNI Prantl. Like the more widely dispersed 0. vulgatum elsewhere, this plant is very local in Greene County. Isolated colonies are found in several places along the Sac north and west of Springfield, and a few very near the city. The writer has found it only in thin, dry oak woods, usually on rather exposed grassy slopes. 25. BoTRYCHIUM VIRGINIANUM (L.) Sw. Very com- mon in rather damp oak woods in nearly all parts of the region. List or New Jersey FERNS 51 26. EquisETUM HYEMALE L. Only this one species of Equisetum is known to occur in the county and it is not abundant, being confined to the low ground along the edges of the larger streams like the James and Sac. U.S. Natrona, Museum, WasuinetTon, D. A Collector’s List of New Jersey Ferns MACY CARHART The following list represents collections made by the writer in the vicinity of Keyport and in other parts of New Jersey. Seventy-nine different forms are included, of which sixteen are in the genera Equisetum, Lycopodium, Selaginella and Isoetes, leaving the number of ferns at sixty-three. The list includes all but four of the fifty fern species recorded from New Jersey in Norman Tay- lor’s recently published Flora of the Vicinity of New York and to a certain extent supplements that work, which takes no account of varieties and gives no localities at which the hybrids mentioned have actually been found. One of these hybrids, named here as Dryopteris Clintoniana x cristata, has never been regularly described, ' but the plant is fairly distinct and not difficult to recog- nize. The plants mentioned in the list are ail represented by herbarium specimens. Polypodium vulgare L.; Keyport, rare; northern parts, common . hegopleris polypodioides Fée; Newton, one colony. hexagonoptera Fée; Keyport, common : Dryopteris (L.) Fée; Newton, Phillipsburg. Adiantum pedatum L.; Keyport, frequent. ! Though mentioned in the Flora of Vermont, Vt. Agr. Exp. Sta., Bull. no. 187, 155. (April, 1915.) ©. A. W. 52 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Pteris Pieling L.; Keyport, common. paetaaidaia Clute; Toms River. Cheilanthes lanosa (Michx.) Watt; Milford, Great Notch. Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link; Newton, Phillipsburg. W oodwardia virginica (L.) J.E. Snifth- ; Keyport, frequent. “e areolata (L.) Moore; Rernock, common. Asplenium pinnatifidum Nutt.; Bieta, one colony. ebenoides R. R. Soot: Springdale near New- ton, two plants. Trichomanes L.; frequent in northern parts. plaiyneuron (L. ) Oakes; eget Ae common. serratum (E. 8 . Miller) B.S. P. Keyport, one colony, about twenty plants montanum Willd.; above Phillipsburg, one . colony, 30-40 plants. Ruta-muraria L.; Phillipsburg, Newton. acrostichoides Sw.; Keyport, frequent. Filiz-foemina (L.) Bocahs ; Keyport, common. Camptosorus rhizophyllus (L.) Link; northern parts of state, frequent. Paden, acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott; Keyport, com- ae “ incisum A. Gray; Keyport, occasional. Dryopteris Thelypteris (L.) . Gray; Keyport, common. simulata Davenp.; Keyport, one colony, six plants; Morganville, abundant. noveboracensis (L.) A. Gray; Keyport, com- marginalis (L.) A. Gray; Keyport, occasional. elegans (J. Robinson) n. comb. Lambertville. Goldiana (Hook.) A. Gray; Lodi, Newton. Apparently not previously reported from elas Co. List or NEw JERSEY FERNS 53 Dryopteris cristata (L.) A. Gray; Keyport, occasional; common northward - Clintoniana (D. C. Eaton) Dowell; Lodi; Morganville. According to Taylor’s Flora, previously known from only one station in the coastal plain and not recently col- lected there. . spinulosa (Muell.) Kuntze; Keyport, Lodi. e intermedia (Muhl.) A. Gray; Keyport, fre- quent; common northward. Near Keyport there is an unusually large form of this species with tripinnate fronds which probably is Aspi- dium spinulosum, var. concordianum (Davenp.) East- man of Gray’s Manua Pryopterss dilatata (Hoff.) ) A. Gray; Lake Hopatcong. cristata x intermedia Dowell; Keyport, Lodi, Lake Hopatcong. : rd x marginalis Davenp.; Lodi, Lake opatcong. " Clintomiana x intermedia Dowell; Lodi. a x marginalis Slosson; Lodi. ie “ x Goldiana Benedict ;-Lodi. fs Goldiana « marginalis Dowell; Lodi. eo cristata x Goldiana Benedict; Lodi. . x Clintoniana; Lodi - pues x marginalis “Benedict ; Lake Hopatcong. Cystopteris bulbifera (L.) Bernh.; Newton, Phillispburg. S fragilis (L.) Bernh.; Keyport, frequent; com- mon northward. Woodsia ilvensis (L.) R. Br.; Pompton, Montclair eights. obtusa (Spreng.) Torr.; Keyport, rare; frequent northward. Dicksonia punctilobula (Michx.) Gray; dat Onoclea sensibilis L.; Keyport, commot os Struthioperis (L.) Hofim. ; Lambertville 54 AMERICAN FrerRN JOURNAL Osmunda regalis L..; Keyport, common. Claytoniana L.; Keyport, frequent. Gneen og i. Keyport, common. Kondiant Gray; Lodi. Ophioglossum vulgatum L.; Lodi. Botrychium obliquum Muhl.; ; Keyport, frequent. dissectum Srinecies: ; Keyport, frequent. s “~~ elongatum Gilbert & Haberer; Keyport, two plants. Botrychium ternatum intermedium D. C. Eaton; Newton, Morganville. virginianum L.; Keyport, common. Schizaea pusilla Pursh; Veins River. Lygodium palmatum (Bernh.) Sw.; Keyport, occasional. Equiseium arvense L.; Keyport, common hyemale ‘. ; Keyport, Phillipebure, sylvaticum <. Lodi. Lycopodium lucidulum Michx.: Keyport, frequent. alopecuroides L.: Pons wacdek inundatum L.: ie rt. bi ? Bigelowis Tuck.; Ried. fre- quent. adpressum L. & U.; Key port, frequent. clavatum L.: : Newton. obscurum i ; Keyport, frequent. denclesadesion (Michx.) D. C. Eaton; eyport, frequent. “c “é “é vc carolinianum L.: ; Toms River. % is dea rach flabelliforme Fernald; Keyport, oceasional, Selaginella dehy (L.) Spring; Montelair Heights. us (L.) Spring; Keyport. Isoetes Eilit Engelm.; Camden, echinospora Brownit seca ) Engelm.; ee Hopat- cong, Budd’s Lake nih Nd: Notes and News A FERN CATALOGUE WHICH IS FERN LITERATURE. A dealer’s catalogue which contains names of nearly two thousand species and varieties of ferns with very many illustrations, and which sells for two shillings is really worth a place in a botanical library. H. B. May & Sons, The Nurseries, Upper Edmonton, England, issue such a catalogue. Although it is primarily of interest from the point of view of private fern growers such as are common in England, there are some points of value for American fern students. Ferns are classified from a horticultural standpoint in three groups: ‘‘stove” ferns, which require winter temperature of from 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit; “greenhouse” ferns which need from 45 to 55 degrees in winter; and hardy ferns which can stand winter cold out of doors. In the list of hardy ferns are included several hundred Species and varieties. Of course, not all that are hardy in England would be hardy in all parts of the United States, but any one here interested in growing hardy species could add a considerable number to his list. The list of hardy forms includes as might be expected numerous varieities of common species. For example, there are 139 varieties of lady fern, and 109 of hart’s- tongue, besides numerous forms of male fern, et al. Not all the hardy forms are varieties, however. One finds here American forms which the names do not readily identify, as “Aspidium uliginosum,” “ Lastraea marginalis robusta,” “ Athyrium Michauzii.” It may in- terest readers to know that Osmunda regalis, the Euro- pean, and OQ. spectabilis, the American form, are kept separate; similarly Struthiopteris germanica and S. penn- sylvanica, and the American and European forms of the Dryopteris spin roup. yop spinulosa group ac B. 55 56 ’ AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Fatt Fruiting or THE INTERRUPTED FERN. We have a few plants of interrupted ferns (Osmunda Clay- toniana L.) in one corner of our yard. Last season they fruited twice. In looking through my diary, I read: ‘April 10th: interrupted ferns coming up.’ They fruited in May. e had a wet season and the plants were in good condi- tion allsummer. In September they put up new fronds, both fertile and sterile, not quite as tall as the first set, but well developed fronds. I have never found the var. dubia.A. J. Grout. In fact, I have never found the slightest variation in the interrupted fern. In its near relative, the cinnamon fern, we find the form frondosa, and plants with the fronds incised are quite common, but with the interrupted fern when we see one we see them all so far as my obser- vation goes. In the Fern Bulletin Vol. XV, No. 1, is an article on the fall fruiting of the cinnamon fern by Prof. Clute. In the southern states it has the habit of fruiting in the fall. This has been noted from a number of states, but not reported from the north. It would be interesting to hear if any member of the society has noticed the interrupted fern fruiting twice in one year. H. C. BiGELow. Apropos of Ophioglossum, the members of the Fern Society may be interested in my observations. I have collected it but once, in a wet place in an old mowing lot on an abandoned farm at 1500 ft. altitude. The place had had no cultivation for 50 years or more, but ay had been cut nearly every season. My specimen was in the bog. I could never find another. A. J. Grout. Notes AND NEws 57 Although a number of American florists have culti- vated the hart’s-tongue fern, there has been doubt whether any of their stock was derived from native American plants. We know now that there will soon be one undoubted American strain on the market. At the time of the Society’s field meeting last summer, fruiting fronds of the hart’s-tongue were sent from Jamesville, N. Y. to A. M. Davenport, Watertown, Mass., and from their spores he now has five or six hundred plants in the prothallial stage or showing the first leaf. QUERIES AND HINTS FOR THE FERN Boys AND GIRLS, by an old-fashioned fern-lover. What is the rarest world fern? Is it Asplenium Seelosii? “The rarest, most circumscribed of any known European fern. Only in the Dolomites of South Tyrol.” (Hooker.) Or is it Aspidium haleakalense? “Halfway up the voleano, Hawaii. Nowhere else in the world.” (Hitcheock.) 3 What is the rarest New England fern? Is it Aspidium fragrans? Who knows it well? Who appreciates it fairly? Who has succeeded in cultivating it? With what food? In what circumstances? What are its relatives? Has any other plant its peculiar perfume? When is that perfume at its best? (I gathered it once when it was delicious and it lasted for weeks.) Has any other fern its viscidity? Is it not more like the Woodsias than the Aspidiums? What are its ancestors? Who is studying fossil ferns? J. A. BATES. A FOSSIL FERN FREAK. In a collection of fossils from Alaska assigned to Dr. Hollick of the New York Botani- cal Garden for study there was found an impression of a . 58 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL fern leaf which demonstrates that freak forms occurred in the past as well in modern times. The leaf in ques- tion represents a once-pinnate type but shows in some of its pinnae a second grade of division, a variation which is very common in certain forms of Nephrolepis, the genus to which the Boston fern belongs. FERNS AS WEEDS. Farmers’ Bulletin number 687 deals with the “Eradication of ferns from pasture lands in the eastern United States.”” Two of our friends are noted as especially troublesome, viz., Dennstaedtia punctilobula and Pteridium aquilinum. Three others, Onoclea sensibilis, Dryopteris thelypteris, and Osmunda cinnamomea, are named as sometimes troublesome. Dennstaedtia is the most frequent fern weed in eastern states; Pteridium in the west. The brake usually occu- pies clearings in the Adirondacks though the Jand in this case was probably not being used for any stock. Two main methods of eradication are urged: first by spraying with salt or other plant poison solution; second by repeated mowing, two or three times being ordinarily enough. Another method suggested is really a combina- tion of these two and consists of sprinkling salt for stock among fern growths. In their eagerness for the salt the cattle would practically destroy the leaf growth of the ferns, but there would be also some loss in salt which the cattle would be unable to get. Rutu Houtpen: Tur ANATOMY OF A HYBRID EQUISE- TUM.! A preliminary note on this subject by the author was mentioned in an earlier number of the Fern JOURNAL. 1Am. Jour. Bot. 2: 225. May 1915. Nores anp News 59 In the present paper she presents detailed evidence derived from a study mainly of stem anatomy, both internal and external, that E. variegatum var. Jesupi is a hybrid between EH. hyemale var. affine and E. variega- tum. For this conclusion she gives the following reasons: “(1) It has some of the characters of EH. variegatum, some of those of FE. hyemale, and some that are inter- mediate between the two. (2) A large number of its spores are abortive.” The trolley cars and billboards in Queen Elizabeth’s time, in place of endorsements of So-and-so’s Talecum Powder for the ladies, must have recommended the use of Whozis’s Fern Ashes. At least that is the inference to be derived from a passage in Ben Jonson’s “The Devil’s an Ass,” in which fern asi:es are named as one of several aids to beauty recommended by no less a person than one of Satan’s subordinate devils who was sojourning in human form for a brief period. Cannot some reader of the Journal follow up this reference and determine just what species was used? Members of the Fern Society, especially those who at- tended the Syracuse meeting last summer, will be sorry to learn that the tract of about 700 acres about East Green Lake and White Lake near Jamesville, be Gage OP which contains some of the best stations for the hart’s- tongue and Botrychium onondagense, has been sold to a cement company, and that its many features of scien- tific interest are likely soon to be obliterated. An un- successful attempt was made to secure this tract and add it to the State reservation already existing at West Green Lake. American Fern Society It was intended to offer to members in this number specimens of Dryopteris cristata x marginalis, but that offering has been postponed in favor of a larger scheme. It is now proposed to issue sets of all Dryopteris hybrids of which sufficient material can be obtained, together with typical examples of the parent species for compari- son. These sets will contain at least fifteen specimens, carefully determined (at least in part by Dr. Dowell, who has made Dryopteris hybrids a special study), will have special labels with printed heading and will be sold, to members of the Society and institutions which subscribe to the JourNaL only, at two cents per sheet, plus postage. Mr. H. C. Bigelow, 22 Glen St., New Britain, Conn., has kindly agreed to take charge of preparing the sets for the Society. Orders should be sent to him now and, in case there is not enough material to go around, will be filled in the order of their receipt. Barring accident, sets will be ready for distribution in the fall. SumMER Meetings. In accordance with Dr. A. J- Grout’s invitation, mentioned in the last number of the JOURNAL, a field meeting will be held at his cabin in Newfane, Vt., during the week of July 17th. The meeting will be partly a camping-out affair, but, unless the party is large, nothing extra but blankets will prob- ably need to be carried in. Many of the more northern ferns, including Polystichum Braunii and a good repre- sentation of Lycopodiums, are to be found in the vicinity. Some members of the Society once saw there more of the lance-leaved Botrychium than they had ever expected to see in their lives. Dr. Grout writes that the equip- ment of his cabin includes “1 panoramic view, 3 states and 40 townships; 1 hermit thrush chorus at evening, AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 61 finest on the continent; and a private lake of 3 acres” in which pickerel and bull-heads can be caught. He does not state whether conscription will be resorted to in order to get the bull-heads cleaned. Mr. Leston A. Wheeler, Townshend, Vt., has consented to take charge of the arrangements for the meeting, and members who plan to attend—and we hope there will be a good number of them—should notify him and can get detailed informa- tion from him. Tue Society Fern GarpDEN AT THE BROOKLYN Botanic GARDEN By our arrangements last year with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden it was ageed that this year should see the beginning of a special fern garden to contain a col- lection of native hardy ferns and to include any plants which members of the American Fern Society might send in as a Society Fern Garden. One of the main ideas back of the plan was to provide a repository for plants of rare forms such as hybrids, which in the woods are liable to be lost sight of; another idea was to build up as complete a collection of native hardy ferns as possible. The purpose of the garden has this spring been extended to make it include the assembling of a collection of hardy ferns in general, the idea back of this being to make it possible for anyone interested in fern gardens to see the various species which are available. The Botanic Garden will this year arrange to obtain the various introduced species offered by American dealers. The plot of ground where the garden is to be construct- ed is about fifty by one hundred feet, and lies on a slight slope with.an easterly exposure. At present it is covered with some scrub trees and bushes, but these will gradually be replaced by trees for permanent planting. In the meantime necessary shade is already present. The actual arrangement is still to be determined but there _ will probabk be laid out a rockery, a swamp section, — 62 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL a small artificial brook, and a section to correspond with the ordinary upland woods. Wagon loads of leaf mould are already present, waiting for plants. A list of the species now at the Garden will be published in the next number, but it will be safe in the meantime to send in any kinds no matter how common, for the garden should represent not only species but distribution. ROB As reported last fall, a second Society fern garden has been begun at the Harvard Botanic Garden and a third will be started during the coming season at the Missouri Botanical Garden at St. Louis. These collections of living plants bid fair to become one of the most interest- ing features of the Society’s work. We cannot all have fern gardens of our own; but now we can all have a place where the ferns we find—and especially the rare and interesting forms which might be lost—will be cultivated and given expert care. And all we have to do is to send them in. The Society is much indebted to the authorities of the botanic gardens concerned for their cordial co-operation. The Secretary has only just received word of the death of two of our members during 1915—Mr. Edwin Parsons Wentworth on June 30, and Rev. Fr. Zephyrin Leonard Chandonnet in November, Father Chandonnet was born at Pierre de Bequet, Canada, July 10, 1848 He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church in 1874 and served that church in many places, including Trinidad and the West Indies. At the time of his death he was priest of St. James’s hospital at Perham, Minn. With him, botany was a cherished and zealously pursued avocation and it was “no uncommon sight to see his venerable figure in the fields and woods” about Perham. He had many botani- cal correspondents both in this country and abroad. AMERICAN FERN Society 63 Mr. Wentworth was born at Buxton, Maine, Jan. 1, 1854, and received a high school education. For 34 years prior to 1911, he served as Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of the Maine State School for boys. In this work he made an enviable record. He brought to it the wise and kindly spirit which endeavors to re- generate rather than merely punish offenders, and the sympathy and understanding necessary to accomplish such a result. Under him the School “changed from what was practically a prison for boys with cells, prison bars and walls, to a part of the educational system of the State of Maine.” By an exchange with Prof. Clute, the Society has acquired the volumes of the Fern Bulletin needed to complete its set, and also a duplicate set of vols. 7-20 inclusive. The latter will be available for loaning to members as soon as it is bound. Mr. H. C. Bigelow writes: ‘I have sent in one life membership, two new members and renewals of seven old subscriptions.” Can any other member beat that record of work for the Society? Won’t some one try? New members— Cooper, Mrs. James E., 115 Vine St., New Britain, Conn. Cordley, Mrs. H. G., 79 Ridgewood Ave., Glen Ridge, N. J. Heatley, Miss Macreanst, 23 Howe St., Wellesley, Mass Lombard, Dr. Robert H. | Geoeyalcal Laboratory, Washington, D.C, Rooney, Mrs. Anna K., 368 Lafayette Ave., pe ay NM; YY: Sloper, Harold T., 36 Rusell St., New Britain, Con 64 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Changes of address— Benedict, Dr. R. C., 322 East 19th St., Brooklyn, N. Y. Moxley, Rev. G. L., 444 South Spring St., Los Angeles, Cal. Rossberg, William B., 44 Hawkins St., New Britain, Conn. Stolz, Rev. J. H., 4835 Longley Ave., Chicago, IIL. The address of Miss Ada Tobitt should be Darling, Delaware Co., Pa., not Darling Co., as printed by mistake in the list of members. President Bissell has appointed the following com- mittee to nominate officers for 1917: R. A. Ware, Chairman, 246 Devonshire St., Boston, Mass.; Rev. J. A. Bates; and E. J. Winslow. ° Members are remind- ed that under the present constitution any nomination proposed by three members in good sranding and sent to the chairman of the above committee before Aug. 20th, will be placed on the official ballot. Prof. Frank T. McFarland of State University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., is undertaking a special study with a view to a revision of the Botrychia. He desires specimens both fresh and dried from all parts of the United States. Material will be returned if the sender expresses a desire to have it again; otherwise it will be divided equally between the American Fern Society Herbarium and the University of Kentucky Herbarium. nena cs For sale—Frrn JOURNAL, complete, 5 vols.; 12 vols. and four extra numbers of the Fern Bulletin; anda 30 or 40 botanical pamphlets—12 dollars. Rey. James A. Bates, South Royalston, Mass.—Advt. American Fern Journal Vol. 6 JULY-SEPTEMBER, 1916 No. 3 Notes on American Ferns: X' WILLIAM R. MAXON BLECHNUM OCCIDENTALE, AN ADDITION TO THE UNITED States Frora.—Blechnum occidentale L., an extremely common fern of tropical America at low altitudes, may be reported from the United States for the first time on the basis of a specimen recently received at the National Herbarium (No. 865605), collected near Brooksville, Hernando County, Florida, February 11, 1916, by Mr. J. B. Norton of the Bureau of Plant Industry, U. 8. Department of Agriculture. The specimen (No. 437 of Mr. Norton’s series) grew with others at the edge of a stream in deciduous woods, in high hammock land. Brooksville is situated in western middle Florida, 40 miles almost due north of Tampa. The region is one in which Blechnum occidentale might reasonably be expected to occur naturally, and there is no reason to suppose that it is not native where discovered, notwith- standing that a Plant Introduction Garden of the Bureau of Plant Industry is located not many miles distant. At the writer’s request Mr. Norton has kindly sub- mitted the following notes relating to the discovery of this species: ‘‘When at Brooksville, Florida, in February, 1916, as I was being driven out to the Plant Introduction Garden 1 Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu- tion. [Vol. 6, No. 2 of the Journat (pages 33-64, plate 4) was issued June 15, 1916.] 65 66 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL the first day, I noticed near the road a small stream meandering through the low virgin forest which still occupies some of this region. The stream had steep banks, much like those of a drainage ditch, where it had cut through the hard clay subsoil for about 6 or 8 feet. Growing just about the dividing line between the sandy soil and the clay subsoil were these ferns that I have numbered 436! and 437. On February 11th I made a trip back to this stream to get these specimens and was surprised to find two species occupying the same habitat. I did not find either one on the level of the woodland nearby, where Asplenium platyneuron was growing abundantly. I saw one other brook of this type in the region, but unfortunately the woodland around it had been cleared away and the ferns that had been there recently had disappeared. “The woodland where these ferns grew is about 300 feet above sea level and about 50 feet below the crest of the high hammock which runs through this part of Florida. Their plant associates were those normal to the hardwood forest of this region, namely, live-oaks, persimmon, Crataegus, Smilax, Tilia, Vitis, Tillandsia, Habenaria, and Epidendrum. While there are intro- duced plants in this region, they are either weeds or weed-like flowering plants that have escaped from gar- dens around Brooksville. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that either of these ferns (Blechnum occi- dentale and Polypodium pectinatum) has been brought to this region.” The probability that B. occidentale would be dis- covered at some point of the Gulf Coast region had previously been pointed out.2 Rance or Woopwarpia sPINULOsA Mart. & GAL-— This species, which has been known in the United States 1No. 436 is Polypodium pectinatum 1.. 2 Amer. Fern Journ. 4: 16 4 Notes oN AMERICAN FERNS: X 67 hitherto from Arizona, California, Oregon, and Wash- ington, has been collected in Nevada by Mr. E. A. Gold- man, of the Bureau of the Biological Survey, U. 5. Department of Agriculture, the specimen (No. 2441) being from Charleston, altitude 4000 feet, November 18, 1914 (National Herbarium, No. 664606). Charles- ton is in the extreme northeastern part of Nevada, only 10 or 15. miles from the Idaho boundary. The known range is thus widely extended. The British Columbia range of Woodwardia spinulosa apparently rests on two records. The first relates to specimens listed by Macoun! as W. radicans var. ameri- cana, from Texada Island, Gulf of Georgia (east of Van- couver Island), collected by Anderson in August, 1897, the record being then a new one for Canada. The second has to do with specimens in cultivation at Kew ‘from a small island off Vancouver Island,” which were described by Wright? as a new species, Woodwardia paradoxa. Neither material has been seen by the writer, but there can be small doubt that both represent the common W. spinulosa of the west coast of the United States. The distinctive characters of this fern in com- parison with the Old World W. radicans have been pointed out by several American writers, most recently by Underwood! in a forceful criticism of certain taxo- nomic practices abroad. Tue Stratus oF PELLABA RAFAELENSIS.—In a recent number of this Journat! Mr. George L. Moxley pro- posed a new species, Pellaea rafaelensis, the type and sole specimen known being of his own collection (No. 214), from Scholl’s Canyon, San Rafael Hills, Los Angeles County, California, May 30, 1914. The plant was illustrated and was compared briefly with P. andro- 1 Ottawa Naturalist, 13: 169. 1899. ?Gardn. Chron. Ill. 41: 98. 1907. 3 Torreya, 7: 73-76. 1907. 45: 107, 108, pl. 8. 1915. 68 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL medaefolia (Kaulf.) Fée, its supposed nearest ally. From description and illustration the material appeared to the writer as probably no more than a luxuriant form of P. andromedaefolia, and a critical examination of the type, courteously lent by Mr. Moxley, has confirmed this view. The extent of variation within P. androme- daefolia is extremely great, even in. a limited series of specimens, the differences seemingly dependent on con- ditions of moisture supply and insolation. The present specimen is exactly matched by other material in the National Herbarium from neighboring parts of south- ern California and is connected by numerous intermedi- ate specimens with the commoner, more congested forms having smaller segments. Wasuineton, D. The Fern Grottoes of Citrus County, Florida ROLAND M. HARPER In the extreme southeastern part of Citrus County, Florida, on the border between the lime-sink and Gulf hammock regions,! in about latitude 28° 40’, are some limestone cliffs, chasms and grottoes, notable for their rare ferns, some of which are tropical species which do not range much farther north, and some are confined to Florida. Before describing the place it will be in order to sketch the history of its exploration by botan- ists, as far as known. The first botanist to visit the locality seems to have been A. H. Curtiss, in April, 1881, which was a year or two after the publication of D. C. Eaton’s Ferns of North America. Just what clue brought him there is not known; there were no railroads in the neighborhood 1For map showing location of th R Fla. Geol Surv, pl. 16 ese regions see 3d Ann. ep. FERN GROTTOES OF FLORIDA 69 at the time, and he drove through the country from Gainesville, about 75 miles away. The ferns he dis- tributed from there (using the names printed on his labels) were Asplenium firmum (No. 3723*), A. myrio- phyllum (No. 3728), and Aspidium trifoliatum (No. 3752*), the last being new to the known flora of the United States. (These asterisks are not footnote references, but part of Mr. Curtiss’s system of number- ~ing.) They are labeled “Limestone rocks in a forest at the head of Lake Tsala Apopka, Western Florida. April.” As he was then making 125 sets of specimens, they are doubtless to be seen in all the principal her- baria of the world. In the Bulletin of the Torrey Botan- ical Club (8: 99-100) for September, 1881, D. C. Eaton reported the finding by Curtiss of Aspidium trifoliatum “on a rocky hummock! in Hernando County [Florida] in the middle of April last.” In the supplement of the second edition of Chapman’s Flora of the Southern United States, 1883, page 671, the same discovery is recorded. On March 22, 1883, Capt. John Donnell Smith visited the same place or one very near it, and got a few species of ferns that Curtiss overlooked or at least did not collect. His finding of Phegopteris reptans, Adiantum tenerum, Asplenium firmum, A. rhizophyllum, and Aspidium trifoliatum “on the face of cavernous cal- ecareous rocks in a hammock on the left bank of the Withlacoochee River, 15 miles from Brookesville, Hernando Co., Florida,” was reported by Prof. Eaton in the Torrey Bulletin for September, 1883. In 1887 Citrus County was formed from the northern part of Hernando, and about the same time a railroad was built to Brooksville, crossing the Withlacoochee 1 w confined with antrn§ Pah ea stores aes ph iyegts re 1h 29, 1905. The locality w ury. See Science II. 22: 400-402. Sept. oe in Hernando County, and Citrus County did not exist. 70 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL River at Pemberton’s Ferry (afterwards Fitzgerald, now Croom), about eight miles above the fern locality. On February 12, 1891, Prof. L. M. Underwood, taking advantage of this railroad, visited the spot, and col- lected specimens labeled Pteris Cretica, Asplenium firmum, A. rhizophyllum and var. myriophyllum, Poly- podium pectinatum, Phegopteris reptans, Adiantum ten- erum, and Aspidium trifoliatum. Some of them are labeled ‘“Istachatta,’ and some ‘Rocks, banks of Withlacoochee River 2% ce below Istachatta.” In the Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science for that year (pp. 86-87) he ablbehed the following observations: “A still more interesting locality for the rock ferns is on the Withlacoochee River, two and a half miles below Istachatta. This two houses and a store and must be reached from Pemberton, the nearest railroad station. by boat or private conveyance. As the exact locality has never been defined it was by merest chance that we met Mr. F. M. Townsend, the proprietor of the store in Ista- chatta, who conducted Donnell Smith to the same location in 1883. The locality. . . was reached just at nightfall. Here, besides a much greater protiaieis of the species found at Ocala, are found the rare and variable Phegopteris reptans and a great profusion of Aspidium trifoliatum. Other stations are found near Brooksville and farther down the river on either side. In these sheltered sink holes, protected from frost and so far removed from sunshine as to etain moisture in the driest season, these relics of a tropical flora still persist, never attracting the attention of either the native ‘eracker’ or the northern migrant, both of whom stare alike at the sein and his outfit and doubtless wonder what he can want of fearns’. Shortly after that a railroad was built north and south through Citrus County, to serve the recently discovered phosphate mines, and passed within a mile or two 0 the fern grottoes. W. T. Swi ingle passed that way in 1894, and in the Columbia University herbarium there is a Specimen labeled A favlonsiees syrephatuns from FERN GROTTOES OF FLORIDA 71 “Timestone rocks at Istachatta,’’ collected by him July 24, 1894, and distributed by Mr. Nash as his No. 1396a. In the summer of 1898 Prof. A. 8S. Hitchcock walked along the railroads of Florida from Monticello to Brooksville, thus passing very near the fern wonder- land, but apparently without being aware of it. Soon afterward he published a list of Florida plants, based on his own collections and those of Curtiss and several others, and in this (Trans. Kan. Acad. Sci. 17: 96-97. 1901) nine species of ferns, including all those previously mentioned, are reported as having been collected at “Lake Tsala Apopka” or “Istachatta,”’ by Curtiss. Going back a little in our narrative, Mr. Curtiss was there again on August 18, 20 and 23, 1897, and collected in “Rocky woods near Istachatta” the following ferns using his names and numbers): Adiantum tenerum (5961), Asplenium firmum (5962), A. myriophyllum (5963), Aspidium trifoliatum (5964), Phegopteris reptans (5965), Asplenium parvulum (5966), and Pteris Cretica (5967). In the Plant World (5: 68-70) for April, 1902 (pub- lished the latter part of May), Mr. Curtiss published a description of the locality, or localities, in question, which is so interesting that part of it will be quoted here, notwithstanding that the original is still compara- tively accessible. He says: “Tt was early in April, 1881. On the morning of the day before, at Gainesville, I had dropped a $20 gold piece into a liveryman’s hand for a four days’ ride in a wagon with two horses and a negro river. . , Near noon of the second day, we came to a dense forest with wild orange trees on its border. On entering the forest . it seemed as if I had suddenly entered another world, so different of cattle sticking in the narrow mouth of a chasm. had evidently slipped in from an overhanging bank and been held by the horns till their bodies dropped off. Advancing into the dark 72 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL forest I found the surface to be rugged beyond anything I ever saw in mountain regions, being a succession of cliffs, pits, chasms and rocks of all sizes and forms, the whole being covered with and I was then making 125 specimens of a kind. What gave me the most trouble, as well as pleasure, was the splendid Aspidium trifoliatum, then for the first time found in the United States. “The fern hammock, as I call it (the word hammock being a southern substitute for forest, erroneously compounded with hum- The ferns most abundant are Asplenium myriophyllum, A. firmum and A. parvulum, Pteris cretica, Adiantum tenerum, Aspidium patens and A. trifoliatum. On my first visit, when I struck another from falling backward from a ledge of rock over a sharp rock below. A day or two later a prominent citizen while hunting in the same hammock had his back broken and died after thirty-six hours of intense suffering. . . , “Of the exquisite Asplenium myriophyllum there are two marked forms in this locality, and I have given both of them wide distribu- tion. It seems that they differ only in size, but there is no apparent reason why one grows so much larger than the other.” In 1906 Prof. Underwood (Bull. Torrey Club 33: 193- 195) pointed out that these two supposed forms of Asplenium myriophyllum were specifically distinct from that West Indian Species and from each other, and gave them new names. He also revised the nomen- clature of one or two of the other ferns from the same place. About 1908 Mrs, Mary A. Noble, an enthusiastic fern student living at Inverness, the county-seat of Citrus County, heard of this fern locality independently, and visited it, as well as a somewhat similar place a Cd FrerRN GROTTOES OF FLORIDA 73 few miles farther north, known as Britton’s Caves. She writes me that the neighborhood used to be infested with ‘‘moonshiners,”’ and an innocent stranger was once killed near there on suspicion of being a revenue officer. In January, 1909, I walked from Croom to Istachatta one afternoon, and asked one of the old residents of the latter place for information about the fern grottoes. He told me how to get there, but warned me of the danger of getting lost. For that reason, and also be- cause of the lateness of the hour, I did not attempt to go to the spot then; and over six years elapsed before the opportunity came for some one to accompany me there. In the fall of 1913 the U. 8. Bureau of Soils published a soil survey of the “Ocala area,” corresponding with four topographic maps of the U. 5. Geological Survey published about 18 years before. The southern bound- ary of this survey is lat. 28° 45’, a little north of Floral City. The soil survey of Hernando County, pub- lished in 1915, stops at the county line just north of Istachatta. All the fern grottoes, as far as known, are in the space of six miles between the two surveys, and are thus not yet represented on either topographic or soil maps. There seems to be absolutely no mention of them in geological literature, and apparently no geologist had ever seen them until the time mentioned in the next paragraph. On the morning of March 6, 1915, accompanied by the state geologist of Florida and his chief assistant, I left the southbound train at Istachatta, which is in the northeastern corner of Hernando County. New direc- tions for reaching the fern place were easily obtained, and we walked north along the railroad about two miles, to a flag-station called Pineola, then east about a mile into the woods, which brought us nearly to the Withlacoochee River, opposite Bay Hill, Sumter , Tou. 6, PuaTs 5 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Limestone cliffs i ( ferns. in the bis hammock near Pineola, covered with mosses and ool of water in left foreground. FERN GROTTOES OF FLORIDA 75 County. After leaving the open pine woods which characterize most of the lime-sink region we traversed first a sandy hammock full of saw-palmetto, which did not look very promising for ferns; but just as we were about to conclude that we were on the wrong trail a few limestone rocks appeared, the saw-palmetto was left behind, and we were soon at the desired spot. It is difficult to describe the place satisfactorily. All the rock we saw was on two or three acres, at the edge of the river-swamp. It is a soft limestone, pre- sumably of the Vicksburg formation (Upper Eocene or Lower Oligocene, practically the oldest formation ex- posed in Florida), and has been dissected by the processes of weathering into rugged cliffs and chasms, the highest being perhaps ten feet above the water. Some rocks tumbling against one another as they were undermined by solution formed natural bridges, and there were also a few small caves. At the time of our visit the river was higher than usual, and backed up among the rocks, preventing exploration of any of the caves. e rocks were overgrown with a forest composed mostly of deciduous trees, such as Carpinus, Quercus Michauaii, Q. Schneckii, Ulmus Floridana, Celtis, Morus rubra, Liguidambar, Negundo, and Cornus florida, with Taxodium distichum and Acer rubrum in the wet hollows, the whole making a dense shade eight or nine months of the year. (They were already pretty well leafed out when we were there, the first week in March.) There were also two species of evergreen trees, Quercus Virginiana and Persea Borbonia, and some grape vines and other vines, but hardly any shrubs. The accom- panying illustration will give some idea of the aspect of the place, though the photograph was made under unfavorable conditions,with the bright sunlight coming through the forest canopy in spots. Ferns of all the species previously mentioned, as well as one or two others, were found growing all over the 76 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL vertical faces of the cliffs, together with Thuidium and other mosses. Whether the profusion of ferns was due primarily to the limestone, or to the shade and humus, the protection from wind and extremes of heat and cold, or the exemption from fire! afforded by the river-swamp, the rough topography, and the damp humus, is still an open question. Weather stations in the vicinity report some frost every winter, but the interior of the forest is of course better protected. I was not equipped for collecting specimens, not expecting to get back to head- quarters for ten days or so, but my companions sent living material of some of the prettiest ferns by express to their homes in Tallahassee, and some of them were still growing when I left Florida in the fall. We soon located the probable spot where “a slender sapling” saved Mr. Curtiss from serious injury, the sap- ling of 1897 being in 1915 a box-elder tree about eight inches in diameter. During the few hours we were there I met with an accident a little different from any de- scribed by previous explorers, but due in all probability to the same cause as most of them, namely, the softness of the limestone. I had stepped out on a projecting ledge to reach for the branches of a tree, when without warning a piece of rock weighing perhaps 200 pounds broke off under my weight and precipitated me into a pool of water six or eight feet below. Fortunately the water was only about a foot deep, I kept my balance (and did not even get my camera wet), and the rock did not roll over on me (as may have happened to the prominent citizen mentioned by Curtiss), so that no — damage was done. The latest contribution to the literature about this place is a short article by Mrs. Noble on “Fern hunting in the phosphate country,” in the June number of this 1 Rh only ferns known to the writer which grow in places frequently Ovel are the species of Osmunda, Anchistea and Pteridium. FERN GROTTOES OF FLORIDA 77 journal. (Her quoted definition of hammock on page 43 is spoiled by the accidental omission of nearly a Pa The original of the quotation is in a footnote on 217 of the third annual report of the Florida Goulieeal Survey.) The following is an annotated list of the ferns of this locality, with the names brought as nearly as possible up to date. The identity of some of them has long been in doubt, and the names of most of them have been changed in recent years (perhaps because fern taxono- mists having comparatively few species to work with must keep revising them in order to keep busy), which seems unfortunate to an “outsider” who is not specially interested in ferns. I am indebted to Miss Margaret Slosson for assistance in straightening out some of the names. PoLypopium PLUMULA HBK. Mostly on bases of trees, not abundant. Fern stu- dents have long had trouble in distinguishing this from P. pectinatum L. Both species are reported from sev- eral other places in peninsular Florida and tropical America. Potypopium poLtypopiorpEs (L.) A. 8. Hitchcock. On trees. Widely distributed in the southeastern United States and tropical America. PTERIS CRETICA L.? On rocks. There has been much confusion between this and P. multifida Poir. (P. serrulata of many authors; see Underwood, Torreya 7: 196. Oct. 1907) and both have been suspected of being mere escapes from culti- vation.!. But it is inconceivable that an exotic plant could have become established at this locality at a time when there were no railroads or settlements near. It 1 See Fern Bull. 13: 9. 1905. 78 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL is widely but sporadically distributed, sometimes in artificial habitats, in the southeastern states and other warm countries. ADIANTUM TENERUM Sw. On rocks. The pinnae of this species are usually described as deciduous, giving the impression that they do not remain green through the winter, as do those of the related A. Capillus-Veneris. But it seemed per- fectly evergreen at this time and place. However, it happens that the next day I visited the “ Devil’s Punch- bowl” near Brooksville, which is reputed to be a great place for maidenhair ferns, without seeing anything of the kind; so perhaps the pinnae do not always persist until the new fronds appear in spring. ASPLENIUM HETEROCHROUM Kunze. (A. muticum Gil- bert.') On rocks. Florida, Cuba, and Bermuda. Very similar to A. resiliens Kunze (A. parvulum Mart. & Gal.), which has a similar habitat but much wider range. ASPLENIUM ABSCISsUM Willd. (A. firmum Kunze. See Underwood, Torreya 7: 198. Oct. 1907.) Common on rocks. Also near Ocala, and elsewhere in peninsular Florida and tropical America. ASPLENIUM VERECUNDUM (Chapm.) Underwood, Bull. Torrey Club 33: 193. 1906. Common on rocks. Reported also from Jackson, Marion and Dade Counties. AsPLenium Currisstt Underwood, Bull. Torrey Club 33: 194. 1906, On rocks. Known otherwise only from the vicinity — of Ocala, Marion County. This and the preceding were formerly referred to the West Indian A. myriophyllum and A. rhizophyllum. . . cae ' See Maxon, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. 17: 140. 1913. FERN GROTTOES OF FLORIDA 79 TECTARIA HERACLEIFOLIA (Willd.) Underwood, Bull. Torrey Club 33: 200. 1906. Rather common on rocks, and conspicuous on account of its coarse fronds. Known also from Dade County, western Texas, and the West Indies. Formerly con- fused with the West Indian T. trifoliata (Aspidium trifoliatum (L.) Sw. DRYOPTERIS NORMALIS Christensen. Common on rocks. Widely distributed on Eocene and later limestones from Georgia to California and the West Indies. Until recently referred to D. patens (Sw.) Kuntze. No specimens from Citrus County seem to be in the New York collections, probably because col- lectors did not want to bother with such a common species. Dryopteris FLtormana (Hook.) Kuntze. In rich humus. Widely distributed in the coastal plain of Georgia, Florida and Alabama. No specimens, probably for the same reason as in the last case. Dryopreris RADICANS (L.) Maxon, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 10: 490. 1908. (Goniopteris reptans (Gmel.) Presl; Phegopteris reptans D. C. Eaton.) On rocks; one of the rarer species. Known from a few other localities in peninsular Florida, and in the West Indies. A dozen species of ferns on a single acre is rather unusual in the United States, but by no means unprece- dented. (See notes on the ferns of Scolopendrium Lake by Prof. Underwood in the Fern Bulletin for October, 1897.) : Now for what may be the last chapter in the history of the beautiful fern grottoes; and a rather sad one it is. In July, 1915, there appeared in several Florida news- papers an account of a wonderful cave that had been 80 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL discovered in opening up a new rock quarry in Citrus County, midway between Floral City and Istachatta. The item in the Citrus County Chronicle (published at Inverness), after describing the stalactites, fossils, ete., but saying nothing about ferns, closed with the remark that the proprietor was “loath to desecrate this bit of underground wonderland, but being of a frugal [or rather avaricious?] nature the prospects for turning it into some of the coin of the realm will probably prevail over his regard for it as a geological asset. And there will probably be no dissenters in these parts, for it has incurred great expense to equip the plant.” I was in the West at the time, but on returning to Florida early in October I wrote to Mrs. Noble and asked her if that meant the destruction of our fern lo- cality near Pineola ; and she replied that she thought it did, and “‘sic transit gloria mundi.” But noticing that the item stated that the quarry property was midway between Floral City and Istachatta and embraced 26 acres of rock (while Pineola is about 5 miles from Floral City and 2 from Istachatta, and has much less rock than that), I wrote again to Mrs. Noble and urged her to investigate further. She kindly did so, and wrote me on Nov. 22 that the locality had not yet been dis- turbed, but the presence of some surveyors’ stakes and prospectors’ tools made the outlook rather discouraging. In a later letter she mentioned that the rights to all the limestone rock in the neighborhood had been purchased for $60,000. I also advised her to write for the Chronicle a pro- test against the proposed devastation of that interesting locality, and try to bring the matter to the attention . Of the State Federation of Women’s Clubs, who have recently acquired control of Paradise Key or Royal Palm Hammock at the south end of the Everglades, for the purpose of preserving it in a more or less natural _ An ADIRONDACK FERN LIST 81 condition.! She did write such an article, but it was mislaid in the printing office and never published; so the destruction is probably still going on unheeded. The locality here described, on account of the limited amount of rock above water-level, may be spared until the deposit a little farther north is exhausted; but it seems to be threatened with the same fate that overtook one of the hart’s-tongue fern localities near Syracuse, N. Y.,2 and the only Mississippi station for. Tricho- -manes Petersii.s Any fern student who visits Florida in the near future, therefore, should make it a point to see the Pineola grottoes before it is too late, but bearing in mind the various perils above mentioned. There are no hotel accommodations near, but the place can easily be explored between the morning and afternoon trains in either direction. Possibly other equally interesting spots could be discovered near by, too. CoLtLEeGE Pornt, N. Y. An Adirondack Fern List Ri-Cs BENEDICT The section of the Adirondacks with which I am familiar is notable for the large number of fern plants but the very small number of fern species. The Syra- cuse field meeting of the Society in July, 1915, resulted in the collection of forty different ferns, excluding lycopods, equisets, and varieties. With two OF three days further exploration it would have been possible to find within the confines of Onondaga County nearly if not 1 See Small, Jour. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 17: 41. March, 1916. 2 See Maxon, Fernwort Papers 31. 1900. 3See Underwood, Torreya 3: 18. Fe): 1903; Fern Bull. 13: 6. oa Nothing is said there about the destruction of the locality, but Prof. Tracy told. me in 1905 that the rock (presumably Altamaha Grit) had - been blasted away for railrcad ballast. 82 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL quite ten more kinds, making a total of fifty, a number practically double that of many states. In the course of several summers spent in the Adiron- dacks in the neighborhood of the Fulton Chain of Lakes, Herkimer and Hamilton Counties, I have a record of twenty species which is given below. ‘This, of course, is not a complete list even for the region in question, as fern-hunting as a sport in competition with swimming, tramping, canoeing, fishing, ete., did not by any means come off first in my case, but there were some very interesting points noted in connection with the species found, and it would certainly be of interest to have observations from others who have collected in the Adirondacks, both to add to the list and with regard to other peculiarities noted. Especially if some one has already published an account of Adirondack ferns I would be glad to know of it. The region covered by the list is practically entirely woods and water. The altitude varies from about seventeen hundred to thirty-eight hundred feet. Prac- tically all that is not hill or mountain is swamp or lake. I have been along the shores of twenty lakes and have seen probably twice as many more from elevations. Swamps are frequent with sphagnum in most of them. The swamps are usually covered with larch, spruce, balsam, and alder, while the slopes show beech, yellow birch, hard maple, and ‘moose wood, mountain ash, with some pine and hemlock. The rock is all granitic. Fallen logs and large boulders are everywhere. The list follows: Osmunda cinnamomea, .O. Claytoniana, O. regalis. The first grows in the swamps, the second on moist slopes, and third along streams and sometimes on the lake shores themselves, Long Lake is lined in its rocky portions with royal fern which shows some beautiful color variations in September. Two cinnamon fern plants were seen with marked forking of the leaves and y see AN ADIRONDACK FERN List 83 one of these was sent to the Society garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. “Athyrium acrostichoides, A. filix-femina. The latter is common, the former not very. Dennstaedtia punctilobula. Frequent, at its best in open sunny places, but common in shades from swamps to mountain tops. Dryopteris cristata, D. cristata x intermedia, D. cristata x sprnulosa, D. dilatata, D. dryopteris, D. intermedia, D. noveboracensis, D. phegopteris, D. simulata, D. spinu- lesa, and D. thelypteris. The most interesting thing about this list to me is the absence of D. marginalis, the commonest fern in the central New York woods. Is it common anywhere in the Adirondacks? Do the high altitude and long winters exclude it? As a matter of fact the winters though long and cold are not hard on herbaceous plants because there is such a deep snow blanket that the ground freezes very little. D. simulata I reported some six years ago in Torreya as from the north side of Quiver Pond, a small lake near Fourth Lake. This summer I found it in much greater quantities along a little trickle which made its way under the logs of an old abandoned corduroy road formerly used in lumbering operations. The locality is near Third Lake Creek and south of Quiver Pond. The little stream followed the corduroy road for a quarter of a mile and everywhere the simulata was abundant. Sphagnum is scattered everywhere, and its concomitant moisture. Has anyone ever found this fern in anything but boggy or sedgy situations? : D. dilatata was found only once on Blue Mountain, from three thousand feet to the top about thirty-eight hundred feet high. I have never found it at lower elevations in the Adirondacks. The mountains whose tops range about twenty-five hundred feet do not seem to furnish the right conditions for it- That 1 may oceur at lower elevations is undoubted, but I believe 84 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL that it will be found that local conditions, such as may be found in a very deep cool ravine, for example, would account for its being lower. A correspondent in Eurepe once wrote me that in central Europe it is also confined to comparatively high altitudes. In more northern latitudes as in Labrador it is, of course, found even as low as at sea level, but this is also true of most alpine plants. The special point in mind is the mistake often made, as I did for years, of trying to find dilatata in every broad leaved intermedia in any lowland woods. When once seen it is recognized as a very distinct thing and even when transplanted to lower levels it retains its distinctive characters. I brought Blue Mountain plants of dilatata to the New York Botanical Garden in 1908 which are still growing there and easily distinguishable. Then, too, dilatata is the first of the spinulose ferns to feel the effects of frost which causes the leaves to wither and turn brown in September. Onoclea sensibilis. Common along Third Lake Creek, but becoming less so as the operations of beavers are continually raising the level of more and more of this stream and the sensitive fern or, as Mr. Scott calls it, the bull-moose fern, usually occupies stretches of grassy bank. I remember seeing one considerable growth of Onoclea almost entirely covered with water due to a recent addition to the height of the next dam below. After a short period of this treatment even the bull- moose fern succumbs. Some of the beaver dams are so extensive and go placed that large tracts of land have been flooded with the consequent death of many acres of trees. The beavers were introduced by the state some years ago and are still protected by penalty of a heavy fine. P olypodium vulgare. Almost every large boulder in moist upland woods is covered by large sods of poly- FERNS OF THE LAKE GrorGE Fuiora: I 85 pody, locally called rock fern. Considerable fruitless search was made among such colonies for marked varia- tions in leaf form. Polystichum acrostichoides. | Comparatively infre- quent. Many of the wooded slopes are apparently too damp for it. Pteridium aquilinum. Abundant on cleared neglected banks or competing with berry bushes. Brooxtuyn, N. Y. The Ferns of the Lake George Flora, New York I. STEWART H. BURNHAM The region covered by the so-called Lake George Flora includes the counties of Washington, Warren and Saratoga. Three additional records in the counties of Essex and Hamilton are also given. The altitude at Waterford and for some distance up the Hudson river is but 100 feet above the sea; also South Bay and lower Lake Champlain is 101 feet. Black Mt. on Lake George, 2665 feet, is the highest land in Washington county. Crane Mt., 3254 feet, and Gore Mt., 3595 feet, are well known peaks in Warren county. Several other peaks in northwestern Warren county are over 3000 feet; but Gore Mt. is the highest land in the region. The rocks composing the mountains are largely of a granitic gneissoid nature. Chazy limestone, appearing in the vicinity of northwest Hartford, extends through the town of Kingsbury to Glens Falls, where it is known as Trenton limestone or black marble. Slates occur along the eastern side and in southern Washington county; also along the banks of the Hudson river from Glens Falls to Waterford and along the Mohawk river. Considerable sandy soil is found in Saratoga county and a few sandy tracts in Warren and Washington 86 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL counties. Clay soils occur, specially along and near the larger streams and in the Champlain valley. Much of the soil of the lowlands was deposited when the Laurentian glacier covered the region. : I began to study the ferns of this flora in 1889. Many other botanists have collected in the region, specially about Lake George. Dr. E. A. Burt collected a few ferns about East Galway, Saratoga Co., about 1880: these are preserved in his herbarium. Mr. W. N. Clute collected and observed several ferns, July, 1908, at Round Lake. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cornell col- lected ferns, in 1909, near their home in Cambridge. Mr. Frank Dobbin has collected near Shushan. Mr. Wallace Greenalch, in 1900, collected ferns near Schuy- lerville. Dr. Chas. H. Hall collected ferns at Lake George (probably near Bolton) in 1876: these are pre- served in the Herbarium of the Brooklyn Botanic Gar- den. Dr. Geo. D. Hulst collected at Lake George, in the vicinity of Assembly Point, from 1892 to 1900: at the time of Dr. Hulst’s demise, the ferns were re- tained by Mrs. Hulst, although Dr. Hulst’s other collections are preserved in the Herbarium of the Brook- lyn Botanic Garden. A few of Dr. Hulst’s ferns may be found in the N. Y. State Herbarium at Albany. Dr. Smith Ely Jelliffe collected ferns about Huletts Land- ing, Lake George, in 1886, and afterwards: these are Preserved in his herbarium. Prof. James I. Kemp collected about Silver Bay, Lake George, in 1900 and 1902. Dr. Chas. H. Peck collected ferns in the terri- tory; these are preserved in the N. Y. State Herbarium. Mr. Frank T, Pember has collected near Granville. - Mrs. 8. W. Russell collected ferns near Hillview, Lake George, in 1910. Mr. Frank G. Taylor, in 1908, col- lected near Easton. Mrs. E. Watrous has found inter- esting ferns near Hague, Lake George. Prof. C. L. Williams has collected at Lake George; and has a fern garden in Crandall park, Glens Falls. SUNS Sree FERNS OF THE LAKE GEORGE FLORA: I 87 More thorough search will undoubtedly bring to light, perhaps additional species, and many interesting forms, especially among the mountainous districts of Warren and Saratoga counties, where the flora has received but very little attention and study. Ophioglossaceae OPHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM L. Dry pastures, rarely in swales, bogs and woods; in- frequent. June—August. Glens Falls (Mrs. L. A. Millington) in correspondence with Mr. Wm. H. Leggett, June 19, 1872, says: “ Ophiog- lossum vulgatum, I find in nearly every swampy bit of grass”; Assembly Point, Lake George (G. D. Hulst); Hague (Mrs. E. Watrous); Comstocks (J. F. Kemp); Granville, “rather common” (F. T. Pember); Baker farm near Schuylerville (Wallace Greenalch); New Michigan Pond marsh, W. Fort Ann, Nov. 3, 1900, two small sterile plants growing in sphagnum; southeast of Tripoli; Vaughns; bog north of Round Lake; low mea- dow south of Shushan near the Fly Kill. This fern prefers to grow about little knolls of stony sandy and silt loam at Vaughns; and is usually over- looked on account of its small size. It varies from a few inches to a foot in height and has from one to three fruiting plants from the same rootstock, more than one when the plants are somewhat gregarious. Dry suc- cessive seasons tend to kill it out. It grows quite luxuriantly, between the tussocks of a swale of Carex stricta, about a mile east of Vaughns corners, on the north bank of South Beaver creek. Borrycurum simpLex E. Hitchcock Dry woods; very rare. Woods of sugar maple and hemlock, about half a ~ west of Vaughns schoolhouse, June 23 and July 12, _ 1896 (a portion of the sterile frond fruiting mm one or 88 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL two specimens); June 10, 1897 (unrolling); July 11, 1899. Palmertown mountains, east of Brayton, Lake George, top of the ridge, June 16, 1897; a single plant with the sterile segment 9-lobed and long petioled. Sugar maple woods east of Tripoli schoolhouse, July 13, 1897. Probably often overlooked because of its small size. The specimens have been verified by Miss Margaret Slosson. BotTrycHIUM NEGLECTUM Wood Mixed woods of hemlock and hardwoods; and moist ravine beds in mountain woods ; scarce. May 25- July 25. Burnt Hill, Assembly Point (Hulst); Whitehall (C. H. Peck); Mt. Hope, Putnam mountains; the falls in West’ Brook and near Three Ponds, W. Fort Ann; Vaughns, sometimes under the deep shade of small hemlocks; north of Round Lake. The glaucous plants vary from a few inches to a foot in height. The larger plants are quite fleshy; the sterile segment is divided into 7-11 divisions; the fertile, 2-3 pinnate and much branched. BotrycHium oBLiquuM Muhl. Dry woodlands and pastures; frequent. Aug.—Nov. Lake George (C. H. Hall); Fishbrook Pond, Lake George (S. E. Jelliffe) ; Silver Bay & Sabbathday Point, Lake George (Kemp); Assembly Point (Hulst); ‘‘The dwarf form of var. obliquum with the sterile frond about one inch broad and long and the whole plant three or four inches high was found at South Corinth.” (Peck) in N.Y. State Wine: Report 32: 54. 1879; Shushan (Frank Dobbin), also in the bog north of Clarks Pond; Warrensburg; W. Fort Ann; Vaughns; northwest Hartford; and elsewhere. The dwarf form has been found in mossy woods west of Pattens Mills church and in other low woods. i. FERNS OF THE LAKE GEORGE FLoRa: I 89 An extremely variable species as to size, and the shape and cutting of the evergreen sterile frond. . BoTRYCHIUM DISSECTUM Spreng. Dry pastures.and open woods; scarce. Vaughns; west of Kingsbury; southern W. Fort Ann; east of Fort Ann. Usually associated with B. obliquum and intermediate forms are found approaching that species. The sterile frond is laciniate or finely dissected and varies in tex- ture, the more typical plants being quite thin. BotrYCHIUM MATRICARIAE (Schrank) Spreng. “South Corinth. August.” (Peck) in N. Y. State Mus. Bull. 67: 21. 1903; Vaughns, rare. BotrycHIUM SILAIFOLIUM Presl Assembly Point (Hulst); Vaughns, Sept. 30, 1903, det. B. D. Gilbert. This fern, formerly known as B. ternatum, var. intermedium, grows with B. obliquum: and matures its fruit two or three weeks earlier than that species. The large form of B. silaifolium, known as B. obliquum Habereri Gilbert, was collected in open woods at Vaughns, Sept. 30, 1903. These specimens were re- ferred to this variety by B. D. Gilbert, who said, this was the form Prof. Eaton years ago referred to Robert Brown’s B. australe. This large form has also been found at Silver Bay (Kemp); northwest Hartford; north of Hudson Falls; and near Fort Edward reser- voir. BorrycuruM VIRGINIANUM (L.) Sw. Moist rich woods; not uncommon. une-Aug. 3 A plant, at Vaughns, was collected June 17, 1904, which was 31 inches high; with the fertile part 8 inches long and the sterile segment 16 by 9 inches. The young plant begins to unroll about the middle of May. 90 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Variable as to the size of the plants; the smaller ones approaching B. gracile Pursh. This fern, John Robinson tells us, “never spreads except by spores, hence is not found abundant in one locality.” Hupson Fats, N. Y. (To be continued) Notes and News Notes ON FERN LITERATU RE Maxon, Wm. R. Contrib. U. S. Nat. Herb. 17: I- VIII & 541-608. pl. 32-43. 23 May 1916. In the sixth installment of his Studies of tropical American Ferns cited above, Maxon deals mainly with three groups of Polypodium, respectively the groups of . trichomanoides, P. furfuraceum, and P. squamatum, comprising sixty-four species accepted as valid and more than twenty-five additional forms. In addition the identity of several species of Notholaena is also dealt with. Most of the species of Polypodium are small forms of the West Indies, Central and South America. The paper includes sixteen new species of Polypodium, and two new species in Notholaena. Of particular interest are the characters used in sep- arating the different species, and the conclusions eX- pressed or understood, which may be drawn from the results. Characters of the scales of the rootstocks and leaves are given more weight than characters of venation, i. €., the actual structure of the individual scale as seen through a microscope. The presence of a large number of scales, as compared with the almost complete absence of seales, is not counted as significant, provided the scales in both cases show similar cell structure. It is found, however, that two forms which in general ap- | Notes AND NEWS 91 pearance are almost exactly alike may be easily separ- ated by a study of the scale characters. It has been common practice to use as characters of generic rank definite variations in the venation of which Polypodium contains a large number. Poly- podium has been separated into a number of genera on this very basis but Maxon reports that at least one of these kinds of variation may take place even within a single species. This is Polypodium polypodioides, the common gray polypody of the southern states which is also common farther south. According to Maxon, it is impossible to draw any other line of distinction between leaves of this plant with free veins and others with the characteristic areolation or net-veining of section or genus, Goniophlebium. Polypodium, in the broad sense, has upwards of one thousand species, the proper separation of which into genera or subgenera is yet to be devised. RU. B, Wanted for study: plants or leaves showing varia- tion in the amount of division. ' In connection with the study of Nephrolepis varia- tions, I am anxious to obtain leaves illustrating similar or different types of variations among wild ferns. I should be glad to receive for the Fern Society Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden plants of the Christ- mas fern with deeply incised or twice-divided leaves, as well as similar leaves of other species. R; ©. B. A pooR PLACE FOR FERN LOVERS.—W. W. Rowlee, reporting on a collection of plants from gouthern Pata- gonia,* records only four ferns and one lycopod as col- * Bull Torrey Bot. Club 44: 305-322. June 1916. 92 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL lected there compared with one hundred and sixty-six flowering plants. Who wants to go there? Questions.—If ‘‘hex” means six, why is Phegopteris hexagonoptera so-called? It is an example of a good equilateral triangle. What causes ferns to grow forked? If it is a freak, are some genera more liable to grow thus? Lituian A. CoLe. ANSWERS.—The original description of Phegopteris hexagonoptera gives the reason for the name, in this phrase: ‘‘membranis pinnas oppositas connectentibus oblongo-hexagonis.”! That is, the name refers not to the outline of the frond (which Michaux notes as “almost an equilateral triangle’), but to the shape of the dilated lower portions of the pinnae which are adnate to the rachis and form wings along it. A. W. Orthogenesis (a kind of evolution), that is, an innate tendency to vary along that line. That is as much as anyone knows. All we know is that it is a common variation among ferns taken as a whole. It is com- moner among certain cultivated kinds of ferns, and probably in some genera or species, Polypodium vulgare and Athyrium filix-femina for example. Thirty years ago there were people who could have explained it much better than now. They knew why a leopard is spotted, and a tiger striped. Why? Oh, because the leopard lives under trees with spotted shade, due to their large leaves, and the tiger lives under bamboos and such like which have long leaves and so throw striped shade. 1 Michaux, Fi. Bor. Am. 2, 271. 1803. AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 93 About those questions of Mr. Bates in the last num- ber, the last is the easiest to answer. The following are a few who study fossil ferns: Prof. C. E. Jeffrey, and numerous students, Messrs. F. H. Knowlton, Arthur Hollick, E. W. Berry, G. Wieland, and David White, of America; Professors Bower, Tansley, Lang, of England, . not to go farther. R. C. B. The prize for the rarest New England fern will prob- ably have to go to Cheilanthes lanosa which is known only from a single station near New Haven, Conn. Asplenium pinnatifidum, with two known stations, is a good second. C. As W; We hope to publish very soon an article by Mr. Raynal Dodge containing reminiscences of the early New Eng- land fern students, Davenport, the two Eatons and others, and giving a particular account of the original discovery of Dryopteris. simulata and the hybrid Dry- opteris cristata x marginalis. American Fern Society Tue Socrety’s FERN GARDENS In the last number of the JouRNAL, a statement was promised of the number and names of the ferns now being grown in the fern collection of the Society at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Such a list follows, includ- ing all the hardy ferns now growing there, not only those sent by members of the Society but also the species which were there before the Garden was made a depository for the Society. 94 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Look the list over. If you can add some species not now in the collection, or some interesting variety, send it in, but do not hesitate also to send in good plants of any of the kinds already there. One of the most valu- able features of such a fern garden will be the associa- tion of plants of a given species from widely separated localities. At present the various kinds are represented | mostly by only one or two collections. Now is a good time to collect plants for transplanting. They should be lifted with as little disturbance as pos- sible, the roots wrapped in moist paper or moss, and firmly tied. It is a good plan to cut back some of the leaves and is often more convenient in packing. Send by parcel post or express to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Washington Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y NATIVE SPECIES AND VARIETIES Adiantum pedatum Anchistea virginica Asplenium platyneuron Trichomanes Athyrium acrostichoides . filiz-femina Botrychium obliquum - silaifolium virginianum Camptosorus rhizophyllus Cystopteris bulbifera ie : ‘é fragilis Dennstaedtia punctilobula Dr ty ie cristata cristata x intermedia ( Boottii) hexagonoptera ine ene AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY sila haces intermedia * marginalis marginalis noveboracensis stmulata ¢ Thelypteris Lorinseria areolata Lygodium palmatum Onoclea sensibilis dia aes cinnamomea pie tote “cs galis = Phyllitis Séolopenium Polypodium vu Polystichum iuinelouie . Ks bipinnate form “s Braunii Pteretis nodulosa Pteridium aquilinum Woodsia ilvensis ForEIGN SPECIES AND VARIETIES Athyrium filiz-femina Victoriae “ “cc multi fidum ins ce setig erum . . Craigi laciniatum * Goringianum pictum Dryopteris erythrosora : dilatata eS filix-mas ° hirtipes ee coe Pindert” P. hyllitis eles and pipsrastri varieties Sa peaee guna tosum” 96 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Mr. Davis bs oho one hundred species, representing eight genera’”’ at the Missouri garden. A detailed re- port on this garden will be given later. R. C. B. The duplicate set of the Fern Bulletin recently ac- quired by the Society and comprising volumes 7 to 20 inclusive has just been bound and is now available for lending to such members as may wish to borrow it. The volumes wil! be sent out on the same terms as loans from the herbarium, namely, payment of post- age both ways; and application should be made to the Secretary. If anyone can tell where copies of Vol. 5, no. 2, and vol. 6, no. 1, can be obtained, the Secretary would be glad to hear of it. If these two numbers ean be had, volumes 5 and 6 can be added to the lend- ing set. More than thirty orders have been received for the sets of Dryopteris hybrids, the proposed issue of which was announced in the last number of the JOURNAL, and Mr. Bigelow is hard at work getting together the necessary material. New members: Cole, Miss Lillian A., Union, Me. Straktanh , Mrs. G. W., Buck Hill Falls, Monroe Co., Pa. Stupp, Fred J., 94 Lake Ave., Auburn, N. Y. Changes of address: Farwell, O. A., 47 Smith Ave., Detroit, Mich. Mitchell, Mis. Mina B., Box 48, Station A, Chattanooga, Tenn. Amvrircan Fern Journal Vol. 6 OCTOBER-DECEMBER, 1916 No. 4 The Ferns of the Lake George Flora, N. Y. II. StewarT H. BURNHAM Osmundaceae OSMUNDA REGALIS L. This fern is frequent throughout the region in swamps, damp old fields and woods. May—Aug. It is often found growing in shallow water about the margin of sphagnum marshes, where it attains the height of 6 feet. OSMUNDA CINNAMOMEA L. Low grounds and swampy woods; common. May-— une, A tall fern with a large rootstock, from which spring a circular cluster of fronds. The fertile fronds unroll in the early spring: the sterile do not attain their growth until in the summer. Sometimes confused with Clay- ton’s Fern, when not fruiting: but the base of the stipes retain some of the ferruginous wool: and the sterile pinnae with small tufts of tomentum at their bases, are thicker, darker green, and the segments less obtuse. The form rronposa (Torr. & Gray) Britton is occa- sionally met with; the fronds may be sterile below or above or on one side. This fern was first noted in swamps at Cambridge in Lewis C. Beck’s “Botany of the Northern and Middle States,’ 1st ed.: 457. Al- [No. 3 of the Journax (6: pp. 65-96, plate 5) was issued Sept. 26, 1916] 97 98 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL bany 1833, where it was wrongly ascribed to O. Clay- toniana. Prof. Alphonso Wood in early editions of “A Class-Book of Botany,’ also describes it under the name O. Claytoniana and refers to the Cambridge plants: but Dr. John Torrey, in his “A Flora of the State of New York” 2: 503. 1843, describes it as the var. frondosa, and says it has been found near Cam- bridge (Dr. M. Stevenson), as well as at Stillwater (Dr. Fitch). Dr. Stevenson’s Cambridge specimens were preserved in an old collection at the N. Y. State Herbarium. The form incisa (Huntington) Gilbert, with the sterile pinnae more or less incised, has been found at Hampton (F. G. Taylor), Aug. 31, 1908; the woods southeast of Oneida, near Halfway brook; and east of Tripoli. At Tripoli some of the plants approached f. bipinnatifida Clute. OsmUNDA CLAYTONIANA L. Often growing Msg the preceding fern: and about as common. May-Jun The form pusta (Grout) Clute has been met with east of Tripoli. The sterile pinnae take the place of the fertile ones; on the edge of which, imperfect spor- angia were visible: and the pinnae were more incised than usual. Polypodiaceae ONOCLEA SENSIBILIS L. Shaded swamps, wet places and low meadows; com- mon. July—Oct This fern siodunis two kinds of fronds; the sterile are triangular and herbaceous, quickly baraink black after the first frosts. The fertile are much contracted, with berry-like segments and persist until the following ' spring. Vi asiins with the ect rather Bred cut FERNS OF THE LAKE GEORGE FLORA—II 99 were collected at Clarks Pond, west of Shushan, Sept. 21, 1907. A form, the var. obtusilobata (Schkuhr) Torr., with sterile fronds, bearing a few abortive pinnae is occa- sionally met with, where the plants have suffered in- jury. ‘It was first detected, many years ago by Dr. Jed. Smith, in Salem.”’ Torrey’s, ‘Flora of the State of N. Y.’’ 2: 499. 1848. This fine specimen from Salem is preserved ‘in herb. Sartwell” at Hamilton College, according to Paine’s, “Catalogue of Plants of Oneida County and Vicinity.” N. Y. State Cab. Rep’t 18: 179. 1865. This form has also been found at Vaughns. PTERETIS NoDULOSA (Mx.) Nieuwl. Wet woods, usually in alluvial soil along larger streams in thickets; infrequent. July—Oct. Glens Falls (Hulst); Silver Bay (Kemp); Huletts Landing (Jelliffe); Hague (Mrs. E. Watrous); from French Mt., southern W. Fort Ann and South Bay southward to Round Lake, Coveville and Shushan. Along the Battenkill, near Shushan, fine plants grow; the sterile frond over 514 feet high and the stipe covered with a bloom. This fern is not so often met with in the western part of the region. Like the Osmundas, the numerous sterile fronds arise from stout ascending rootstocks: but the curious, dark-brown, firm, pinnate fertile fronds, do not appear until late in the season. The fertile fronds persist until the following spring. This fern was formerly known as Matteuccia Struthiopteris and Onoclea Struthi- opteris of American authors. Woopsta 1tvensis (L.) R. Br. Exposed granitic rocks on mountains; local. July- \ i i * ‘: 100 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Lake George and vicinity (Mrs. Watrous) (Hulst) (Kemp) (Jelliffe); Ticonderoga, Essex county (I. Eights, in an old collection at N. Y. State herbarium); Dresden Station (Peck); rocks near South Granville (Pember); Willard Mt. (Taylor); DeRidder hill near Schuyler- ville (Greenalch); South Bay; French Mt.; mountains in W. Fort Ann; Peaked Rock and near Shushan. Variable. A pretty little fern growing in dense tufts, found usually at higher elevations in the northern part of the region: but sometimes a few dwarf plants are met with in old rocky pastures, at lower altitudes. Woopsia optusa (Spreng.) Torr. Rocky shaded places and old pastures about lime- stone rocks; infrequent. July-Oct. Bolton (Peck); Lake George (Hulst) (Kemp); rocks near South Granville (Pember); Shushan (Dobbin); Easton (Taylor); Jonesville, west of Round Lake (Hulst); French Mt.; Hague; Whitehall and South Bay, southward to Fort Ann, Peaked Mt. and Vaughns. Distinguished from Filiz fragilis, which it resembles, by its larger fronds, the glandular pubescent stipes and blunt pinnae, and persistent indusia. The fronds are sometimes half evergreen. he var. ancusta Pk., with narrow fronds and pin- nae, has been found at Peaked Mt. and at Vaughns. (Woodsia glabella R. Br. was reported as having been found near Huletts Landing, in 1892, by Madge Condit. This rare fern of the higher Adirondacks may occur on Black Mt., Lake George: but these plants were prob- ably referable to some other fern. This fern has also been reported at Pottersville, near Schroon Lake (Mrs. E. B. Lombard): but no specimens have been seen.) DENNSTAEDTIA PUNCTILOBULA (Mx.) Moore Moist woods and roadsides; frequent. July-Oct. _ HESS SS Se gn 0 le are a Bee ea Re FERNS OF THE LAKE GrorGE Fiora—II 101 A delicate, heavily-scented fern, more often found in newly cleared land at higher elevations. In late autumn, the fronds sometimes turn white. FILrx BULBIFERA (L.) Underw. Shaded cliffs ledges, specially near limestone; frequent. July—Sep A handsome oe fern, with shorter and broader sterile fronds than the long lanceolate fertile ones. The young stipes are often reddish. This fern is usually propagated by the little greenish bulblets, borne loosely on the back of the pinnules among the sori. Fux rraqiuis (L.) Underw. Shaded rocks and cliffs; common, especially near limestone. June-Aug. Variable, and usually disappearing by September. It has hiek found in sandy woods, northwest of Water- ford; also on earth in woods near Round Lake. The form MAGNASORA Clute, a dry rock form, not evanescent, with large sori resembling Polypedium, has been found at Glens Falls. (B. D. Gilbert herb.) Fern Bull. 9: 65. 1901. PoLYsTICHUM ACROSTICHOIDES (Mx.) Schott Woods, rocky pastures and roadsides; abundant. Summer-autumn. Very variable. In very dry open places, the pinnae are nearly entire. Fronds with abortive, reflexed or wrinkled pinnae are sometimes met with in woods. The fertile fronds are contracted at the apex: but occasionally sterile fronds bear sori. The young fronds of this handsome evergreen fern are erect: but become early semi-prostrate. Some plants bear fronds which do not seem as hardy as others, the fertile tip being killed by the first frosts and the frond taking — 102 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL on a yellowish cast. Sometimes fronds, 1-2 forked at the tip, are found: and on some fronds may be found fish-tailed pinnae. The var. rncisum Gray, with dark green fronds and pinnae much incised, is found in moist woods. The form rEcURVATUM Clute, with crisped bilobed pinnae was found west of Stone schoolhouse, W. Fort Ann, Nov. 23, 1900. A plant was transplanted and continued to thrive until about 1907; when it died. PotysticHuM Braunu (Spenner) Fée Rocky mountain woods; very rare. Silver Bay (Kemp), Sept. 12, 1902; Hosie gulch, near Hague (Mrs. E. Watrous), June 15, 1904, and June 28 and July 16, 1907. The Hague specimens are de- posited in the State Herbarium. N. Y. State Mus. Bull. 167: 36. 1913. A beautiful, but rare New York State fern, with chaffy stipes and rachis. DRYOPTERIS NOVEBORACENSIS (L.) A. Gray Moist woods; frequent. July—Sept. The form fragrans (Peck), n. comb., which was later called var. suaveolens by D. C. Eaton; was found, near Glens Falls by Mrs. L. A. Millington, in 1875. Bull. Torr. Bot. Club 6: 97. 1876. D. C. Eaton’s, ‘Ferns of N. Am.” 1:50. 1879. Dr. Peck describes it in the N. Y. State Mus. Rep’t 28: 84. 1876, as Aspidium noveboracense, var. fragrans. ‘Mrs. Millington observes the fronds are very tall, ‘sometimes three feet high,’ that the sori at length spread over the whole under surface and that there is a marked vanilla-like odor which persists even in the dried specimens.” Dryopreris THetypreris (L.) A. Gray Swamps, wet woods and rocky pastures; common. The pinnae are alternate or nearly opposite. FERNS OF THE LAKE GrorGE Fiora—II 103 In the woods near Excelsior Spring, Saratoga Spa, July 28, 1870, Isaac H. Hall says, “amongst a large number of plants of Aspidium Thelypteris Swartz, I found several with the stipe or rachis enameled, black and shiny, like that of Adiantum pedatum L., or of Asplenium ebeneum Ait. The blades of the fronds had a somewhat coppery tinge. Some were beginning to fruit, but most showed no sign of fructification. I gathered a dozen or so, but the extreme heat of the sun withered and spoiled them before I could get them in press.” Bull. Torr. Bot. Club 1: 30. Aug. 1870. Dryopreris cristata (L.) A. Gray Deep old swamps and low thickets: infrequent, but widely scattered. ; Dryoprrris Curvrontana (D. C. Eaton) Dowell In swampy woods and thickets, with the preceding; frequent. The fronds are much larger and broader than in the crested shield-fern. The enherbaceous form, var. Slossonae (Day.) n. comb., with large thin fronds, was found Aug. 24, 1900, in low woods, near Halfway brook, southeast of Oneida. Determined by Dr. Geo. E. Davenport, Dee. 30, 1900, who says, “‘like the enherbaceous form of Clintonianum from Vermont that I have been investigating for some time back.” ‘This is probably where Dr. Hulst col- lected the same form in 1900. Dr. Davenport describes this form as Nephrodium cristatum Rich., var. Slossonae in Rhodora 4: 52. March, 1902. Dryoptrerts Gouprana Hook.) A. Gray Damp rich old woods; scarce. North of Silver Bay (Kemp); Hosie gulch, Hague (Mrs. E. Watrous); Huletts Landing (Jelliffe); Round Lake (W. N. Clute); Easton (Taylor); Inman Pond, 104 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL north of Lake Pond and Mt. Hope, W. Fort Ann; northwest Hartford; Devines woods and a few plants in the woods southeast of Vaughns schoolhouse; a few plants, west of Tripoli schoolhouse; north of Hudson Falls, near the King cemetery. DRYOPTERIS MARGINALIS (L.) A. Gray Rocky woods and shaded banks; abundant. The fronds of this beautiful species are evergreen. The plants vary in size and incising of the pinnae. Dwarf fruiting plants, 7 to 11 inches high, are sometimes found on dry rocks. A form, known as var. elegans (John Robins.) Car- hart is sometimes met with in rich moist woods. The fronds are very large: and the segments of the pinnae lobed or pinnatifid. DRYOPTERIS SPINULOSA (Muell.) Ktze. Moist woods; infrequent. Lake George (Mrs. S. W. Russell) (Kemp) (Jelliffe) (Hulst); near Lake Desolation (E. A. Burt), 1880; southern W. Fort Ann; woods north and east of Kings- bury; woods north and east of Hudson Falls; Ballston Lake; Vischers Ferry; north of Cambridge; about ponds west of Shushan. DryopTeris DILATATA (Hoffm.) A. Gray Blue Mt., Hamilton county, at 3000 feet with D- intermedia. R. C. Benedict in Torreya 8: 285. Dee. 1908. This fern undoubtedly grows on some of the higher mountains of northwestern Warren county. Dryopreris INTERMEDIA (Muhl.) A. Gray Moist and dry woods; abundant. Very variable. Fronds evergreen, 2-3 pine pinnules more crowed and dissected than in 7 heceonrens The fronds become oben in ithe late FERNS OF THE LAKE GreoRGE FLora—II 105 autumn. When young, the rachis has a fine granular pubescence. In moist rich old woods, forms occur in which the lower pinnae are broadly unequally ovate. Dryorrerts Boortir (Tuck.) Underw. Moist rich low woods; scarce. Bear pond, French Mt. (Hulst); Granville (Pember); southeast of Oneida near Halfway brook; north of Glen Lake; southern W. Fort Ann; west of Shushan about Clarks Pond and on Mt. Colfax; north of Cambridge. Variable. Specimens solidubed at Podunk Pond, Oct. 17, 1899, have the lower pinnae 2 to 3 inches apart on the rachis. The sterile fronds are evergreen: the fertile nearly so. Dryorreris CLINTONIANA X INTERMEDIA Dowell Wilburs Basin, near Saratoga battlefield, Nov. 5, 1907. Determined by Dr. R. C. Benedict, Feb. 6, 1908. DRYOPTERIS CRISTATA X MARGINALIS Davenp. Swampy woods north of Cambridge (Dobbin & Burn- ham), Sept. 17, 1910. Determined by E. J. Winslow, Jan. 23, 1911, who says of D. Boottii, growing in the same woods. ‘‘Boottii has sori near the midvein and indusia glandular. The cristata x marginalis has sori more widely separated from the midvein, indusia smooth, and very acuminate tips of pinnae.” Hupson Fats, N. Y. (To be continued) The Ferns and Their Distribution at Douglas Lake, Michigan! — FRANK T. McFARLAND Douglas Lake is located in Cheboygan County, Michi- gan, seventeen miles south of the Straits of Mackinac. The region is generally level to rolling and has a gentle slope to the southwest. It is drained by many small streams running into Burt Lake two miles to the South and thence into Lake Huron. The topographical out- lines of the region are due to the joint action of the moving ice and flowing water during the glacial period. The climate, as in nearly all the upper part of the lower peninsula, is rigorous in winter and subject to very frequent, sudden and extreme changes of temperature, as much as 50 degrees F. variation being recorded for a period of 24 hours. This sort of weather undoubtedly has much influence on the vegetation exposed above the snow, but since the ferns are covered with a dense layer of snow they are well protected from early winter until late spring. With the melting of the snow, the ferns begin growing vigorously and continue well into the summer. The early summer’s climate is ideal for the growth of ferns. Showers are frequent and, combined with the average temperature of 68 F. to 70 F., no better place can be found in the extreme northern parts of the Central States for the collection of wild ferns. ’ Moraines thoroughly permeate the whole region in all directions and to a large extent determine the flora. Topographically considered, and for convenience, the region will be discussed under the three following topics: 2 The Pine Plains, (2) The Hardwoods and (3) The ogs. * Read before the Michigan Academy of Science March 29, 1916. 106 Ferns at Dovucias Lake, MIcHIGANn 107 THe Pine Puains This is the most extensive of the three proposed areas. It is characterized by its sandy soil, the sand in some places being estimated at many feet in depth. This region once supported a heavy growth of Red and White Pine. Since the cutting off of this timber, which oc- curred about 30 to 35 years ago, forest fires have cleared the plains of brush and small trees and at the present time the region is covered with a dense growth of Fire Cherry, Red Oak, American Aspen, and Large-toothed Aspen, the last species predominating. The floor of this thicket is covered with a dense growth of Pteris aquilina, Diervilla lonicera and Gaul- theria procumbens, the Pleris being most abundant of the three. Pteris aquilina was the only fern found growing in the pine plains. This particular species, especially in this region, prefers a sandy soil, and particularly so, if perchance it has been burned over. The manner of propagation, by means of underground rhizomes is very rapid and efficient. In no case were the gametophytes found. Considering that Pteris fruited more abundantly than any other species, the only reason to account for the complete absence of gametophytes was the extreme dryness of the soil. : Fires usually do very little injury to this fern as its rhi- zomes are about eight inches beneath the surface of the earth. The rhizomes are dichotomously branched and as they die away at the older end, the lateral branches become separated from the parent plant, the separated rhizome serving as a starting point for a new plant. In this manner does the Bracken Fern become disseminated more widely. : The Bracken Fern takes very kindly to the intense sunlight of the sandplains and a very pronounced line of demarcation is noted at the edge of the woods. Rarely does one find the Bracken Fern growing in the dense ‘ * 108 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL woods in any abundance. It is sometimes found in swales and swampy thickets, and here the plant will sometimes be found to grow to a height of five feet. In the open Pine Plains the Bracken usually measures about two to three feet in height. Tue Harpwoops The hardwoods are usually found on the higher eleva- tions and there is a very striking difference between the soil composition of this region and that of the pine plains. The distribution of the hardwoods seem to be governed by the amount of clay and humus in the sand. The ~ more clay, the greater the forest growth and the more pronounced is the fern flora. The entire floor of the forest is covered with a layer of leaf mold to a depth of several inches. The hardwoods are well drained but are always moist beneath the vegetable mold. Very few areas of the original hardwoods remain un- touched, the last active lumbering taking place about 1912. After the timber was cut off, the area grew up to brambles, red-berried elder and if perchance it were burned over, it grew up to Epilobium angustifolium and Erechtites hieracifolia and, in several places, the areas have been cleared for farming land. The effect of the lumbering and the fires is very noticeable on the dis- tribution of the flora especially that of the ferns. Before the advent of the lumberman and the forest fire, a num- ber of species of ferns were to be found in all the hard- woods, but at the present time the only species to be found in these cut and burned over areas are Pteris aquilina, Polypodium vulgare, Phegopteris dryopterts, and Adiantum pedatum. Polypodium vulgare was foun in but one place and then only on a moderately high bank overlooking Douglas Lake to the north. About two miles southeast of Douglas Lake on the _ west shore of Burt Lake, there still stands a tract of Ferns at LAKE Dovuaias, MIcHIGAN 109 forest growth which represents the condition of the cut over areas in the past. This tract of hard maple, sweet birch, and hemlock offers the best kind of a home for the ferns of this region. Here are to be found 17 of the 24 species of ferns reported for this region. Owing to the protection offered by these woods, the ferns grow very luxuriantly. Among the largest and most stately is Goldie’s Fern, Aspidium Goldianum. Cystopteris bul- bifera was found with fronds three feet long and some of these fronds bore from 25 to 35 bulbils. This species loves a very wet place and in these woods was found most abundantly in the ravines close to the water’s edge. Cystopteris fragilis, unlike its sister species, was found only in the drier locations and this was at the source of the ravines. Higher up on the sides of the ravines, Asplenium filiz-foemina, the Lady Fern, was found growing in considerable numbers. Aspidium Goldianum, the largest and most beautiful fern of the region, was found in one station in the sum- mer of 1913 by Professor Smith and in the summers of 1914 and 1915, the writer found them in a large number of new stations, all of them however, in about the same kind of location, moderately moist and shady. Onoclea Struthiopteris was found in but one place. This region was along the edge of the Burt Lake woods where a very small area was cleared and fenced off for a pasture. These ferns were browsed off by the cattle each year and the growth for the summer of 1915 was about one half that of 1914. Adiantum pedatum was found grow- ing in greatest abundance on upturned soil due to the felled trees. THE Bocs Under this heading will be discussed the swamps, marshes and swales. A typical bog in this region 1s characterized by its growth of Tamarack and Arbor Vitae. The soil is usually acid in reaction and poorly 110 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL drained, the majority of the species of plants belonging to the Ericads. The trees are Larix laricina, Thuja occidentalis, Picea canadensis, Picea mariana and Taxus canadensis. The floor of the densely covered bog con- sists of several species of Sphagnum and only in the open and more or less partially cleared areas are the sedges, grasses and liliaceous plants to be found. The trails which were cut through the bogs by the lumbermen represent about the only regions where the ferns grow in any abundance. Sometimes they are to be found rather plentifully along open streams which penetrate the bog. The fern seldom migrates far into the densely shaded areas and but few of the hardwood species are found. The most common species to be noted was the Aspidium thelypteris which does not occur in the hard- woods. Of the Osmundas, regalis and cinnamomea were found in considerable abundance in nearly all the bogs and usually in the more open areas. Osmunda Clay- toniana was never seen by the writer in this region but was reported by Professor Smith from Smith’s Bog. Scattered throughout the bog were Aspidiwm cristatum, Phegopteris polypodioides, Phegopteris dryopteris, Aspid- wum noveboracense, Botrychium virginianum and, in 1914, Ophioglossum vulgatum was found for the first time. No other species have been found since the discovery of this fern and yet it is quite possible that some species have escaped the eyes of the investigator. Botrychium vtr- ginianum was the most abundant in the shady areas and presented a great range in size. The smallest of them were not more than 10 em. high and at times were difficult to distinguish from mature Botrychium simplex which did not grow in this region. Another striking feature concerning Botrychium virginianum was that it was just as likely to be found growing in the richest o woods to a height of three feet as it was in the cold bogs ae. = the soil was Lexie acid and cold. : Ferns at Doveias Lake, Micnican-. 111 The marshes differ considerably from the bogs, espe- cially in their formation and their location. They are not, as a rule, covered with a dense growth of trees but their vegetation consists largely of shrubs and herbaceous plants. The marsh fern, Aspidium thelypteris, is the most common species, while Osmunda regalis, O. cin- namomea, and Onoclea sensibilis are to be found scattered about the swamps in no definite order. The Osmundas are usually found growing very abundantly and luxuri- antly near the shaded banks of small streams and it is a very common thing to find them three and a half to four feet high. FERN VARIATIONS But one plant of Cystopteris bulbifera was found in 1914 which showed any abnormal branching. This plant produced a frond which had a simple stipe, but at the junction of the first pair of pinnae, the stipe divided so that two well formed laminae were produced above the first pair of pinnae. It was also interesting to note that each frond bore bulbils as if a normal frond. Besides the young plants of Botrychium virginianum of the Bogs, it was noticed that the young plants of Bo- trychium ternatum intermedium of the hard woods so re- sembled the young plants of B. virginianum that it was sometimes difficult to tell the species. The ferns found growing in each of these regions are as follows: Pine Piains: Pteris aquilina L. Harpwoops anp Ciearines: Polypodium vulgare L., Phegopteris polypodioides Fée, Phegopteris dryopteris (L.) Fée, Adiantum pedatum L., Pteris aquilina L., As- plenium filix-foemina (L.) Bernh., Aspidium Goldianum Hook., Aspidium spinulosum, (O. F. Muller) Sw., Cystop- teris bulbifera (L.) Bernh., Cystopteris fragilis (L.) Bernh. Wiipeecgs _ “Nomenclature as in Gray's Manual, Seventh Edition, 112 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Onoclea sensibilis L., Onoclea Struthiopteris (L.) Hoffm., Botrychium lanceolatum angustisegmentum Pease & Moore, Botrychium ramosum (Roth) Aschers., Botrych- ium ternatum intermedium D. C. Eaton, Botrychiwm ternatum rutaefolium (A. Br.) D. C. Eaton, Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw. Bogs anp Marsues: Phegopteris polypodioides Feée., Phegopteris dryopteris (L.) Fée, Aspidium Thelypteris (L.) Sw., Aspidium noveboracense (L.) Sw., Aspidium cristatum (L.) Sw., Cystopteris bulbifera (L.) Bernh., Ono- clea sensibilis L., Osmunda regalis L., Osmunda Clay- toniana L., enetuvada cinnamomea te Ophioglossum vulgatum L., Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw. Dap ures or BorTany, UnIveRsITY oF KENTUCKY. Standley’s Ferns of Greene Co., Mo. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BUSH I have recently read the interesting paper on the Ferns of Greene County, Missouri, by Mr. Standley, in the American Fern Journat for April-June, 1916, and I think a few remarks on the introduction and the notes under several species will be very appropriate here. In the introduction Mr. Standley gave a short account of the topography, the characteristic rocks and soil, and the names of a few characteristic and extra-limital plants. It was my good fortune many years ago to have been able to collect in Greene County, Missouri, in com- pany with Mr. Blankinship and Prof. Shepard, and it was on one of my trips there with the former, that the last species mentioned by Mr. Standley, Othake callosum, was discovered in Greene County, though at that time _ I little dreamed that this interesting composite would be _ _ later on associated with my name. : STANDLEY’s FERN OF GREENE Co., Mo. = 113 To the list of characteristic and extra-limital species given by Mr. Standley for Greene County, I can add Xyris flexuosa and Scleria Torreyana from about Goose Pond, Actaea alba from the James River, Phacelia dubia and P. hirsuta from Pearl and Willard, Heliotropium tenellum and Portulaca pilosa from Willard, and Braun- eria paradoxa from the prairie between Nichols Junction and Springfield. But it appears to me that Mr. Standley is in error in citing Micranthes Virginiensis and Bumelia lycioides for Greene County, Missouri. The first was collected by Blankinship between Willard and Graydon Springs, May 7, 1905, No. 1, and named by him Sazifraga Virginiensis, but in a short paper on the Missouri Saxifrages in the Annual Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden for the year 1910, I was able to show that the Greene County species was Micranthes Texana, a species of the South- west which extends northeast into southwestern Mis- souri.! The Bumelia given by Mr. Standley must certainly be B. lanuginosa, 2 common tree in some parts of Greene County and all southern Missouri, and not B. lycioides, which is a species of swamps of southeastern Missour! to Louisiana, Virginia, Florida and Texas. In his notes under Notholaena dealbata, Mr. Standley says: “This is a Southwestern species which reaches the northeastern limit of its range in Southern Missouri,” a statement which could only have been based on what the Manuals say, and not on actual specimens and local lists,? for this species ranges much farther north and east. It is rather common on bare faces of limestone 1 It is interesting to note that Dr. Small in the second edition of his —— gives only Texas Arkansas for Micranthes Texana, evidently overlook- ing my paper on the Missouri Saxifrages cited above. 2In a letter dated August 12, 1916, Mr. Standley says that there is no his in a Herbarium from beyond Greene 114 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL boulders in Jackson County, and I have seen specimens of it from Holt and Platte Counties, nearly 100 miles farther north, Greene has collected it in northwestern Missouri, Tracy in his Flora in 1886, gives it for Boone County, Daniels in his Flora in 1907, gives it for Colum- bia, it has even been reported from western Illinois near St. Louis, and I have a letter from Dr. Engelmann in which he says it is occasionally found about St. Louis. On a collecting trip with Prof. Shepard in 1885, I saw Adiantum Capillus-Veneris along the James River just east of Gates, and farther down the river in Christian County, and Shepard reports it from Greene, Christian and Stone Counties in Tracy’s Flora in 1886. In his note on the range of Asplenium Bradleyi, Mr. Standley says ‘On rocks e. N. Y. to Ky., “‘Mo.,” and southw.’? There is no longer reason to question its occurrence in Missouri, for the specimen from Greene County is undoubtedly this species.’”’ There has been no doubt about the occurrence of this species in Missouri with collectors for 25 years or more, it having been collected at Osceola by Van Ingen and Shepard in 1890, by Mackenzie at Bay Mills in 1897, by Russell at Mine La Motte in 1897, at Rolla by Greene in 1915, and at Montevallo by Bush and Greene in 1915. Mr. Standley very properly eliminates Aspleniwm pin- natifidum from the Greene County flora, as the Greene County citation of Shepard’s in Tracy’s Flora, was mistake of Tracy’s, Shepard reporting this to me for Missouri, not Greene County, his knowledge of it based on some collection as yet unknown to me. Davenport in his catalogue in 1879 credits this species to Missouri, having specimens in his herbarium collected by some early collector, perhaps by Shepard. Davenport ap- pears to have been followed by Gray, Britton and Brown, Gilbert and Maxon in citing this species for Missouri. — ey me cs ee ae te ay : Ss 1. seventh edition. 1908. _ STANDLEY’s Ferns or GREENE Co., Mo. 115 I have seen specimens of this species collected by Russell at Mine La Motte, November 10, 8 In his remarks on Equisetum hyemale, Mr. Standley says: “Only this one species of Equisetum is known to occur in the County,” but in a list of Greene County plants prepared for me many years ago, Prof. Shepard gives two species, E. hyemale and E. sylvaticum! I am referring the last to EZ. arvense, as it is not likely that EZ. sylvaticum occurs in Greene County, and it seems almost impossible that EH. arvense should be absent from the Greene County flora. At the time Prof. Shepard collected Equisetum speci- mens, it was not known that the common evergreen Species of Missouri and all the northern and eastern United States, was E. laevigatum, Braun’s species being long misunderstood, and confused with a then unnamed annual-stemmed species of the western and southern United States, which was taken up as E. laevigatum, and Braun’s species given a new name by Eaton, EZ. hyemale intermedium. I am therefore referring Shepard’s £. hyemale, and the E. hyemale of Mr. Standley’s list, to LE. laevigatum, as it is more likely to be that, than the true L. hyemale, which is now generally conceded not to occur in North America.‘ That a better understanding of the three species in- volved in this obscurity may be had, I append the following somewhat descriptive key: 4 16, received since the irc are atiaghonpane geen Sy dated Aug. 10, 19 each ¥ conasied Nak heh County I have re-examined with nic Maxon, ag there re no doubt the that it is E. hyemale intermedium A. A. c. of t pe stem fs very unlike that of E. laevigatum, as show well in the figure as shown by one of his co-types in the Herbarium of th Garden, and Eaton’s E. laevigatum was an unna nnual-stemmed Species, 116 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL A. Aerial stems evergreen, sometimes freezing down to the ground in sever Sree rough to a greater or less degree; cones tipped with a rigid po ‘B. Stems am green; sheaths cylindrical, not dilated upward, usually: with two black bands, sometimes entirely black; stems rough, tuberculate; not ~ erican. . EquiseTuM HYEMALE L.* B. Stems yellowish green; sheaths a. dilated upward, with a narrow a ack band at the top and frequently with a second irregular one below; stems smoothish, only slightly tuberculate; widely distributed in America. . EquiseruM Larvicatoum A. Br.® A. Aerial stems annual, smooth; cones without a point; stems usually unbranched, except when broken; sheaths ae dilated up- ward, with a narrow black band at the top, rarely with a faint second one below; western and southern United States . Equisetum KansaANUM Schaffner’ Courtney, Mo,. A New Station for Scott’s Spleenwort CLARA G. MARK While on a fern-collecting trip in the southern a park of Hocking County, Ohio, last July, the writer found a single plant of Scott’s Spleenwort, Asplenium ebenotdes, growing on the face of a ledge of sandstone. This county is an interesting one botanically and has been for years a favorite collecting ground for the botanists of central Ohio. Twenty-two years ago Dr. W. A. Kellerman collected a plant of this species from a sand- ° 5 Equisetum HYEMALE L, Sp, Pl, 1062, 1753, : lec LaEviaatum A, Braun: Engelm, Am, Journ, Sci, 46: 87, 844, Equisetum hyemale Am. Auct. in large part, not L. 175 oe setum hyemale intermedium A. A. Eaton, Fern ib 10: 121. 1902 *Equisrrum Kansanum Schaffner, Contr. Bot. Lab. Ohio State Univ. No. Hit Pie 1912. um laevigatum A. A. Eaton and Am. Auct. in part, not A, Braun, AMERICAN Fuern JouRNAL Vou, 6, Puatz ibe Scott’s Spleenwort growing on smooth mossy face of sandstone cliff, 10 in association with Ebony Spleenwort and Walking Fern. 118 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL stone cliff in the northern part of the county, about twenty miles from where the one was found this summer. That is the only record given in the state herbarium of any earlier occurrence of the species in the state. Throughout the greater part of Hocking County the bed rock is a massive, coarse-grained sandstone, which forms high cliffs, especially along the smaller valleys. At the heads of the valleys there are in many cases extensive rock shelters formed by the overhang of the sandstone, and in these “caves” and along the cliffs grow many of the smaller rock-loving ferns. Maiden- hair Spleenwort and Pinnatifid Spleenwort are two of the most common species, the former growing usually on moist or dripping rocks, the latter in niches on the drier ledges. Both of these species grow most commonly on ledges pitted and seamed by differential erosion. Mountain Spleenwort occurs occasionally in a similar habitat. Where a comparatively smooth face of a cliff has become covered with moss Walking fern is sometimes found in dense mats. On such a mossy cliff and associ- ated with the Walking fern was found the specimen of Scott’s Spleenwort. At the top of the ledge was a colony of Ebony Spleenwort, and one plant of that species was growing on the face of the cliff near the specimen of Scott’s Spleenwort. The association of the three species’ is shown in the photograph. At first glance the plant of Scott’s Spleenwort some- what resembled Pinnatifid Spleenwort, but closer exami- nation revealed the black color on the rachis and the thinner texture of the blade, while the segments were more irregular and some of them more pointed than in the commoner species. Perhaps the most readily notice- able difference was in the habitat and manner of growth. The Scott’s Spleenwort has a more erect and spreading habit, while the Pinnatifid is characteristically a some- __ What drooping species. Also the growth of the Scott’s THE Potyropy 119 Spleenwort on the smooth mossy face of the cliff is in distinct contrast to that of the Pinnatifid Spleenwort in dry niches and pockets of the cliffs. Onto State University, Conumsvs, Ouro. The Polypody LILLIAN A. COLE On May 20, 1916, I drove to Sennebec pond in Knox County, Maine, fastened my horse in somebody’s door yard and then walked along a field road shaded by trees and carpeted with young ferns. I ascended a hill of 500 feet elevation and found flowers and ferns that were a delight. Previously I had hunted for Viola lanceolata in low lands, for the books had told me to do so, so great was my surprise, when I found it on the summit of this hill of ledges, exposed to the sun’s rays nearly all day. Wending my way down to a brook in a ravine, I found a real fern garden—Nature’s own production and handiwork. With difficulty, over wet stepping places and among brambles, I came to a boulder in that brook and found some polypody ferns that looked different than any I had ever seen. The fronds were larger, darker green, more lance-triangular, and as I turned them over, instead of the great big staring fruit dots I found small sori. I wondered if I had made a dis- covery of a new variety for our country. These plants grew on an angle of the rock of but few degrees slant. They were directly over the water and were shaded by the surrounding trees. I wondered how they could cling and thrive so well. In the careful effort to remove a few specimens, I fairly lifted a sheet of their intertwining roots, with a very __ little soil of leaf mold and sand which they were polding for themselves. 120 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL I sent a specimen of these polypodies to Mr. Jay G. Underwood of Hartland, Vt., and this is what he says about them: “With regard to the Polypody would say this fern does vary very much according to its habitat. I have found forms in cold ravines, that are similar to the one you sent. Botanists do not, in this country, recognize these as of any definite difference requiring names. I think that in England a good many of these forms have been given names, but nothing of the sort has been attempted here, probably because the forms intergrade and do not seem to breed true.” So, now, I meditate upon the misfortune of the little Polypody’s fate of being reared and thriving in our un- crowned Republic, when if living under the skies of the crowned Kingdom they might be given a name of their own. The brook still gurgles beneath their feet, and the rustling leaves over their canopy of green still whisper the name, “ Polypodium vulgare.” Union, Me. Notes and News An old letter, written in 1836 by Dr. Joseph Barratt of Middletown, Conn., to Dr. Torrey and now preserved at the New York Botanical Garden, contains an ap- parently unpublished detail in regard to the discovery of the hart’s-tongue fern in central New York by Pursh. Dr. Barratt writes: “T was glad to hear you had discovered Scolopendrium vulgare in N. Y. Some years since I conversed with Mr. J. Geddes about this fern. He told me he was with Pursh at the time he found it, and he exclaimed: ‘I am better pleased at finding this plant than dollar bill.’—Mr. G. said it was near but not upon his prem- Norres anp NrEws | 121 In another letter Dr. Barratt records with enthusiasm his first sight of ‘that rare and beautiful fern, Hydro- glossum [now Lygodium] palmatum.’?’ He makes the interesting observation that the stems appear to twine both ways. Has anyone noticed this since? By the will of the late John T. Morris, of Phila- delphia, his beautiful estate at Chestnut Hill will be- come, in due time, the site of a botanic garden, a museum of natural science ‘with special emphasis upon botany,” and a school of practical horticulture. The garden is to be not merely a show place, but is to provide training for the students of the school, and the museum is also to contribute to that end. Students are to receive tuition, clothing and living expenses during a course of at least three years. The residue of Mr. Morris’s estate, after other bequests are paid, is left as an endow- ment fund for the institution; and the provisions of the will become effective at the death of his surviving sister. The special interest of all this for the fern-lover lies in the fact that Mr. Morris had a fine collection of ferns, both hardy and hot-house species, and that the per- manence and development of this collection are now assured. CAN FERNS BE IDENTIFIED BY TASTE?—At the Colum- bus meeting of the American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science, Prof. E. T. Reichert discussed before a botanical meeting “The specificity of proteins and carbohydrates in relation to genera, species, and varieties,”* or in other words, the chemical differences between different kinds of plants. He reported the existence of recognizable differences, even in the case For ss sichabel account of the — see Am. Jour. Bot. 3: 91-98. March 1916; also Carnegie Bulletin, | 122 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL of closely related forms, but the differences in such cases were not as great as when the forms were less closely related. On the other hand, the chemical compounds of the species and varieties of a given genus were found to resemble each other markedly when compared with the compounds of a distinct genus. That is, genera, spec- ies, and varieties differ from each other chemically as well as in external and internal strueture. * This discovery has practical possibilities. I do not refer to the possibility that in the future, the floral manuals will be likely to key out the plants described by chemical means, although that is already done in the case of “flowers” like Bacillus Coli-communis, B. dysentericus, and B. typhosus, et al., which can not be otherwise distinguished, except as to their effects. It is conceivable, however, that in cases of adulteration, a knowledge of the chemical character of possible adulter- ants might be of assistance. Prof. Reichert had nothing to say about chemical differences among ferns. To supply that deficiency I would like to suggest a means by which readers may investigate for themselves. The simplest means of testing chemically is by the taste. It has long been an observation of mine that ferns are all alike, as far as I have investigated, in taste, and that they have a distinctive taste. This general fact, if established, might be of value to the fern tyro, and help him to sep- arate ferns and carrots. It would have helped me about twenty years ago when I spent an hour or more trying to find among a patch of young Herb-Robert some leaves which I could call sterile leaves of. slender cliff-brake. As far as ferns are concerned, I am sure the investi- gation would be perfectly safe. The most interesting point that I would record is that already stated, that . ferns in general possess some chemical compound in — Notes AND NEws 123 common which can be distinguished by the taste. It is a fact that different kinds vary in flavor, bitterness, astringency, ete.—but they also agree. Ferns differ, however, from lycopods, and equisets, which do not have this taste. The Ophioglossaceae have it to a slighter extent, I believe, as do the water fern-worts. I wish some one would verify or disprove that statement about the Ophioglossaceae. Those who wish to learn more about the ferns they already know may be interested to determine whether they can discover specific differ- ences, or generic. Some may come to have the expert- ness of the tea tasters who can tell whether a given sample of tea was picked on the morning of June third, 1893, or on Sept. 6, in the evening, 1888, or something almost as difficult. © Le OIE | NOTES ON TWO CRESTED FERNS.—The list of the wild New England ferns seems to be complete, except for new localities to be found. The fern collector has to look for something else, and the hybrids and abnormal forms of ferns open a good field for hunting. In the British Islands many abnormal forms have been found and with these and plants raised from their spores, a quantity of beautiful abnormal forms have enriched the collections of the enthusiastic fern grower. In the United States very few abnormal forms have been found so far, but among them and some hybrids found wild, there are some plants of value, apt to pro- duce new forms. The taste for abnormal form growing is not much developed as yet but it is hoped that, when better known, these beautiful ferns will find more ad- mirers, It was my good luck to find two crested ferns Polystichum acrostichoides with crested fronds. That plant was described in the Fern Bulletin, vol. xx, page , one 124 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 80, as Polystichum acrostichoides, f. cristatum Clute. The plant was found in the woods among others; since it is in cultivation, only the fertile fronds are crested. From these I raised some sporelings which are now in their third year and I hope will show some crests this next season. Mr. Huss, of Hartford, has taken charge of these young plants. The other is a crested, or more correctly, furcated form of Asplenium platyneuron. I found it growing on a bank near an old cemetery. There was a little colony among the ordinary ones which covered the whole bank. Like Polystichum acrostichoides, only the fertile fronds are fureated. I removed a few plants to the fernery, and from them I had good spores, which are now in the prothallium stage and will show better what they willdo. They are also in Mr. Huss’s care. AMADEE HAns. More aBout OpHioGLossumM vuLGaTum.—Another incidental answer to the question ‘What is the habitat of Ophioglossum vulgatum?” has just been published by Miss Norma Pfeiffer* in connection with an account of some prothallia of this species found near Chicago. The species was found in two localities, one moist, and subject to flooding, the other drier. The prothallia were found only in the moist situation, and the sugges- tion was made that probably only in moist places are the spores able to develop into prothallia. A correlated Suggestion was made that in dry places reproduction must be by means of buds from the roots. Another observation recorded was to the effect that in the moister locality, the spores were discharged practically two weeks earlier than in the other. The prothallia were * Bot. Gaz. 61: 518-522. 15 June 1916. c Notres anp NEws 125 found to be as before described by Bruchmann; viz., erect, blunt, knobby, rootlike structures. It was noted that the roots were usually horizontal in position, pointed, and smooth, as well as longer. Very few were found and it was necessary to sort these very labor- iously from the soil. It was noted that Bruchmann to obtain the seventy prothallia upon which he worked, had to spend thirty-five days digging and sorting. Has any reader ever made observation on variations in fruiting time as related to moistness of the situation? Has anyone ever seen young plants developing from the roots? KG. &. FERN LEAVES AT FIFTY CENTS APIECE.—These are not leaves of the rarest fern in the world about which Mr. Bates has asked but fresh greenhouse-grown leaves which are sold for decorative purposes. The particular ones in mind are from Polypodium Mandianum, a form of the common tropical P. aureuwm (Phlebodium), pro- duced by W. A. Manda, 8. Orange, N. J. A single plant stem produces only a few leaves a year, but as these will remain fresh for a long time, they are valu- able in decorating. The variety differs from the species in having beautifully frilled or ruffled pinnae. Leaves of Nephrolepis varieties are similarly used but do not bring as high prices, as they are produced more freely. So also are certain tropical adiantums, the cut leaves of which are used in bridal bouquets, for example. J. J. M. Farrell has an article in a recent number of the florists’ weekly, Horticulture,* telling how to grow eeb bent for this purpose. * Vol. 23: 851. 24 June 1916. 126 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL American Fern Society Tue Summer Meetina at Newrane.—There were only a few clear days in the month of July, but some of these fortunately coincided with the date of the Newfane meeting, which added much to the comfort and pleasure of the visitors. Headquarters were at the cabin of Dr. A. J. Grout, on Newfane Hill, a high point commanding an extended view of the southern section of the Green Mountains. The party assembled here on the evening of July 17th, and started promptly on the following morning for a tramp of some sixteen miles. Botanists from camps along the route coalesced with our company, which was afterward joined by a delegation from the valley, led by Dr. C. D. Howe. The first stop was at a meadow where Ophioglossum grew, and search for this interesting plant was abundantly rewarded. Later, Botrychium lanceolatum and B. ramosum were seen fre- quently. At one station the writer noticed more than fifty plants of these two species growing in a single colony. Lunch was enjoyed at a cascade in Baker Brook, where a photograph of the party was taken by Mr. L. A. Wheeler, who later thoughtfully sent copies to all concerned. In the afternoon, the route lay along a wooded slope, where the rare Polystichum Brauni, Aspidium Goldianum and Asplenium angustifolium were seen growing in abundance. Lack of space precludes further reference to the pro- fusion of flowering plants or the mountain scenery; but this note would be incomplete without mention of the gracious hospitality of Dr. and Mrs. Grout. The even- ings on the broad veranda of their cabin were something long to be remembered, and the July moon, which flooded the wonderful landscape with its radiance, added the final charm to the scene. AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 127 The Society’s thanks are due also to Mr. Wheeler, who was associated with Dr. Grout in making the arrangements for the meeting. R. W. Woopwarp. The gathering at the Newfane meeting was not as large as it should have been in response to Dr. A. J. Grout’s generous offer of the free use of his camp on Newfane Hill. But those of us who happily were able to attend will not soon forget the pleasant days spent at Newfane, nor the kind hospitality of Dr. and Mrs. Grout. The promised “assets” were found to come fully up to all expectations. Moss-rock Cabin, which is perched on the very top of the hill, commands a beautiful and exten- sive view of the surrounding mountainous country. Dr. Grout’s little private lake, with its promise of good fishing and shining like a jewel in the sunlight, lies in the valley a few hundred feet below. Birds innumerable in the nearby spruce trees kept up an almost continous chorus, the clear, sweet notes of the hermit thrush pre- dominating, and in the rich woods were indeed “many ferns.” An all-day outing had been arranged for Tuesday, the 18th, and Dr. Grout loaned his horse and buckboard to carry, when practicable, such of the party as were not accustomed to long tramps. And so—driving, walking, climbing, scrambling and always collecting—in field and wood and by-way—the morning passed all too quickly. Lunch was eaten seated on a large boulder at the edge of Baker Brook and close to a little cascade and the musical sound of rushing water splashing into the pool beneath was a delightfully refreshing accompaniment, on the warm summer day, to our al fresco meal. ae Luncheon over, we started off again in a new direction and returned to camp for supper, well satisfied with the day’s results, Besides ferns, mosses, grasses and wild 128 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL flowers had been collected. On that day and the follow- ing ones almost all the ferns attributed to that locality were found, and one new one. Many of them were of unusually luxuriant growth—for instance, plants of Aspidium spinulosum intermedium with fronds 36 inches long and 14 wide; A. marginale almost, if not quite, as large; giant Botrychium virginianum, one of which, with a stem as thick as one’s finger, bore three fertile spikes; etc. Following is a list of the ferns noted: Adiantum peda- tum, Aspidium Goldianum, A. marginale and var. elegans, A. noveboracense, A. spinulosum and var. intermedium, A. Thelypteris, Asplenium angustifolium, A. acrostichoides A. Filix-femina, A. Trichomanes, ce ohaee hh Dicksonia punctilobula, Onoclea sensibilis, O. Stru pteris, Osmunda regalis, O. cinnamomea, O. ES Phegopteris Dryopteris, P. polypodioides, Polystichum acrostichoides, P. Braunii, Polypodium vulgare and a variety, Pteris aquilina, Woodsia ilvensis, Botrychium lanceolatum, B. matricariaefolium, B. obliquum and var. oneidense, B. virginianum, Ophioglossum vulgatum. F, E. Corne. There will be a meeting of the Society, in connection with convocation week of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on the afternoon and evening of Friday, Decem- ber 29th. The afternoon session, at 2 P. M., will be devoted to visiting, under the guidance of Dr. Benedict, the fern collections at the Garden, including that of the Society and, especially, Dr. Benedict’s collection of varieties of the Boston fern. Following this will be an informal, inexpensive dinner at some restaurant, per- : haps in Chinatown. Members who are unable to- attend in the afternoon who wish to } the party — AMERICAN FERN Socrety 129 at dinner, can find out place and hour by telephoning the Garden—Prospect 6173—during the afternoon. The evening session will be at 8 P. M. Details of the program are not yet worked out; but there will be an exhibit of interesting specimens, brief talks by various members and opportunity for discussion. One of the chief objects of such meetings is to give members an opportunity to meet one another; and it is planned to have this one informal throughout, with plenty of chance for everyone to talk with others present, exchange notes, ask questions and get acquainted. Come and bring your friends—for the meeting will be open to all who are interested in ferns, whether they are members of the Society or not. Members are urged to send in for exhibit mounted specimens of interesting ferns and fern allies. These would be sent to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brook- lyn, N. Y., in time to arrive before December 29th. Packages should be marked “For the American Fern Society.” Exhibits will be well cared for and returned immediately after the meeting. Further notice will probably be sent to members living within easy reach of New York; and to all others who will ask the Secretary for it. Rev. James A. Bates, one of the few remaining charter members of the Society and once its president, died at his home in South Royalston, Mass., on September 3, 1916. An account of his life will appear in the next number of the JoURNAL. Mr. James A. Laird died at Rochester, N. Y., on July 17, 1916, aged 44. He was born at Trenton, Ontario. For the past twenty years he had lived at Rochester, and for all that period had been in the employ of the Stecher Lithographic Company. Much of his spare 130 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL time was spent in the pursuit of natural history, in several branches of which he was keenly interested—an interest which his wife shared with him. He had gathered a collection of insects and a large and fine one of ferns and flowering plants. Not long ago he gave 1500 mounted sheets of the latter to Rochester University. He was a member of several natural history societies. Mr. Bigelow’s sets of species and hybrids of Dryopteris are nearly ready—in fact, may have been sent out by the time this reaches our readers. It has been found impossible, in one collecting season, to get enough mater- ial of some of the rarer hybrids for all of the more than thirty sets ordered; these hybrids will therefore be dis- tributed, as evenly as possible, among the different sets, some in one, some in another. A word as to the system of numbering used may not be out of place. All speci- mens of the same species or hybrid bear the same arabic number. When, as in most cases, the specimens have been collected by different persons, at different times and places, the separate collections are indicated by lower case letters following the number. Thus, ail specimens of D. Clintoniana x intermedia are given the number 3, the different collections included being desig- nated as 3a, 3b, ete. Our honorary member, Mr. Carl Christensen, has very generously given to the Society a set of all his writings of which reprints were available. This is in- deed a valuable gift and one for which the Society owes Mr. Christensen a large debt of hates Mr, C. A. Wentharhs 1062 Main Street, East Hart- ford, Conn., offers specimens of Lygodium palmatum to members lox postage AMERICAN FERN SOcIETY 131 Changes of address: Hurd, Mrs. Arthur T., 13 Mall Street, Salem, Mass. . _ Marshall, Dr. Ruth, Lane Technical School, Sedgwick and Divi- sion Streets, Chicago, Ill. New members: Anderson, Miss Mary L., Lambertville, N. J. Brandegee, Arthur L., 61 New South Street, Northampton, Mass. Bray, Dr. William F., 1005 Harrison Street, Syracuse, N. : s, Wash. Phair, Miss Gertrude G., 804 East 19th Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. anborn, Miss Sarah F., 54 Center Street, Concord, N. H.. Steil, Dr. William N., 2217 Hollister Street, Madison, Wis. The annual election resulted in the adoption of the proposed amendment in regard to honorary members and the election of the following officers for 1917: Presi- dent, William Palmer; Vice-President, Mrs. Mary Adam Noble; Secretary, C. A. Weatherby; Treasurer, J. G. Underwood. The full report of the Judge of Elections will be printed with the officers’ reports in the next number of the JoURNAL. A living specimen, or specimens, of Lycopodium Selago is desired by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, either by gift, by exchange for other living material, or by purchase. The specimens, or information as to where they may be obtained, should be sent to Dr. ©. Stuart Gager, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, N. Y. Last year’s increase in the number of members has made it possible to issue this forty-page number of the JournaL. With fifty more members, or an annual income of fifty dollars secured in some other way, we could have as large a one every time. INDEX TO Acer rubrum, oa Actaea alba, Adiantum ris 5 Re aa gf xX, 65 afuon 21, 60, 93, of, 22 124; pla Pyenocarpon, 48; resiliens, 48, 49 50, 78; rhizophyllum, 69, 78; var, m yllum, 70; R ria, 46, 52; Seelosii, 57; Trichomanes, 3, 37, 39, 49, 52: var, uens, 39; colopen VOLUME 6 drium vulgare, 39; verecundum, 78; (see also Athyrium) Aster nemoralis, 17 Athyrium acrostichoides, 83, 94; ifoli ilix-fo Ba TT, JosEP vig eae Barton yon ine rote of pga: rit for 0 Benepicr, R. C. An Adirondack ors, the ania fern, 56 8 VO. Es Report of presi- t, 22 Bl reer nee merece 65, 66; in . ed States Var. = & isegmentum 1; Lunaria, 36; matricariae, 89; matri ium, » 128; neg- lectum, 36, 88; obliquum, 7, 40 ba — 88, 89, nee var a » 54; oneldense, pa var. peincgrne se, , 569; ramo- num, 7, 50, 54, 89, 110, 112, 128 Bracken, 107 Brauneria paradoxa, 1 Bumelia lanuginosa, 113: lckelaee., INDEX 45, 113 Burnuam, 8. H. The ferns os a" George flora, N. Y., Callirrhoe digitata, 4 Camptosorus rosie 3, 49, 52 Carex stricta, CarHaRrrt, AGEL A gers list of New ledges ferns Cassia nictitans, 16 Caulophyliam Thaleeeke. 45, 48 CHAN T, L. (Obituary ae Cheilanthes Feei, 47; lanosa, 47 52, 93; microphylla, a , Citrus Co., Fla., the fern grottoes of, = Chrysopsis falcata, 16; mariana, 16 Couz, es ea A. The polypody, 119 ee F. E. The summer meeting wfane, 127 Chace florida, Cynoxylum florid Cystopteris bulbifera, 53, 109, 12; fragilis, 53, 109, 111, ne (see also Filix) Dennstaedtia punctilobula, 5, 58, 3, 100; (see also Di nia, ‘ icksonia) Dicksonia punctilobula, 53, 128; (s also Dennstaedtia Dierville lonicera, 107 133 79; noveboracensis, (see also dapidter, Nepbrodhim and Phegopteris) Dutchess Co., New York, some ferns of, 1 Duval Co., Florida, ferns of, 39 Epilobium angustifolium, 108 Equisetum, 51; arvense, 7, 54, 115 hyemale, ; . 59, es ar. ne, 59; var. intermedium, 115, 116; var. robustum, kan- num, 116; igatum, 115, 116; sylvaticum, 54, 115; varie- gatum, 59; var. 5 quisetum, a h Erechtites hieracifolia, 108 Erigeni Ibosa, Eryngium virg 18 pe racing ugssopiotim 16; ino 6; Vv verheoucfolham, ar ‘Koala argen’ Fall had of the Interrupted fern _ ass, 59; catalogue hoe is dora, some inte ing industry, 18; variations. some horticultural, 8 Fern, Boston, 9, 15; Christm wa 20; Fancy, 20; Goldie s, Hart’ errupted, ee ay Lay ie Oeteiek. 6; Rown: 2, 50; Shield, 24: neler’ 9; Walking, 9, 11 134 Ferns and_ their Verein at Douglas Lake, Mic 106; as 58; en ‘by taste, MM dic papers in Rhodora (review), 3 Filix bulbifera, 5, 50, 101: — . iG a es 100, 10 ; (see also Cao lor, tern grottoes of 68; Fern 4 gin, oc pod freak, a, 57 Gaultheria procumbens, 107 Geppes, J., Gentian Porpliyeto, 18 Gerar urpurea caus reptans, 44, Greene Co., Missouri, ri aoe of, Grout, A. J., Note on Ophioglos- _ sum, 56 EE, An _ interesting Hybrid, ri Notes on two crested ferns, 123 . M., The fern oe of Citrus Oo:, Florida (review), 58 Hopxixs, te 8., Report of Curator, 27 Horticultural fern variations, some, Hudsonia ericoides, 16: tomentosa, ide the an interest Interrupted fern, fall peregn of, 56 Isoetes, 51; echin a Braunii, riparia, 54 54: Kalmia angustifolia, 17 meget Pavuineg, | pus- at Toms River, Bs oe ates Non, a A. AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL snag gramee: tinctoria, 16 Lairp, James A., Obituary notice, 129 Lake George flora, New York, the rns of, I, 85; II, 97 Larix laricina, 110 ea marginalis robusta, 55 Liatris graminif a ae dubia, 16 Lobelia ee: He wacaai 17 Ludwigia ris Lycopodium, 18, fee , ’ uroides, 54; annotinum, 54; lucidulum, 4, 7, 37, 51, 54; var. porophi ; . dend Lygodium padhiatiein, 54, 121 McFarianp T. Ferns ss their distvibution at Doug Lake, 06. Magnolia grandifiora, 40 inica, 45 Mark, Ciara G., A new station Feige W.E.; S a America rms, X, : ies of tropical American ferns, VI (review), 90 um missouriense, 45 Menteaia oblig es texana, 113; virginien- tg a Morris, 7 Te eats of, 121 Morus rubra Nephrodium cristatum, var. Slos- sonae, 103; floridanum, 41; y ferns, a camecnoe s list New York, some ferns of Dutchess : Oo:; 3 INDEX Notes on American ferns, X, 65; on fern literature, 90; on two crested ferns, 123 Notholaena, 90; dealbata, 46, 113 Onoclea nodulosa, 5; sensibilis, se about, 124 smun . frondosa 96, al var. fron dosa, 54; £: theina: , 54, 56, 82, 98, 112, 128; f. pare ‘98; var. dubia, soe 135 41, 42, 49, 52, 85, yi igre — ot f. cristatum m, vi 102; f. Ghent aa on: ; Braunii, 102, 126, 128 Portulaca lions Psoralea _pedun re 45; tenui- Eesabi nodulosa, ‘Struthionters 6; ieg aa nee d Onoc ‘ace a saa 47, 58, 85: Pteris) (see also Pteris aquilina, . i 52, 107, 108, 111, 128: aqui pseudocaudata, 40, 47, 52; aay 8, od 1 May ga Baar 6a 77: mu gga aoe rrulata, (see also Pursn, a ler “e Quercus ern 75; Schneckii, 56; reg 6, a0, ee 75; virginiana, 75 os 97, 110, 111, 112, 128; spec- _ and hints for the fern boys tabilis, a "55; b emnlostars: 5 girls, Othake callosum, 45, 112 — andromedaefolia, 67, 68; “ota and Pode ince = opurpurea, 47, 52; rafaelensis, view ww), 1 er status of, mi Reviews: auaous of a hybrid Per nace ser bain 58; Fern papers in Prntrren, Nonata, Prothalliaof Rhodora, 33: Prothallia of Ophio lossum (review), 124 Ophioglossum, 124; Specificity Phacelia dubia, 113; hirsuta, 113 of proteins and bohydrates, Phegopteris Dryopteris, 51, 108, 121; ratedies of tropical America’ 110, 111, 112, 128; hexagonop- ferns, tera, 92; polypodioides, 51, Rhexia, 17: virginica, 45 110, F1i, 112, 128; rep 69, 70, 71 Sr Lt re) Sabba teris Salvia ped te i, 45 Phosphate Country, Sg hunting Sarothra gentianoides, 7 in Florida in rp sap pcihdety Mrs hes She Ferns Picea canadensis, 110; ihe 110 Duval Co., Polygala cruciata, 17 scubaes vate ic os oe Toms Polygonella articulata, 16 iver, Polygonum Scleria Manes. os Pol eum, 40, 125; fur- Scolopendrium, 37, vulgare, ace’ um, 40; 120; X Asplenium Feat concen Mandianum, 125; 66, 70, 72, 77; plumula, 43, 77; = Scott's — a new station polypod Bey ay a ; squa for, 1 tum, 90; trichomanoides, 90; slain 51; apoda, 7; apus, 54: vulgare, , 84, 92, 108, 111, tris, 7, 54 120, 1 tbe aurea, ; 28 Polypody, the, 119 Soli Polystichum acrostichoides, 3, 20, _ 136 ‘ AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL Spleenwort, ebony, 3, 118; maiden- Som of Dutchess Co., N. May es ach ferns of Greene Co., Mo., 44 Struthiopteris, 6: germanica, 6, 55; pennsylvanica, 55 Taxodium Seas fig Taxus canad bag efit, of 79; herac- leifol uja ante 110 ° Toms River, N. J., Schizaea pusilla at, Trichomanes Petersii, 81 Ulmus Floridana, 7. UnvEeRwoop, J. we Repfroot Treasurer, 27 Viola lanceolata, 119 Vittaria lineata, 41 Walking-leaf, 3, a WeaTHERBY, C, Report of Secreta ole 24, of Tiong 29 E. . (Obituary . J., The fern-picking stry, 18; Report of Editors, Woodsia err ene dig go 53, ) 58, Xyris flexuosa, 113 ERRATUM ium obliqu Page a ie 8, for E Bakyehiv dissectum elongatum read Boirych- See tibn Tres ch cr ate Sees Rah ere? 2 ne SP eae VeRO Os Clean 2: 2 pre ae ne Se 5 i j 5 oer Pe eee ee ae ee LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY > REVISED TO FEBRUARY 20, 1916 SUPPLEMENT TO AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL VOL, 6, NO. 3 List of Members of the American Fern Society Revised to Feb. 20, 1916. SupPLEMENT TO AMERICAN FeRN JourNat, Vou. 6, No. 1 (* Charter Members; + Life Members; ¢ Honorary Members) Aiken, Dr. Walter H., 1520 Aster Place HY tee ti, M4 sue tae rite ok mag 1911 Allen, Dr. Eugen ne T., 1348 Euclid St. Washington, D.C...//20. 12277! 1911 Allen, Hears v VSD, e of General Electric Co., Bsistnstaniy N. Y.....1904 Allen, Miss Susan : Aen cae. BOON he a Se pc hi Oe 1907 Ames, es, Ames Botanical ebeatory, North Easton, Mass......... 1903 | Amidon » De. "Roya al Wells, Chaumont, Jefferson tees ae B on Ceca 1911 Aederics, John A., High School, Dubuque, ROWER Se aN 1913 Angell, Miss Anne 'Sible ey, 30 Walnut St. Miatilebord: Vie p50 ee 1903 er, Mrs. #46 $6 ney, 1329 Arch St., Berkele OM ae i he: aa 1915 Armstrong, Mrs. C. R., Trudea u, N. Be ee ee eee 1906 Atwood, Dr. "hates il Church ‘St. p NO RON ee 1912 Axt, Louis, 116 Richmond Ave., Port miemond, N.Y. ia. ae he Ayers, Mrs. George B est Bloomfield, N. Badé, Dr. William Frederic, Pacific Theological Seminary, Bekele, Cal. 1801 Barnes, Franklin Augustus, P. O. Box 93, Bellona, ates Bo, > Ny dee i914 Barnhart, Dr. John Hendley, N. Y Botanical Garden, New York City.. Bsr u ity, Bartsch, Dr. Paul, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.......... 1911 *Bates, Rev. James Atwood, South Hovaleton, Mange. 65 4 6a as 1893 r, M.S. , 46 Bly St., Roe Mee TR ee, a ope Sy ee sg ey 1912 Ben senendics, Dr. Ralph Cu Onrtiar 3303 Newkirk Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y....... 1905 Bigelow, Henry C ton, 22 Glen St., New Bri itain, SON ee 1908 Bissell, Charles Humphrey, Southington. CO Gea a A 1897 Black, Prof. “pear G., 3. De 10; Wooster, Obig. oe 1913 Blake, Miss 50 West ue Worcester, PEN ck ky aw cy oes cece 1915 Blake, Sidney Pay, Stought a ne ee re aa 1910 Bonaparte, Prince Roland, 10 presse d’Iéna, Paris, France............ 1911 Bragg, Miss Laura Ma ary, Charleston Museum, Charleston, i OR tebe 1912 Brainerd, Dr. Ezra, PANY, Wo ee ee 1911 Breckenridge, Prof. Lester Paige, 412 Humphrey St., New Haven, Conn.. 1915 Breckenridge, Mrs. Lester Paige , 412 Humphre St.. New Haven, Conn.. 1915 Bristol, Miss B. Muriel, 33 Claveidea Road, Eg aston, ona oe “~~ get i ecil T. ‘ aston Britton, Mrs. Elizabeth Gertrude, 2965 Decatur Ave., Ror Yo ork Cae “1911 Britton, Dr. Nathaniel Lord, N. Y. Botanical Garden, New York City1911 Con 1 Brooks, Mrs. William F., 48 High St. N ss leet beduldus ces ous 908 Brown, Alexander W., 8 Elizabeth St., A euiok ceva eo ieee 1915 Brown, Miss Elizabeth Gilman, 1004 Wes t St, Utica we a 904 Brown, Stewardson n, Academy of Natural Sciences, Phiadelptia Pa.....1914 Brown, Hon. Thomas C., 137 Heberton Ave., Port Richmond, N. Y.....1911_ Burgin, Herman, M. D., 63 West Chelten A Ave., German antown, Phi ces 19 Song hosing Heney, R. No. 2, Hudson Pale NOY. bei ush, pen DS ramkim, Cotvtnby Mari 00 6 es ee og i Butler, Mrs. W. av 4 Se ih ei eR Te ee eee Sie 1911 , Seth Bunker. y Fy Bo: 2054, Philadelphia, Pa... o.<6ocie sss 1915 2 Carhart, Macy, Keyport: Ni. d05 on ys nk re ks wn cee pe oe da 1915 r, Dana S., Middletown cy iad he Rael pate SPORE page igre 1915 Chandonnet, Rev ms L..; Perham, Ottertail Co, Mian... etc: Cheever, Dr. Austin Walter, neat Blue Hill pve: ‘Mattapan, Mass... .. - 1911 Child, Mr W., Hotel Bristol, Boston, Mass............-.--.:.-.+- Choate, Miss Alice D., 3739 a Place, St. Lovie: Mee Se: tChristensen, Carl, Mag. Sci., al Museum, Costanns Denmark 1915 lough, Mrs. Mabel Jessie beer) River. 2 alas pes OU aha ge aca wee *Clute, Prof. Willard Nelson, Joliet, Ill..............---+22+-++++-+:: 1893 Coffin, Mrs. Judith Hopkins, 120 State St., Newburyport, Wiaies. 60s 1896 Corne, Miss F. E., 12 Ash St. Place, Cambr SORT, ORGAN ae 1912 Cowan, Alexander, Valleyfield, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland seers eases fs 1914 Dacy, Miss Alice Evelyn, 28 Ward St., South Boston, iO Arg ae ee 1898 Darling, Miss Nancy, Box R. No. 2, Woo : Davenport, Mrs. Elizabeth Braxton, 45 Green St., Penien Vt 1901 Davis, Rev. John, oe North 7th St., Hannibal, Mo............-..-.-. 1909 Davis, William T., 146 Stuyvesant Place, New Baehiok: Dies Vee cs 1911 Dawson, Miss Una G. 97 Moun a Sh, oman, MERNNL io. oe a 1915 Deam, Charles Clemon, BEA eo acs Ens Ose ea es see Deane, Walter, 29 Brew: 5 er St. Cambridge — CU PaG a cote Guraw a casas 1911 Demetrio, Rev. Hite, GAUNE C., Os, 0 obs cae ales oie Ses es Dodge, Charles Keene, 2805 peck Age Port Horon, Miéeh..2 20. 33: 1893 Dodge, Raynal, New wbury t BARRE 55 is eys ioe ana Mend Peet 1911 1 Dowell, Dr. Philip, Port ORichinond. N ee aan CENCE a ORF A Oe Druery, Chas. T., F.L.S., V.M.H Ge iss Road, Acton, London W.,Eng.1900 Dunlop, William Robert, Fayetteville, Sy ae ih ei sd ane 1915 Dunton, Miss Nellie Frances, 14 Green St., Bath, Me.........-------- Sy Dura: nd, Dr. Elias Judah, Veena Y of Missouri, Columbia, Mo........ 911 Renate Nace re ig he US. a of ApHoultuxe, eat: on, D.C. 1911 ~mmons ice, Stee Yo. nn cd ee ees Farwell, Oliver "Atkins, 419 Field. as. Dr Me inn Sn oe 1913 Fellows, Dr. Dana beg 655 Congress St., Portland, Mee a ie. 1 erriss, James H., Joliet, T. 1... n,n ee eee ee eee ete tees 1901 Fisher, . George L., “r08 Euclid Ave., Houston, Texas...........- 1 Fitzpatrick, Prof. T. A a ’ Bethan AG, PN cis oe dk en ee ee ne Oh 1911 Flannery, Mrs. Mary, 608 D St., Marysville, Cal. 2... on. eee oe ee 1915 Flett, J. B., Ashford, Longmire Springs, Waste eae eee ea ee 1899 Floyd, Fred es 325 Park St., West Roxbury, Mass............-.-- 1 ‘ "ig 251 South Willard St., Gadontak a & SAL ree 1910 Forbes, Navin: Bishop Museum win nolulu, ede es 1915 Forbes, Fayette Frederick, sie ee es eae rs 1911 Foster, Miss Una Lenora, 857 Bea a ei Baatea, MBBS SG ess 1914 Gadeau de Kerville, Henri, Pras a BAB oi ha ak ae so ine a George, Edward, Nassau, New Pro vidence, Bahamas, British West Indies.1911 Goddard, Miss Mina Keyes, 11 Bedford St. Lexington 1 eae. 2 cs 1897 Goodrich, Mrs. L. Leonora, 505 Willow St., Sy Be Ra a 1915 Goodwin, Rev. Francis, 103 Woodland St., Hartford, Conn.,..........- 1916 Greene, F. C., Bureau of Geology and Mines, Ro Wee ices 1913 Greenwood, Miss Helen E., 5 Benefit Terrace, Worcester, | a ae 1912 Grigg, Frederic W., P. O. Box 43, Newtonville, Mass...............--- 1 Grout, Dr. Abel Joel, New Deep ‘Richmond Borough, New York City. . 1910 Grubb, Prof. Percy Lamar, 4 7 Briggs ., Herteburg, Ps.......0.+.--- 1905 Gruber, C. L., Kutstown, Pa... 0c... eee we ee ee ee eee Mrs. Carlotta C., 1615 La Loma Ave., Berkeley, Cal... 0.0.0.0... 1913 4 Harper, Prof. Robert Almer my Long Is Dake Ne New York City..... 1913 Hart, W. O., 134 Catensdoles Br OW OTIOONS Bio sx os ov Rae 1 Hartline, Mrs. D = rmal School, Bloomsburg, Pa............ 0 Hazen, Dr. Tracy Elliott, Columbia bees ty, New York Oley ar 1910 Heller, Prof. Fy ve Avtar, FO. Box 868,Chioo, Calc: 2: 3. us oo GE 1911 Higgi F., e of American geben Peking, OR se Sie 1913 Ho combe, ‘Chases Heney, Lock Box 5, Brookline, By Micta ls eee 1897 Hopkins, Prof. Lewis 8., 525 East Main St., Kent, Ohio............... 1905 Horr, Mrs. Ella L., 12 State St., Feit SR Pi el eon 1911 Howe, Dr. Marshall Avery, N. Y. Botanical Gardeo, New York City. ..1911 Hummel, Mrs. Mary oe , 3632 Powelton Ave., Philadelphia, Pa... .1915 Humphrey, Geo. Scranton, 320 Bement Ave. ., West New Brighton, N. Y..1911 Hunnewell, Francis Welles 2d, 5 vey Hall, Cambridge, Mass... oan 19 Hurd, Mrs. Arthur T., North Hartland, Vt.............. Wieck’ a5 Meese 1 Huss, John Francis, 1103 Anslitn, Ave., Hartiord: Conti,....... = 6:5 sas 1 Jackson, Joseph, 25 Woodland we, Worcester, Mass. 6.00. ee 1898 Jellett, Edwin C., 118 Hermann St., Germanfown Philip, Pa.. .1913 Jenks, , Stonecroft Farm, Bedford, Mass............. Jenney, Hon. Chara Francis, Court House, Boatin as 5s esata eee 1901 naings, Dr. Otto a ae Museum, Pitiebuigh, Pe. vee 1911 Jolley, Wik) OM Vik yee oS 1913 Jones, Miss H. wih 23 ‘South St., ROME IN Morya ee busi. sco eek 1914 Kaufman, Miss Pauline, 173 East 1 124th i, New York City). ...7244 1900 Keeler, 8. L., P. O. Box 473, Scarsdale, N. ¥...............00000 0007 1913 Kendall, Miss Alice C., Hol sui Oa MEARE PRG PE OR ra oe pe eee 1911 ip, Ellsworth P., 32 North Goodman St., Rochester, N. Y.......... 1916 Kim _ Miss Laura F., National City, ae _ ean Co. Calne 1897 Knowlton, Clarence ii Hinckle » Hingham, Mas .1912 Knowlton, Dr. ae Hall, U.S. National Museum, Washington, D. C..1911 Labaree, Mrs. B. W., 47 Garden St., Hartfo Celine cass ins 1913 Laird, James A.., 4 North Goodman si _Hochester, Be Vac ae 1914 Lamprey, Mrs. E. 8., 2 Guild St., Cone 2 A i | a SE RC Se 1897 Lee, Dr. Elisha Lightfoot, Bridgeport, Ala... 0 907 » Mrs. Charles W., Jr., 80 So - gf ine St., New Britain, Conn... ..1914 pritige rele Viewed ho. 14 evy, Miss Daisy J., 403 West 115th St., New York City.............: 1915 wis, W. Scott, 3498 Kagle St., Los Angee oe Bee eal ec 1C, Rev. H.G a 0 21, Sa enn nde, ae eh ae, 1911 Lincoln, Miss A. an, Lincoln Road, Medford, Mass ei ee Mark, Miss Clara G., Ohio State 1 ee Ie pre pera ge ge rie Mant ae A. E., » St M vt ee sri babii, O Pewee ew 6 aelee COC CEE eT ee Rew ee ES Inut St, Alle own, ode Ds ot Matters, Walter, 1042 ira St., Allentown, entoy Pa 1911 sella Midi SMe oka, et ak ee tc hed o Maxon, William Ralph, U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C.....1895 Mendelson, Dr. Walter, 159 West 74th St., New York City........-. 1910 Merrill, Mrs thelwyn Foss, Northwood Narrows, RE eras 1914 Merrill, G. K., 564 Main St., Rockland, Maine...................--.- 913 Merrill, He Wilson, irat Mai PNG eo ON st ota Wa eee od 1 Merwin, Mrs. Charles’ P , 20 Vine St., New Britain, Donne foo 1915 ick, Miss Nellie, 28 East Walnut St., Oneida, ee Se ee 18 Miri Mitchell, Mrs. Mina B., M. D., Care Cas ase Plow Co., cage par eg Tenn.. tre oore, Dr. George T., "Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo....... Mottier, Dr. David Myers, Indiana poate herve “ee [oll Muon vere L., 626 W. Ave. 54, Los Angeles, Cal....1..........-. ts) i 2 i Mun; wi ee ee n St., Hartford, Conn........... Newell, "Chaune cey Jackson, Alstead, N. ee SEE Sin ie ae 1902 Newlan ad, Miss Frances Elizabe th, 17 Court St., Utica, N. Y......... 1 ewman, Pres. Stephen ica D. D., Howard Univ., Washington, DC. An Noble, Mrs. Mary Adam, Inve cia ee ee aoe he eines « Nolan, Dr. Edward J., Academy of ‘of "Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa.. 11 Va Noyes, Miss Elmira Elsie, 204 wate ortsmout. th, I a GE ae oo ee Olaf Martin, dae Doles, DG eo eo ER oa Ge es 1900 nm, ee bn CCN awl k SOO OREO be ee Saeed tee err eo So e's 2 ee aukon, Osmun, Prof. cag TV inoent, hie: Agricultural College, — Mass. oe Overacker, M s Minnie L., 109 Robineau Road, Syracuse, N. Y....... Palmer, Fiat gw 321 South Allen St., Webb City, ee ae 1 Palmer, T. Chalkley, Media, Pa........-..-.-+-.0-see reper ests 1898 Palmer, Dr. Theo. Sherman, 1939 Biltmore St., N. W., sed earn D.C. 1911 Palmer, William, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, ue aay : ember, F. _ le, PR ine ee, Ca og ra ey eer Pe eye Pember, J. H., Gran FO ON es uaa tuattns ba BC ews 6 1909 Penrose, Mrs. "lament B., 182 West Chelten Ave., gp ap ciate Pa... .1900 - ’ Miss L Normal Ave., Valley City AS a eS 1896 *Petty, Prof. W. J., Ocean City, N.J........6- sees eee c etree eee 1893 , Mrs. Orra Parker, Canton, Mo a ee ar 904 ckett, Ferman Layton, Pullman, ap Ce a Oe 1914 Plitt, Charles Christian, 3933 Lowndes Ave., Baltimore, Md..........-- “1010 Pond, Bremer Whidden, 1039 Maseachiisetts Ave., rr ge Mass.. ; acuse, N.Y. .1915 Pretz, Harold W., 3 nion St., Allentown, Pa.......-.---+++++++++: S. Fred, Notch, errs ee OS re et ee ei 1905 ra A., 32 Cherr 1894 Rand, fe poe Lothrop a Sot Si, Boston, eee eR eg ee ee 1914 ier, rt Earl, Manlius, N, ¥....006 20-0505 - de eee coe eres 1902 Redles, Gowen * 207 East Wiste r St., Germantown, Pe a 1913 Reimers, Johannes, 2637 Rose St., Berkeley, Cab... 2005. 6s scene ees: 1915 Reveley, Prof. Ida L., Wells College, Ausra, Ni Wis 1915 Lg , Char ayy ag - on, SS nee Oks Soeahennimay a ate — idion ooper, 17 Unio pringfield, Vt.......-.-+-+++++5 Roberts, ae W °0. S. Dept. of Agric iculture, Washington, D. Cr 1911 Ro , Miss Louise Wright, 520 Roberts ‘Ave., Syra bees 1915 Robinson, Dr. Winifred J., Women’s College of ieamerh Newark, Del.. 1911 Main St., New Britain, Conn........-.---- 1911 , Dartmouth Colles: Mew Mi WO aes 1906 pe Pleasant St., Washington, D.C... Diet 6 Satchwell, Mrs. M. W., 143 Wes t 6th St., Jacksonville, Fla............. 1912 co , James Grimshaw, 123 West Pric St., erman ntown, Pas ces 1913 Scoullar, Albe , 144 Cherry St., E va US a alee ace a Samira 905 Scoullar, Mrs. Al E., 144 Cherry St eomagsy be * Picea alee ate Shreve, Dr. Forrest, Desert Laboratory, Tucson, Ariz.................. losson, Miss Margaret, N. Y. Botanical Garden, Ne ew York City...... 1911 Smit e Morrill, 78 Orange ‘St., Brookien N.Y... ee Spalding, Miss Rebecca Wentworth, 2 St. Nicholas Place, New York City.1912 Spalding, Mrs. William, 405 Comstock Ave., Syra Pe Nae) ee 1911 Standley, Paul Carpenter, Smithsonian Insti Sg Washington D. C...1915 Stabbing’ Miss Ida Huntley, 52 Albemarle St., Rochest aR i aR To 1915 Steere, Mrs. William W., 10 Holmfield Ave., Tastee Bagh. 5. tae 1911 Stolz, Rev. Joseph Henry, 211 Cedar Me Aseny, Tide 2 1915 Stowell, Willard 140 Kent St., bg WEB eS. Kins cant Oe 1900 Suksdorf, Wilhelm Nikolaus, Bingen, Wash......................... 1914 Swinerton, John R., 2115 Chestnut Ave. oe News, Va... 3.23: 1909 Taylor, Norman, Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, Sh Se perc es: 1911 erry, Mrs. Emily Hitcheock, 103 South St., Northampton, Mass... . . 1893 Thatcher, Mrs. Louise Huntington, 18 Kemble St., Utica » eX 1909 Tobitt, Miss Ada, Sleighton Farm, Darli co fa 1912 Todd, Dr 40 South B t., Syrac ve 2A a nace aches 5 eee 1915 ee 2 LeRoy, Bureau of the seen: ewig eee 1896 Tracy, arwood, 3 Fullerton, Cal seca Cota Tuttle, Mrs. John Betley, 1769. Colunbis’ Road, Washington, D. C...1914 Vagerwood, Jay Gove, Hetnd, Vi... 1910 Utley, Mrs. Herbert § ae Hills Ave. ogi pes Coan 1915 Utley, Miss Mary Louise, 301 Blue Hills rtford, Copn....... 1915 Van Hook, Mrs. Jar ames M., P. O. Box 336, New Hg rap Pia... ce 1902 Ware, Robert ee 246 Devonshire St., "Mae 1903 ‘Waters, Dr. C. E., Bureau of Standards Waste aa 1893 Weatherby, Charles Alfred, 1062 Main St. oe Hartford, Conk... 1912 Webster, Edward Ba: n, Port Ange, Walon 5... ces 1914 Wentworth, Edwin P., Everett Chambers, jie Maing 6666525 4 ertsner, Clayto 8. MR eee on Wh M usan P., 910 Clinton St., ioeephin. Paces. cee ler; Dr. Edward J., 79 Chapel St., Albany, Ne es i Wheeler, Mi mai Mey. ee Wheeler, Leston Ansel, Townshet brea ay ere White, David, U. 8. Nati Mu aehineton, D. C.:..... . ay /. 8. Nation: seum, Washin C wae Miss Alice Wilson, Fairbanks Museum, "Bt. Jobs Johnsbury, Vt.. Wien, ed Hammond, 1428 Park Ave., are Md.. ie Fe a 222 Grove St., Auburndale Wi 1 > x Lasell Sem . ceeeeetta Warsi, Mise Iner 4, Orleans ve Abra Sta 8 Woodams, Milton E., 783 tote Ne 0 toe ee ener uth A yond Richard Wilms 7 College St., Net Haven, Conn " g Ms Aden. Young, Mrs, Charles E., 1706 Or regon Ave, Wabi D.C ee ee To THE MEMBERS: Probably each of you knows at least two people who are inter- ested in ferns, but are not yet members of the Society. Will you not tell them about the Society, and cut out and ask them to use the application blanks printed below? Applications should be sent to the Secretary. Cut out on these lines You may present my name for membership in the AMERICAN FERN Society. I enclose one dollar. Name (In full with all degrees and titles) - Ordinary Signature Address You may present my name for membership in the AMERICAN FERN Society. I enclose one dollar. Name (In full with all degrees and titles) amity PinnAtie. 2 ieee: Bane eG