IC-NRLF B 14 5^ 710 ERWOOD II '|L ''V MOLOGT LIBRART THE BOTANICAL LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. GIFT OF MR. AND MRS. T. S. BRANDEGEE. 1906 T. S. BRANDEGEE No..... OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES Synoptical Descriptions of the American Pteridophyta North of Mexico LUCIEN M. UNDERWOOD, PH.D. Professor of Biology in Syracuse University THIRD EDITION, REVISED NEW YORK HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 1888 COPYRIGHT, 1888, BY HENRY HOLT & CO. DRUMMOND & NEU, Electrotypers, New York. PREFACE. THE first edition of this manual was published in 1881 and the second in 1882 ; the continued call for copies of the work is the only apology for a new edition. During the past six years the interest in ferns has largely increased, and has resulted not only in a wider and more thorough study of known forms, but in the less explored portion of our territory new species are con- tinually being brought to light. Of the true ferns (forming the order Filices) 140 species were described in the first edition and 145 in the second; in the present edition 156 species are re- corded, while three species recognized in former editions have been reduced to varieties. The Fern Allies are here augmented by the addition of a genus new to this country (Salmnid), and five species, two of which are here described for the first time ; a reduction of three species has resulted from a more extended study of large suites of specimens, so that 68 species are here recorded. While the general plan as developed in the former editions has not been greatly modified, the details of the entire work have been thoroughly revised in order that it may be in harmony with the present aspect of structural and systematic study which every year is adding to the sum of our knowledge. The work is intended as an introduction to the study of ferns and a manual for the easy determination of our species ; as such it has aimed to be suggestive in methods of study; to this end the student is referred to the necessary literature, classified ac- cording to subjects, at the close of each chapter. It is hoped that the introduction of eight pages of references to the intro- ductory literature of plants lower than the pteridophytes may prove valuable to students who, like the writer, have been obliged to grope in the dark with no kindly suggestion as to what works were valuable for beginners. (v) \A VI PREFACE. Acknowledgments are here rendered to those who have aided in the preparation of this edition. Especially we would men- tion Dr. Sereno Watson, of the Botanic Gardens at Cambridge for access to numerous specimens ; Professor Daniel C. Eaton, of Yale, for elucidating the synonymy of Aspidium patitlum ; and most of all, Mr. George E. Davenport for very many kindly suggestions, specimens, and courtesies extending through a series of years. SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, Feb. 18, 1888. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION, ix ABBREVIATIONS, xii CHAPTER I. Haunts and Habits of Ferns, I II. The Organs of the Growing Fern, 8 III. Fructification in Ferns 10 IV. Germination of Fern Spores, 19 V. Fern Structure, 24 VI. The Fern Allies, 28 VII. Classification and Nomenclature, 41 VIII. The Fern's Place in Nature, 46 IX. Distribution in Time and Space 60 X. Methods of Study, 68 OUR NATIVE PTERIDOPHYTA. ORDER I. FILICES 75 II. MARSILIACE^E, 125 III. SALVINIACE^E 127 IV. OPHIOGLOSSACEjE, 128 V. EQUISETACE^E, 132 VI. LYCOPODIACE^E, 135 VII. SELAGINELLACE^E 140 VIII. ISOETACE^E, 142 INDEX AND GLOSSARY, 149 (vii) INTRODUCTION. IN the entire vegetable world there are probably no forms of growth that attract more general notice than the Ferns. Deli- cate in foliage, they are sought for cultivation in conservatories and Wardian cases, and when dried and pressed add to the culture of many a domestic circle by serving as household deco- rations. They furnish to botanists a broad and inviting field for investigation, and he who examines their more minute struc- ture with the microscope will find deeper and still more myste- rious relations than those revealed to the unaided eye. Ferns thus appeal to the scientific element of man's nature as well as to the aesthetic, and while they highly gratify the taste, they furnish food for the intellect in a like degree. The Fern allies have also played their appointed part in the domestic and decorative economy of this and other generations. The scouring-rushes served our ancestors for keeping white their floors and wooden ware in the days when carpets were a luxury. The trailing stems of various species of Lycopodium have long been valued for holiday decorations ; while their burning spores have flashed in triumphal processions, and have added their glow to the fervor of political campaigns. In olden time the obscure fructification of the common brake led to many superstitious ideas among the common people, and the older poets have woven these popular notions into our litera- ture. Butler tells in Hudibras of bugbears so often created by mankind : " That spring like fern, that infant weed, Equivocally without seed, And have no possible foundation But merely in th' imagination." X INTRODUCTION. Shakespeare only reflects a prevalent belief of his time when he says : " We have the receipt of fern seed ; we walk invisible." Others allude to the falling of the seed on the anniver- sary night of the birth of the "loved disciple." The old simplers with their lively imagination were impressed by the fancied resemblances of some parts of fern growth to various organs of the human body, and introduced them into their system of specifics. Traces of their influence still remain in the names of some of our common ferns, as spleenwort and maidenhair. To form a correct understanding of ferns we must study the ferns themselves as well as the text-book, as it is only by direct contact with nature that we gain definite and satisfactory informa- tion. The text- book is useful only in giving directions how to investigate. To understand thoroughly an animal we must study its habits in its native haunts. To know its structure and posi- tion in the animal kingdom we must carefully dissect a large number of specimens, and study the development of the individ- ual from its beginning. In like manner, to understand fully a fern we must search where nature has planted it, watch it as it un- coils from the bud, matures, produces its fruit, and finally returns to the earth ; examine it with needles and lenses, and discover its minute structure and its life-history. These pages, which aim to give an outline of the forms of fern growth, the methods of fruiting, the germination or growth from the spore, and finally the more minute structure of the entire plant, can only be thoroughly understood by taking the ferns in hand and studying them in connection with the text. For the first three chapters and the determination of species a strong pocket lens and a few needles mounted in handles for dissection will furnish the necessary outfit. Chapters IV. and V. will require a com- pound microscope with its appliances for successful investiga- tion. Those unused to such an instrument will need special directions in regard to the care of a microscope and the methods of using it. Such directions will be found in the laboratory guides recommended in Chapter X. The following will also be useful and suggestive : INTRODUCTION. XI STOKES (A. C.)- Microscopy for Beginners. I2mo. New York, 1887. (Harper & Brothers.) BAUSCH (Edward). Manipulation of the Microscope. I2mo. Rochester, N. Y., 1885. (Bausch & Lomb Optical Co.) A collection of the native ferns of the country is interesting and attractive. Good specimens should include roots so as to show as much as possible of the methocf of growth. They should be mounted on standard herbarium paper sixteen and one half by eleven and one half inches. Let no one imagine that the study of ferns will be an easy one. Patient application and careful observation are essential to success, yet he who becomes once interested in the work will find a subject that deepens in interest with every step, and even becomes enchanting as he seeks to determine the mysteri- ous processes of fern development and the marvels of fern structure. ABBREVIATIONS. ADANS M. Adanson. AIT W. Alton. ANGS J. Angstroem. BEAUV P. de Beau vais BERNH J. J. Bernhardi. BIGEL J. Bigelow. BRACK W. D. Brackenridge. A. BR ,..A. Braun. R. BR R. Brown. BONG Bongard. BRONG A. Brongniart. CAV A. J. Cavanilles. CHAPM A. W. Chapman. DAV G. E. Davenport. DC A. P. DeCandolle. DESF R. L. Desfontaines. DESV N. A. Desvaux. EHRH F. Ehrhart. ENDL S. L. Endlicher ENGELM G. Engelraann. H. & A Hooker and Arnott. H.&G Hooker and Greville. HBK..Humboldt, Bonplandand Kunth. HITCH E. Hitchcock. HOFFM G. F. Hoffman. HOOK W. J. Hooker. HUDS W. Hudson. HUMB Baron von Humboldt Juss A. L. Jussieu KAULF G. F. Kaulf uss. KOCH W. D. Koch. KUHL Kuhlewein. L C. von Linne [Linnaeus]. LAM J. B. de Lamarck. L'HER C. L. L'Heritier. LIEBM F. Liebmann . LINDL J. Lindley. LINN. F C. Linnaeus (son). MART. & GALE... Martens and Galeotti. METT G. Mettenius. MICHX A. Michaux. MUHL G. H. E. Muhlenberg. NECK N. J. Necker. NUTT T. Nuttall. PLUM C. Plumier. REICHENB H. G. L. Reichenbach. RICH C. L. M. Richard. SCHLEICH Schleicher. SCHREB J. C. D. Schreber. SM J. E. Smith. J. SM J. Smith. SPRENG K. Sprengel. Swz O. Swartz. THUNB C. P. Thunberg. TOKR J. Torrey. TUCKERM E. Tuckerman. UNU L. M. Underwood. VAILI S. Vaillant. VENT.. E. P. Ventenat. WALL. N. Wallich. WALLR F. W. Wallroth. WALT T. Walter. WILLD... ...K. L. Willdenow. Gr Greek. Lat Latin. cm centimetre. mm millimetre. var variety. o feet. ' inches. "... lines. (xii) OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. CHAPTER I. HAUNTS AND HABITS OF FERNS. Our outward life requires them not, — Then wherefore had they birth ? To minister delight to man, To beautify the earth. — MARY HOWITT. 1 . General Characters.— Our native ferns comprise plants varying in height from less than an inch to six or seven feet, or even more. Some are stout and fleshy, others are delicate and even filmy, but most are herbaceous, resembling ordinary flowering plants in the texture of their foliage. While most would be recognized as ferns by even a novice, a few differ so widely from the ordinary typical forms that to an unskilled ob- server they would scarcely be considered as bearing any resem- blance to ferns whatever. The fronds of one of our Florida species resemble narrow blades of grass, and the fertile spikes of another from New Jersey might be mistaken for a diminutive species of sedge. A third from Alabama would, perhaps, be called a moss by the inexperienced, while the " Hartford fern," found from New England to Kentucky, has a climbing stem and broad palmate leaves. When we add to these peculiar forms of our own country those of foreign lands, and include the immense tree ferns of tropical regions, we find our early conception of a fern inade- quate to cover this diversity of forms. Without attempting an accurate definition of a fern, let it be regarded for present pur- i 2 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. poses as a flowerless plant, producing spores instead of seeds, possessing more or less woody tissue, and having its leaves coiled in the bud from apex to base. After the necessary study of the structure of some of our common ferns, we will be able to comprehend the more technical definition found later in the work. 2. Mode of Growth. — Ferns vary greatly in their method of growth, yet each species has a plan which, within certain limits, is fixed and definite. Some, like the common brake, have their fronds rising from more or less distant portions of the creeping rootstock. Others, like Asplenium tric/wmanes, are tufted, many fronds rising irregularly in a cluster ; while still others, like the ostrich-fern (Onocled) and many of the shield- ferns (Aspidtum), grow in crowns or circles, the later fronds continually rising within the older ones. In the grape-ferns (Botryc hium} the rootstocks usually produce a single frond each season, the bud for the succeeding year growing within the base of the common stalk. 3. In many there is a tendency to dimorphism, the fertile or fruit-bearing fronds differing to a greater or less extent from the sterile ones. In a few species, like the sensitive-fern and the ostrich-fern (Onocled), this is carried so far that the sterile and fertile fronds bear no resemblance to each other, and in one instance have been mistaken for different species, and so de- scribed. Osmunda cinnamomea, Woodiuardia angustifolia, Pel- Itza gracilis, Cryptogramme, and Lomariaofier further examples of this principle of growth. 4. Variation. — The same species will often present wide differences in the size of the fronds. This depends to some ex- tent on the character of the soil and the ordinary climatic con- ditions. For example, the lady-fern (Asplenium filix-fccmina), which in ordinary locations grows from two to four feet high, in mountainous regions is sometimes reduced to from three to six inches, when it forms the var. exile. In like manner the marginal shield-fern (Aspidiiim marginale), usually two or three feet high, is reduced to five inches when growing on rocky cliffs, and yet regularly produces fruit.* * Cf. Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club, VI. 266 (Oct. 1878). HAUNTS AND HABITS OF FERNS. 3 5. In some cases there is a tendency to variation in size that cannot be referred to soil or climatic influences. The com- mon grape-fern (Botrychiw* Virginianuni) will be found in some localities to vary from six inches to two feet in height, all well fruited and matured, and with the extreme sizes growing within a pace of each other in the same soil and with the same environment. The other species of the same genus present similar variations, and judging from size and external appear- ance alone, a regular gradation of forms might be arranged from the most diminutive undivided forms of B. simplex to the larg- est of B. Virginianum. 6. Another tendency to variation is noticed in the forking of fronds either at the summit or at the ends of the branches. The hart's-tongue (Scolopendriuni) is frequently forked at the summit, the walking-leaf (Camptosorus) less commonly, while the same tendency is noticed in various compound forms, as Asplenium angustifolium, Cheilanthes vestita, Gymnogramme Ehrenbergiana, Dicksonia, Pelltza atropurpurea, and others. Some of the species of Botrychiicm show the same tendency, especially in their fertile segments. It is probable that all our species will be found to fork under certain conditions. More definite information is desirable with regard to many species that show this tendency, as it doubtless involves the question of ancestry of existing ferns. 7. In those species whose sterile and fertile fronds are un- like, forms often appear that are intermediate between the ster- ile and fertile fronds, and sometimes even form a graded series from one to the other. This is especially true of the sensitive- fern (Onoclea) and the cinnamon fern (Osmunda ctnnamomea), and has frequently been the source of so-called "varieties." Whether this variation arises from some peculiarity of environ- ment, or from some inherent tendency to reversion toward an older form, will require more extended observation to deter- mine. One of the varieties of Botrychium ternatum seems to have been founded on a condition which is intermediate in structure between the sterile and fertile segments. 8. In a few forms there is an apparent mimicry, one species imitating another in foliage or method of fruiting. In the cin- namon-fern just alluded to, which has a cinnamon-colored 4 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. sterile frond totally unlike the fertile, sterile fronds will some- times be found which are fertile at the apex — the normal method of fruiting in the royal flowering-fern (Osmunda regalis) ; and in turn the royal flowering- fern is sometimes fertile in the middle, in imitation of Osmunda Claytoniana. 9. Time of Fruiting. — The time of maturing fruit is dif- ferent among different species, and also varies with geographi- cal location and proximity to tropical climates. In the Northern States some species produce their fruit as early as May (Osmunda cinnamomea), and others as late as September (Lygodiuni), but the greater number are best studied in July and August. In the Northeastern States, where the two species of Cystopterts abound on limestone rocks, C. fragilts matures its spores and withers in June or July, while C. bulbifera reaches its maturity only in August or September. In semi-tropical climates, like Southern California and the Gulf States, the time of fruiting is often earlier, sometimes occurring in February or March. Some fronds are killed by the early frosts, while others, like the Christ- mas-fern, are evergreen, and may be gathered in midwinter. 10. Local Distribution. — Ferns are largely dependent for successful growth on the amount of warmth, moisture, and shade to which they are subjected, and we would naturally ex- pect to find them reaching a maximum in size and abundance in warm swamps or shady marshes. While this is in general true, we nevertheless find many species thriving only in rocky places, thrusting their roots into the crevices of the rocks with little earth for their nourishment, and many times exposed to the scorching rays of the sun. Of necessity, such species are of comparatively small size, and likely to be protected in some way against the heat of the sun, and provided with means to retain their moisture in times of drought. Others still are found in wet, rocky ravines, often where moistened by the spray of cascades or waterfalls, and consequently have no such pro- vision against the heat of an extended summer. Certain others thrive in open fields that are comparatively dry and unshaded. One species of Southern Florida is aquatic, having the sterile fronds floating in shallow water. A few species are epiphytic, or grow on other plants, some being found on tree-trunks to the height of 150 or 200 feet ! HAUNTS AND HABITS OF FERNS. 5 So, while moisture, warmth, and shade in abundance are the climatic conditions essential to promote luxuriant fern growth, it can and does continue when any or all these conditions are reduced to a minimum. 1 1 . Ferns may then be sought in any of the following situa- tions, and it will be seen that each situation has its charac- teristic species : A. Wet swamps or marshes with or without abundant shade. B. Rich woods, more or less moist. C. Uncultivated open places and dry hillsides. D. Meist, rocky ravines or rocky places not subject to sum- mer drought. E. Exposed rocky cliffs. F. Standing water. G. Growing on other plants. (Epiphytic.) 1 2. In the first location mentioned above, we may find the chain-ferns ( Woodwardia), many of the spleenworts (Aspleniuiri), a few of the shield-ferns (Aspultum), the flowering-ferns (Osmun- da), as well as the genera Acrostichum, Onoclea, etc. These in- clude some of our largest and coarsest ferns. A few more deli- cate in structure are also found here, notably the dainty Phegop- terts dryopteris. 1 3. In the second we find a few spleenworts, most of the shield-ferns, the beech-ferns {Phegopteris), most of the grape- ferns (Botrychiuni), the maidenhair (Adiantum), the Dicksonia, and some others. In this situation we find the finest develop- ment of foliage and the greatest artistic finish among all the ferns. 14. In uncultivated places and on rocky hillsides we often find the common bracken or brake (Pteris aquilina), and the lady-fern (Asplenium filix-foemtna), though these are by no means confined to these locations, the latter growing quite fre- quently in moist woods, and even in cold, wet swamps. Many other ferns are found occasionally in openings of the forest or recent clearings, where they maintain a sickly existence, some- times for a series of years. In such locations ferns often be- come contracted and abnormal in growth, and take on a faded yellow hue from their exposure to the open sunshine. 1 5. In moist ravines and on rocky banks the bladder-ferns (Cystopteris) may be found, with the peculiar walking-leaf 6 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES (Camptosorns), the rare hart's-tongue (Scolopendrium)* and many of the smaller spleenworts. The long, pendent fronds of Cystopteris bulbifera add greatly to the beauty of out- natural ravines, and often serve to conceal the uncouth rocks, or at least draw the attention to that which is more deli- cate and artistic. On dripping rocks, or where the sides of ravines are kept continually moist by the spray of waterfalls, such delicate pellucid ferns as the filmy-fern (Trichomanes) and Pellcsa gracilis may be sought. There seems to be a direct connection between the environment and the texture of the fern. The last two mentioned grow in very damp situations, and are pellucid and almost membranous. Cystopteris in some- what drier situations is thinly herbaceous, while Asplenium Trichomanes w\& Camptosorus, requiring less moisture, are more firm, and form the transition to the next group. 1 6. On dry cliffs we may look for the various species of Woodsia, the cloak-ferns (Nothclcena), the lip-ferns (Cheilanthes), and the cliff-brakes (Pellcsa). Many of these are firm and even leathery in texture, and others are thickly covered on one or both sides with tangled hair or scales, fitting them to survive long periods of drought. 1 7. Only one of our native species is strictly aquatic, the anomalous Ceratopteris thaltctroidcs found in Southern Florida, though Acrostichum aureuin is often found with its rhizoma rising from the water of salt marshes. Osmunda regalis is oc- casionally found in standing water several inches deep, though this is not usual. 1 8. Among the epiphytic ferns are several species of Poly- podium, especially P. incanum, P. Scouleri, and P. aureum, the last always being associated with the cabbage-palmetto (Sabal palmetto). Vittaria, Tanitis, and Nephrolepis are also of this class, and are frequently pendent from the same plant, though occasionally found on other tree-trunks. Ophioglossum pal- matum, another peculiar tropical fern-ally, belongs to the same * This rare fern seems to show a decided preference for limestone rocks, and thus far has been found only above the geological formation known as the Corniferous limestone. I believe a thorough search for this fern along the outcrops of the formation in Central New York and elsewhere would show a wider distribution than is at present attributed to this species. HAUNTS AND HABITS OF FERNS. 7 list. Even in the streets of our Southern cities, Polypodium in- canum is commonly seen growing with various mosses well up on the trunks of shade-trees. It is only in tropical regions, however, that epiphytes are seen in profusion. 1 9. These principles of climatic distribution are necessarily modified by the geographic range of species, which must be considered in this connection. For example, Asptdium spinu- losum or its varieties form the leading foliage ferns of Northern New England and New York, while Dicksonia, less common in those localities, largely replaces them from Connecticut south- ward. This subject will be more fully discussed in a later chapter. LITERATURE. Most of the American literature bearing on this subject is in the form of short notes which have appeared from time to time in our two botanical monthlies ;* a classified summary appears below : HABITS.— Botanical Gazette, I, 2 ; II, 100 ; in, 82 ; IV, 140, 177, 232; v, 27, 30, 43, 48; vi, 161, 295 ; vii, 86. DIMORPHISM. — Torrey Bulletin, vm, 101, 109 ; IX, 6 ; xin, 62. FORKING FRONDS. — Botanical Gazette, i, 50; 11, 80; 111,39; vi, 220; vm. 242. — Torrey Bulletin, VII, 26, 85; IX, 116, 129; x,4. RELATIVE ABUNDANCE : — DAVENPORT (George E.). A Bit of Fern History. In Botanical Gazette, vii, 60-64 (May, 1882). CULTIVATION : — ROBINSON (John). — Ferns in Their Homes and Ours. 1 2mo, illustrated. Salem, 1878. A valuable outline of fern cultiva- tion, indispensable to those desiring to undertake the cultivation of ferns either in conservatories or Wardian cases. SMITH (John). Ferns, British and Foreign. 8vo. Lon- don, 1879. * Students of ferns, like other botanists, ought to have these valuable journals at hand as a means of keeping abreast of the wonderful botanical activity now manifest in America. The Botanical Gazette, now (1888) com- mencing its thirteenth volume, is published at Crawfordsville, Indiana ($2.00 per annum). The Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, now commencing its fifteenth volume, is published at Columbia College, New York City ($1.00 per annum). 8 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. CHAPTER II. THE ORGANS OF THE GROWING FERN. Pour bien savoir une chose, il faut en savoir les details. — LA ROCHEFOUCAULD. 20. EVERY one familiar with the forest and its products must have seen the young ferns unrolling from the bud in spring and early summer. It will be noticed that the fronds are coiled from the apex to the base, and form crosiers, so called from their resemblance to the head of a bishop's staff. This method of vernation is called circinate, and is rarely found except among ferns. In the grape-ferns and adder-tongues the vernation is straight or merely inclined, thus approximating that of ordinary flowering plants. 2 1 . Rootstock. — Ferns usually spring from an under- ground stem called the rootstock. This may be simple or branched, smooth or scaly, horizontal, oblique, or even vertical. In some ferns it is fine and hairlike, while in others it is very large and stout. In some cases the rootstock creeps at the sur- face of the ground and even rises above it, as in the variety of Aspidium confer minum which grows in Florida. In the tree ferns of warmer climates it often forms a trunk fifty feet high, bearing the fronds at the summit, when it takes the name of caudex. 22. Frond. — The aerial portion consists essentially of a leaf-stalk and blade ; the former is technically called the stipe, and the latter the frond. Though these are usually distinct from each other in appearance, the stipe is sometimes wanting, and in others no distinction can be made between them. Both stipe and frond, or either one, may be glabrous (smooth), pubes- cent (softly hairy), hairy, woolly, or scaly ; when the scales are small and somewhat appressed, the surface is said to be squa- mous. The careful discrimination of these hairy or scaly appendages becomes a matter of importance in distinguishing many of the species of Qheilanthes. In a few of our native ferns THE ORGANS OF THE GROWI.\7G FERN. g the under surface is covered with a white or yellow powder bearing some resemblance to flour or corn starch. For this reason a surface of this character is called farinaceous. Such is the California gold-fern or "golden back" (Gymnogramme trian- ^i(laris), and several of the cloak-ferns (Notholcend), and such are the various gold and silver ferns of conservatories, including some of the richest arid most beautiful in the world. 23. The frond may be simple, when it consists of a single undivided leaf, as in Scolopendrium or Camptosorus ; or compound, when it is divided into segments. The exquisite delicacy and the extent to which this dividing is carried in some ferns deter- mines largely their aesthetic value. The continuation of the stipe through a simple frond is'called the midvein ; through a compound frond is called the rachis, and is further distinguished as primary when the frond is much compounded. A frond is entire when the margin forms an unbroken line; when so cut as to form lobes extending half way or more to the midvein it is called pinnatifid ; when these incisions extend fully to the midvein the frond is said to be simply pinnate, and the divisions are called pinna. When the pinnae are cut into lobes the frond is bipinnatifid and the lobes are called segments, and when these extend to the secondary midveins it is bipinnate and the divisions are called pinnules. The secondary midvein then becomes a secondary rachis. In like manner we may have ferns that are tripinnatifid and tripin- nate, quadripinnatifid and quadripinnate. The last lobes are designated ultimate segments, and the last complete divisions ultimate pinnules. All these various forms from entire to quad- ripinnate are abundantly represented among our native ferns. 24. In some pinnate fronds, as in the oak-fern (Phegopteris dryopteris), the lower pair of pinnae is greatly enlarged and more compound than those above, so that the stipe appears to form three branches bearing similar and nearly equal portions. Fronds of this character are usually triangular or pentagonal in outline, and this method of branching is called ternate. It will be readily seen that this is merely a modified form of the ordi- nary pinnate frond. Throughout the domain of nature there is infinite variety of form and structure, and at the same time unity in plan and conformity to a few generalized types. 10 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 25. Venation. — The method of veining admits of great variation, often serving to distinguish species, and more especi- ally the sections of the various genera. In some ferns, like most shield-ferns (Aspidium), the veins are/ree — that is, arising from either side of the midvein they do not unite with any other vein. In some of these the vein is simple (not branched), in others variously forked. In many the veins repeatedly anastomose or unite together, forming a series of network or areolce. This may be somewhat irregular, as in Onoclea ; or forming a single row of areolse next to the midvein and thence free to the margin, as in Woodwardia Virginica ; or forming many uniform areolae by the parallel transverse veinlets connecting the distinct and parallel primary veins, as in Polypodium phyllttidis. In case the venation does not appear when examined by reflected light, it may be brought out clearly by holding the frond between the observer and the light, and then using a lens if necessary. A few fleshy species require dissection to show the veins. CHAPTER III. FRUCTIFICATION IN FERNS. " But on St. John's mysterious night, Sacred to many a wizard spell, The hour when first to human sight Confest, the mystic fern-seed fell." 26. Spores and Sporangia. — In the flowering plants (OPERMAPHYTA) there is a manifest sexual reproduction, the ovules in the female organs (pistils) being fertilized by the pollen produced by the stamens, thus giving rise to the embryo so rus of 'poiypodTumfaicatum Kellogg, of the new plant. The Ferns, showing the stalked sporangia. on the contrary, produce no flowers. Instead of seeds developed from fertilized ovules, minute spores are produced asexually, from which new ferns are developed by a peculiar process of germination very unlike that FRUCTIFICATION IN FERNS. II of flowering plants. These spores are collected in little sacs known as sporangia or spore cases. The sporangia in the true ferns (POLYPODIACE/E) are collected in little clusters on the back of the frond, or are variously arranged in lines along the veins or around the margins (Fig. i). These clusters of spo- rangia are called sort, and may be naked, as in Polypodtum, or provided with a special covering known as the indusium, as in Aspidium (Fig. 8). The various forms of the sori and indusia serve as the basis for classifica- tion into genera and tribes, while each sub-order has its peculiar form of sporangia. 27. In the POLYPODIACE/E the sporangia are more or less completely surrounded with a jointed vertical ring or annulus, and at maturity burst open transversely by the straightening of the annulus and discharge their copious spores (Fig. 2). The clusters of sporangia are said to be marginal, intramarginal, or dorsal, according as they have their position at the margin or more or less remote from it. They may be .Fic.2.— Sporan- gium of Polypo- roundish, oblong, or linear in shape, or arranged dium vuigart,L, in variously forking lines, or may even be spread JSjjTJRdi'ciS in a stratum over the entire under surface of the lar&ed- frond. They are called indusiate or non-indusiate according as thev are covered or naked ; and the indusia may be inferior (at- tached below the sorus), as in Woodsia (Fig. 9), or superior, as in Aspidium (Fig. 8), or of various intermediate methods of at- tachment. 28. In the other sub- orders of FILICES the spo- rangia are variously ar- ranged. In the HYMENO- PHYLLACE/E or filmy ferns the flattened sporangia are sessile along a filiform recep- _. FlG' 3'_ FlG- 4- Fig-. 3.— Enlarged sessile sporangium tacle, and are Surrounded of Trichomanes radicans Swz. . , , Fig. 4. — Sporangium of Schizeea j>u- with a complete transverse „•//« pursh, showmg the apical ring. annulus. At maturity they open vertically (Fig. 3). In the SCHIZ/EACE^E the sporangia 12 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR A LUES. are ovate, surrounded at the apex by a complete annulus, and open by a longitudinal slit (Fig. 4). In the OSMUNDACEJE or flowering ferns the sporangia are larger, globose, and naked, with the mere trace of a transverse annulus, and open longitudinally. The various methods of fructification can be best understood by describing the peculiarities of the various genera in regular succession and noting the variations occurring in the sections or sub-genera. By this means we will arrive at a better under- standing of the principles of fern classification as discussed in a future chapter. As the subject of venation is closely connected with that of fructification, it will be treated in the same connec- tion. 29. Acrostichum. — In this genus the sporangia are spread in a stratum over the under surface of the upper pinnae in our solitary species, but in some exotics they cover portions of the upper surface as well. There is no indusium. 30. Polypodium (Fig. i). — This genus contains the larg- est number of existing ferns, and though all the species agree in the roundish naked sori, the venation is widely different in the various sections, which are chiefly formed on the character of the veins. Four of the five sections are represented in our nine species. , In § EUPOLYPODIUM the veins are free, yet are occasionally known to unite,* thus indicating a tendency to vary toward the next section. The sori are generally found at the end of a free veinlet. In § GONIOPHLEBIUM the veins unite near the margin, form- ing large areolae, each containing a single free veinlet which bears the sorus at its end. A tendency to variation is seen in P. tncanum, in which the veins are free, as well as in P. Calif or- nicum in which they are often partly free. In § PHLEBODIUM the veins form ample areolse in a row next the midvein, and frequently in one or more secondary rows, each bearing a single sorus at the junction of two or more vein- lets. A large number, however, bear the sori at the end of a single veinlet. From the fertile areolse to the margin the veins anastomose more copiously. * Catalogue of the Davenport Herbarium, p. 8. tf UNIVERSITY j FK UCT1FICA TlOI^fWfflffgf^^ 1 3 In § CAMPYLONEURON the areolae, each usually bearing two sori, are found between the parallel primary veins which extend from the midrib to the margin. 31. Gymnogramme — In this genus the sori follow the course of the veins, and consequently vary with the venation, being simple, forked, pinnated, or anastomose with each other. The sori are non-indusiate. 32. Notholaena. — In the cloak-ferns the sori are marginal, and provided with no indusia. This genus is linked very closely to Gymnogramme on one hand and to some species of Chei- Ictnthes on the other. From the latter it is separable only by the absence of the marginal indusium; the two are likely to be con- founded by beginners. 33. Taenitis has simple fronds, and the fructification in a continuous sub-marginal line near the apex of the frond. 34. Vittaria. — This peculiar genus occupies a somewhat in- termediate position between the indusiate and non-indusiate genera, and while usually associated with the latter has consid- erable claim to be ranked with the former. The fronds are nar- row and grass like, bearing the sporangia in an intramarginal groove, often more or less covered by the inrolled edge of the frond. The venation is very obscure. 35. Adiantum (Fig. 5). — The maidenhairs have a peculiarly smooth foliage, and usually possess no mid vein. The veins are usually flabellate, and after forking one or more times bear the sori at their extremities. The margin of the frond is reflexed, thus forming an indusium which bears the sporangia on its under surface. FIG. 5.— A segment of „. T , . Adiantum, showing the 36. Pteris (Fig. 6). — In this genus, sori covered by indusia which includes the common brake, the LTgin o%f f"n°d" From otherwise free veins are united by a fili- Le Maout and Decaisne. form receptacle which bears the sporangia. This continuous marginal line of fructification is covered by a membranous in- dusium formed of the margin of the frond. 37. Cheilanthes. — The lip-ferns found within our limits are unequally divided among four sections, all agreeing in bear- 14 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. ing the sori at or near the ends of the veins, covered by an in- dusium formed of the margin of the frond. In § ADIANTOPSIS the indusia are distinct, and confined to a single veinlet. One of our species varies from the typical species of this section, and has even been assigned to a separate genus. In § EUCHEILANTHES the indu- FIG. 6.—rteris longifoiia L. En- sia are more or less confluent but larued segment of pinna, showing' the . ,, ,. vein-like receptacle under the margi- not Continuous, usually extending nai indusium. over the ap}ces of several veinlets. In § PHYSAPTERIS the ultimate segments are bead- like, and the indusium is continuous all round the margin. § ALEURITOPTERIS has the fronds farinose below, and in- cludes a single species somewhat doubtfully assigned to our limits. 38. Cryptogramme has dimorphous fronds, the margins of the fertile being closely rolled toward the midvein, thus cov- ering the confluent sori. At maturity these open flat in order to discharge the spores. 39. Pellsea has representatives of three sections within our limits, all agreeing in possessing intramarginal sori, which finally became confluent and form a marginal line covered by an indusium formed of the margin of the frond. § CHEILOPLECTON includes herbaceous species with visible veins and broad indusia. § ALLOSORUS includes coriaceous species having wide indusia, while § PLATYLOMA includes species similar in texture, but with extremely narrow indusia and broad segments. 40. Ceratopteris is an anomalous genus from southern Florida, having a few sori arranged on two or three veins par- allel to the midvein, and covered by the broadly reflexed margin of the frond. 41. Lomaria (Fig. 7) stands intermediate between those genera, in which there is an indusium formed of the revolute margin of the frond and those in which the indusium is remote from the margin. Our single species has dimorphous fronds, free veins, and the fructification in a broad band next the mid- FRUCTIFICATION IN FERNS. I 5 vein, covered by a continuous and distinctly intramarginal indu- sium. This genus closely resembles the next in general habit, and is sometimes united with it. 42. Blechnum. — In this genus the sori are linear and near the midvein, and are covered by a membranous indusium which is fixed at its outer margin, burst- ing at its inner margin when the spo- rangia are mature. A single representa- FIG. T.—Lotriana sptcant tive is found within our limits. Desv. Enlarged section of ~. . the contracted fertile pinna, 43. Woodwardia. — 1 hree Species showing intramarginal iadu- of chain-ferns occur within our limits, Sl and each represents a distinct section based on the methods of venation. All have oblong or linear sori more or less sunken in the frond, covered by special lid-like indusia burst- ing at their inner margins, and arranged in chainlike rows near the midvein, thus giving the popular name to the genus. § EUWOODWARDIA has uniform fronds and veins forming at least one series of areolae between the sori and the margin. § ANCHISTEA has also uniform fronds, but with free veins from the sori to the margin while § LORINSERIA has dimor- phous fronds, and the veins everywhere uniting to form areolae, as in the sensitive- fern (Onoclea sensibilis). 4-4-. Asplenium. — The numerous species of spleenworts are closely related to each other in their methods of fructifica- 'tion, but differ widely in the form, texture, and cutting of their fronds. The sori are placed on the upper side of an oblique vein (sometimes crossing it in § ATHYRIUM), and covered by an indusium of the same shape attached by its edge to the fruiting vein and opening toward the midvein. In some species part of the indusia are double. The veins are free in all our species. In § EUASPLENIUM the sori are straight or slightly curved ; in § ATHYRIUM they are often curved, even horseshoe shaped ; and frequently cross to the outer side of the fruiting vein. 45. Scolopendrium bears the linear sori in pairs, one from the upper side of a veinlet and its mate from the lower side of the next. The indusia are attached by their edges to the veins, and folding toward each other appear like a double 1 6 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. indusium covering a single sorus. The veins extend nearly at right angles to the midvein, are free, and usually forked. 46. Camptosorus. — The walking-leaf has oblong or linear indusiate sori, which are irregularly scattered and borne partly on veins parallel to the midvein, and partly on those that are oblique. Those near the midvein are single, those toward the margin are often approximate in pairs and often form crooked lines. The veins are everywhere copiously reticulated. 47. Phegopteris. — In this genus the sori are round and naked as in Polypodium, with which this genus is sometimes united. The sporangia spring from the back of the veins in- stead of the apex, as in the latter genus, and the veins are free except in the § GONIOPTERIS, in which they are more or less united. 48. Aspidium is largely represented in our limits by two well-marked sections, which are sometimes regarded as distinct genera, and two others with characters scarcely less distinct, containing each a single species. In all the sori are roundish, and borne on the back of the veins or rarely at their apex. In § NEPHRODIUM the indusium is cordato-reni- form or orbicular with a narrow sinus. This at first covers the sorus and is attached by its mar_ gin, but later bursts away at the margin but re- mains attached at the sinus. In some species in this section the indusium becomes shrivelled before the fruit matures, and in this condition FIG. 8. — Under . , , , .-,';., sideof a fertile seg- might be mistaken for a non-mdusiate species ment of Aspidium ,T?- o\ folix - mas, with I* 'g- °)- eight sori. /, .the jn § POLYSTICHUM the indusium is orbicular indusium. Magni- fied. (After Sachs.) and peltate, being fixed by the centre ; the veins are free, as in § NEPHRODIUM. In § CYRTOMIUM the indusium is the same as in § POLYS- TICHUM, but the veins tend to unite near the margin, while in § EUASPIDIUM the veins anastomose copiously. 49. Nephrolepis has roundish sori borne at the apex of the upper branch of a free vein, near the margin of the frond. The indusia are usually reniform, fixed by the sinus or base, and open toward the margins of the pinnae. 50. Cystopteris. — The bladder-ferns take their popular FRUCTIFICATION IN FERNS. I/ name from the delicate, hood-like indusium which is attached by its broad base on the inner side of the roundish sorus and partly under it. Later this is thrown back and withers away. The veins are free, and the fronds have the aspect of species of Aspidium, but are usually more delicate in texture. 5 1 . Onoclea. — This genus contains two quite dissimilar species, which until recently have been separated into two genera by American botanists. Both have dimorphous fronds, the margin of the contracted fertile frond being strongly revo- lute, and concealing the fruit. O. struthiopteris has necklace- shaped pinnae, crowded confluent sori, and free and simple veins. O. sensibilis has panicled berry-shaped pinnules and co- piously anastomosing veins. 52. Woodsia (Fig. 9) has round- ish sori borne on the back of the veins, with the indusia attached be- neath the sporangia and flat and open, or early bursting at the top into ir- regular laciniae or lobes. In § Eu- WOODSiAthe indusia are flat and open FIG 9 — Woodsia obtusa from an early stage, with their cleft ^S^fSSS^^S&^ and ciliate margins concealed under inferior indusia. the sori. In § HYPOPELTIS the indusium is more conspicuous and encloses the sporangium at first, but soon bursts at the top, forming several jagged lobes. 53. Dicksonia. — In this genus the small globular sorus is borne in an elevated, globular receptacle, and enclosed in an in- ferior, membranous, cup-shaped indusium. The veins are al- ways free. 54. Trichomanes (Fig. 10) has sessile sporangia borne on a filiform receptacle at the summit of a vein. The indusia are tubular or funnel- shaped, with an expanded and often somewhat two-lipped mouth. 55. Lygodium.— In our species of climbing-fern the fructification is FlG- ™.— Trichomanes radi- cans Swz. Enlarged section, borne on contracted, forked pinnules showing method of fructifica- occupying the upper portion of the frond. The ovoid sporangia are solitary or occasionally in 2 1 8 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. pairs, and are borne in the axils of the large, imbricated, scale- like indusia which are fixed by their bases to short, oblique veinlets. 56. Aneimia. — In this genus the two lowest branches of the frond bear panicles of fruit at the end of very long stalks. The ovate sporangia are sessile in two rows along the branchlets of the panicle, without special covering of any kind. In the section represented by our species the veins are free. 57. Schizsea. — In this genus the large ovoid sporangia are sessile in double rows along the single vein of the narrow fertile divisions. In our species the pairs of fertile pinnae form a dis- tichous spike (Fig. n). 58. Osmunda has the large globose spo- rangia, short-stalked, and borne on the con- tracted fertile portions of the frond. In the cin- namon-fern (O. cinnamomed) the fertile fronds are entirely distinct from the sterile, yet mani- festing a tendency to variation in the var. fron- dosa. In the interrupted flowering-fern (O. Claytoniand) the fructification is confined to a few of trie middle pinnae of the frond. In the royal flowering-fern (O. regalis) the fructifica- tion is borne at the apex of the fronds. 59. Spores. — The spores of ferns constitute the fruit proper. A spore consists of two* dis- tinct closed sacs and the cell contents, all of which differ from each other not only in struc- ture, but also in chemical composition. The FIG ii— Schizaa °Llter ^^ (exospore) consists chiefly of cellu- pusiila Pursh. ]Ose ; the inner layer (endos-hore) contains some Entire plant, nat- , urai size. albuminous matter in addition, while the cell contents consist chiefly of a thin, colorless, jelly-like substance known as protoplasm, with grains of chlorophyll (the green * Campbell has recently demonstrated the existence of a third (middle) layer, which is not readily apparent until after germination. Cf. Memoirs Boston Soc. Nat. History, iv, 17 et seq. (April, 1887). GERMINATION OF FERN SPORES. 1 9 coloring matter of plants), starch, and oil. The exospore may be smooth or roughened by points, granules, warts, or prickles. The shape varies with different species, yet all are rounded, and most are oblong or at least longer than broad. All are micro- scopic, and many are of such a shape that they do not appear uniform owing to the various directions from which we view them. 6O. The number of spores produced by a single fern is in- credible. Lindley calculated that a single frond of Scolopen- drium produced about 80 sori, with an average of 4500 sporan- gia in each sorus, and each sporangium containing 50 spores, making a total of 18,000,000 spores. The copious green spores of Osmunda cinnamomea, or the pale-yellow, powdery spores of a well-developed specimen of Botrychium Virginianum, must far exceed this computation. By drying either of these species under pressure between sheets of paper great quantities of the spores may be obtained for examination. Specimens for this purpose should be selected just before the sporangia reach their maturity. CHAPTER IV. GERMINATION OF FERN SPORES. Alle Glieder bilden sich aus nach ew'gen Gesetzen, Und die seltenste Form bewahrt im Geheimniss das Urbild. -GOETHE. 6 1 . THE germination of the fern spores usually takes place a considerable time after they are discharged from the sporangia, but in Osmunda, which develops its fruit early in the season, they commence their growth only a few days after dissemination. 62. Thalloid Phase.— In germination the exospore splits along the side, and the protruding endospore, sometimes with its divisions already formed by septa or partitions, forms, not a fern, but a thalloid structure resembling one of the lower 20 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. liverworts called the prothallium. Different ferns vary in the method of forming this prothallium, some producing it im- mediately at the spore and others after the formation of a thread- like growth known as the pro- embryo. The prothallium is en- tirely composed of cellular tissue, and in the true ferns (PoLYPO- DIACE^E) is broadly cordate or reni- form in shape, and bears large numbers of root-hairs from the under part of its posterior portion (Figs. 12, 13). The prothallium varies in size from less than one tenth of an FIGS. 12, 13. — Prothallium of Pteris , .,• , ( • , serrulata Linn, f., showing two mCD up tO One third Of an inch stages of growth. (After Moore.) in its widest part. On the under surface of the prothallium two sorts of organs are produced analogous to the stamens and pistils of the SPERMAPHYTA, respectively known as antheridia and archegonia. The position of these organs on the prothallium varies in different sub orders. In some species, notably the ostrich-fern, the two kinds of sex- ual organs are produced on separate prothallia, so that the plant becomes dioecious instead of moncecious. Analogous cases are familiar to all among flowering plants like the willows, poplars, and box elders (dioecious), and begonias and melons (monce- cious). 63. Antheridia. — These are small masses of tissue developed in the same manner as the root-hairs, consisting of a single layer of cells forming the wall, and containing a number of spirally coiled threads, usually with a number of cilia on their anterior coils. At maturity the antberidium swells by the ab- sorption of water and finally bursts its wall, discharging these coiled filaments, which possess the power of locomotion, and for this reason are called anther ozoids. These antherozoids often drag with them a little vesicle which seems to play no part in the process of reproduction (Fig. 14). 64. Archegonia. — The archegonium (sometimes called pistillidium) is also a rounded mass of tissue usually less prom- GERMINATION OF FERN SPORES. 21 inent than the antheridia, consisting of an external layer of cells and a large central cell, which soon divides into two. The lowej portion, at first the larger, develops into a roundish cell, which is analogous to the ovule of flowering plants, and is called the oosphere. The upper portion of the central cell develops between those composing the neck of the archegonium into a canal filled with a sort of mucilage ; this finally swells up, forces the cells of the neck apart, and is expelled to aid in attracting FIG. 14. — Antheridium of Aditintum capillus-veneris L., showing the es- caping antherozoids. (After Sachs.) FIG. 15.— Young archegonium of Pteris serrulata Linn, f., showing oosphere, neck, and canal-cell. (After Sachs.) and retaining the antherozoids at the neck of the archegonium. The oosphere is thus left exposed (Fig. 15). 65. Fertilization. — The antherozoids, analogous to the pollen of flowers, when discharged from the antheridium swim in the moisture always present on the under surface of the prothallium, swarm in large numbers around the neck of the archegonium, and are retained by the mucilage. Some finally force their way into the canal of the neck, a few reaching the oosphere and disappearing within its substance. There is thus a true sexual generation among ferns, and the formerly appro- priate term Cryptogamia (hidden marriage) loses its application under the untiring scrutiny of the microscopist. After fertili- zation the neck of the archegonium closes, and the fertilized 22 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. oosphere, now called the oospore, increases in size, and finally develops into a true fern. 66. Pteridoid Phase. — After the oo- sphere has been fertilized it commences its growth by the ordinary processes of cell multiplication, and for a time remains with- in the walls of the archegonium, which continue to grow, until finally the interior growth breaks through the walls, differen- tiated into its first root and leaf. The young fern draws its nourishment from the pro- thallium for a time, but soon develops root-hairs, which, extending into the soil, maintain thereby an existence independent of the prothallium. The latter growth hav- FIG 16 — Adiantum ing accomplished its work, withers away .hSr//;?unLg ten (Fig- '6). The first parts of the root, stem, seen from below; //, anc[ frond are very small and comparatively prothallium; b, first leaf; k, root-hairs^ of prothai- simple in structure, but those formed later second w'roots.firs( After are successively larger, and not only bear a closer resemblance to the mature form of the species, but also develop increased complexity of struc- ture. " The fern continues to gain strength, not by subsequent increase of size of the embryonic structures, but by each succes- sive part attaining a more considerable size and development than the preceding ones, until at length a kind of stationary condition is arrived at, in which the newly formed organs are nearly similar to the preceding ones." 67. The complete life-history of a fern illustrates a principle common among the lower forms of animal life known as "alter- nation of generations." Instead of the direct production of a mature sexual plant, as among the higher forms of vegetation, there is the production of a sexual growth resembling a lower form of vegetation, which in turn is followed by the growth of a mature plant producing its fruit without the assistance of sex- ual organs. 68. Recapitulation. — To review the life-history of a fern we find the following processes : GERMINATION OF FERN SPORES. 2$ A. Production of the spores asexually by the mature plant. (FRUCTIFICATION.) B. Growth of the prothallium from the spore with or with- out the development of a pro-embryo. (THALLOID PHASE.)* C. Production of sexual organs, archegonia (female) and antheridia (male), on the under surface of the prothallium, or on separate prothallia. D. Fecundation of the oosphere developed in the arche- gonium by the antherozoids developed in the antheridium. (FERTILIZATION.) E. Growth of the mature fern in successive stages from the oospore. (PTERIDOID PHASE.)* LITERATURE.t BESSEY (Charles E.). Botany, pp. 361-388. New York, 1881. (Henry Holt & Co.) GOEBEL (K.). Outlines of Classification and Special Mor- phology of Plants, pp. 189-298. (English Translation.) Ox- ford, 1887. (Macmillan & Co.) CAMPBELL (Douglas H.). Fern Notes. In Torrey Bulletin, x, 1 1 8, 119. (Nov. 1883.) The Development of the Prothallia in Ferns. In Botan- ical Gazette, X, 355-360, with Plate IX. (Oct. 1885.) * The terms " Thalloid Phase" and " Pteridoid Phase" in place of the older terms " sexual generation" and "asexual generation" were first sug- gested in the first edition of this work (1881). The older terms, although in common use by botanical writers, are decidedly unfortunate and misleading. A generation is properly the production of offspring resembling the parent, or the offspring thus produced, which the prothallium is not and the mature fern is not. The generation proper must then be considered as including the entire life-history of a fern, of which the prothallium and mature fern are suc- cessive phases. The terms "sexual " and "asexual " as used in this connec- tion are likewise misleading, as they might apply as well to the origin as to the producing power of the so-called " generation." The prothallium is asex- ual in origin, but develops sexual organs ; the mature fern, on the other hand, produces no sexual organs, but is itself the product of bisexuality. The same criticism applies with equal force to the expression " alternation of genera- tions," used alike by botanists and zoologists. t As elsewhere, reference is made mainly to American literature. The more extensive European literature is already well catalogued in Goebel's Outlines, so is not repeated here. 24 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. CAMPBELL (Douglas H.). On the Development of the Antheridium in Ferns. In Torrey Bulletin, xiu, 49-52, with Plate Liv. (Apr. 1886.) The Development of the Ostrich fern. In Memoirs Boston Society of Natural History, IV, 17-52, with Plates IV- vii. (Apr. 1887). This model account of the life-history of Onoclea struthiopteris ought to incite others to a similar study of our other native species. CHAPTER V. FERN STRUCTURE. Be it ours to meditate, And to the beautiful order of thy works Learn to conform the order of our lives. — BRYANT. 69. Tissues. — The life-history of every plant commences in a single cell, and 'all the complications of vegetable growth depend on two simple processes, viz., the enlargement of indi- vidual cells to their full size, and their multiplication by divi- sion. The lowest forms of vegetable life consist of a single cell, either globular or elongate. Those of a somewhat higher grade consist of a single row of cells, or at most a single layer; while still higher forms of growth consist of masses of cells variously grouped together and specialized by differentiation from the typical form and character. 70. Cells become specialized or set apart to fulfil a certain function in the economy of plant growth in many ways. Some are lengthened for giving strength to stems or leaves ; some have their walls thickened to give rigidity or hardness where protection is needed from injury to more delicate structures within ; and some are variously adapted for containing and dis- tributing the secretions or other fluids connected with the cir- culatory system of plant life. Seven distinct varieties of tissues are recognized by structural botanists, yet some of these are connected with each other by various gradations. FERN STRUCTURE. 2$ 71. Tissue Systems. — The earliest tendency to differen- tiation of cells is seen in the arrangement of the outer row of cells to form a boundary wall. In higher forms of growth the interior cells tend to form one or more series of string-like rows surrounded by the normal cellular tissue. We thus reach the basis of the classification of vegetable tissues into three groups : (a) Epidermal Syste.n. (b) Fibro -vascular System. (c) Fun- damental System (Fig. 17). The first and third are common to both ferns and mosses. The second is first seen in tne ferns and their allies, where it is a character so constant that it serves as the basis for separating the so-called " vascular" cryptogams from other flowerless plants. These three forms of tissue may be seen by examining a thin cross-section of the stipe of a living fern with the microscope. Longitudinal sections will show still further the character of the tissues composing the fibro- vascular bundle. 72. Roots. — Roots are constantly produced as the root- stock advances, and consist for the most part of little fibrils which are naked for a short distance from the apex in order that they may freely absorb moisture from the earth. The epi- dermis is also thin, and usually consists of a single layer of small cells. It differs from that of the rest of the plant in having no stomata (77). As the apex continues to grow, the epidermis of the part behind becomes harder, and frequently develops hairs, or more frequently irregular scales. 73. Stipe. — The stipe is made up of the three forms of tissue (Fig. 17), and usually con- tains several bundles of vascular tissue. In the dried stipe these can be easily seen, by scraping off the external covering of the stem. These bundles of fibres give sta- bility to the fern, and are con- tinued through the rachises and veins, thus forming the frame- 0 riG. 17. — Cross-section of stipe of WOrk for the Softer portions of Cystopteris fragilis Bernh., showing , , j -r-t • two bundles of fibro- vascular tissue. the frond. The stipes are some- times smooth and polished, sometimes hairy or beset with stalked glands, and sometimes densely clothed, especially near the base, with chaffy scales. 26 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 74. Frond.— In the HYMENOPHYLLACE/E the frond con- sists of a single layer of cells. This condition is also found in the leaves developed along the axis of growth among the mosses to which this sub-order is related in some of its forms. In all other ferns there are several layers of cells variously compacted together, and forming all the varieties of texture — membranous, herbaceous, coriaceous and fleshy. The epi- dermis is usually easily separable from the underlying tissue, when its peculiar markings can be studied. 75. From the epidermis a great variety of appendages are developed which are all modifications of hairs, and are all in- cluded under the term trichomes, however different in appear- ance or distinct in function. These are not confined to the frond, but develop here their greatest variation. They are fre- quently found on the roots, the rootstock, and the stipe, under the form of root-hairs or scales of various forms. Scales are especially abundant in certain forms of Aspidium, as well as in Scolopendrium, Cheilanthes, and other genera. 76. Trichomes. — On the fronds the trichomes may be de- veloped as simple unarticulated or articulated hairs, consisting of one or two cells at most. They may appear as stalked glands like those that arise from the stipe of Cheilanthes Cooper CB or the margin of the indusium of Aspidium spinulosum, var. intermedium ; or they may be developed into scales of in- tricate cellular structure like those on the under surface of cer- tain forms of Cheilanthes, particularly C. Fendleri and C. Cleve- landii. Among the FlLiCES the sporangia are specialized, tri- chomes developed in clusters (sort) along the veins, or spread over the entire surface of the frond, or even arranged in spikes or panicles. The epidermis also develops an. excrescence known as the indusium, which consists of a single layer of cells, and is variously arranged as indicated in Chapter III. In some cases a false indusium is provided, which is not a growth from the epidermis, and may consist of several layers of cells. 77. Stomata. — If the epidermis covering the under surface of a fern be examined under a high magnifying power, peculiar structures will be seen in the form of semi-elliptical or crescent- shaped cells connected at their apices and separated between. These are the stomata or breathing pores, and are merely open- FERN STRUCTURE. ings to the air-chambers of the plant. The two elliptical cells form the mouth of the passage and expand when moist, allow- ing the atmospheric gases and watery vapor to escape or enter but close the entrance by contraction in time of drought. The stomata are not confined to the fronds, but are found to a greater or less extent on all aerial portions of ferns and higher plants, as well as on subterranean stems. 78. Asexual Reproduction. — Besides the ordinary meth- ods of sexual reproduction discussed in Chapter IV., most ferns are propagated by growth of the rootstock under ground, giving rise to a succession of fronds each season. In addition to this, which is common to all perennial plants, there are some meth- ods of reproduction that deserve attention. The first is by 79. Buds and Bulblets. — In a few species of conservatory ferns adventitious buds are produced on the surfaces of the fronds. These soon develop into young ferns, and it is not un- common to see a large number in vari- ous stages of growth rising from a sin- gle frond. This peculiarity is common among several species of Asplenium, especially A. furcatum Thunb., and will be sometimes found to occur among some of our native species. Bulblets are found in the axils of the upper pinnae of Cystopteris bulbifera, which often fall to the ground and develop into new plants after a manner analogous to the devel- opment of the axillary buds of the tiger- lily. SO. Another method is seen in the walking-leaf (Camptosorus rhizophyllus), in which the long, attenuated, simple fronds bend over and take root in the adjoining soil in a manner quite analo- FlG l8-— Camptosorus rhi- , n zopkyllus Link., reduced, gous to the propagation of strawberries showing peculiar method of by runners (Fig. 18). The same method propa^atlon- of rooting at the apex has also been noticed in Asplenium pinnatifidum, A. ebencum, and Phegopteris reptans. 28 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. LITERATURE.* BESSEY. Botany. (See p. 23.) GOEBEL. Outlines of Classification. (See p. 23.) DE BARY (A.). Comparative Anatomy of Phanerogams and Ferns. 8vo. Oxford, 1884. (Macmillan & Co.) CAMPBELL (Douglas H.). A Third Coat in the Spores of the Genus Onoclea. In Torrey Bulletin, xil, 8, 9 (Jan. 1885). SCHRENK (Joseph). The Dehiscence of Fern Sporangia. In Torrey Bulletin, xm, 68, 69 (1886). LYON (Florence May). Dehiscence of the Sporangium of Adiantum pedatum. In Torrey Bulletin, XIV, 180-183 (Sept. 1887). CHAPTER VI. THE FERN ALLIES. Beneath my feet The ground-pine curled its pretty wreath. — EMERSON. A. THE GRAPE-FERNS AND ADDER-TONGUES. 8 1 . General Characters. — These peculiar plants, former- ly united with the order FILICES, are now regarded as consti- tuting a distinct botanical order. They include mostly small, fleshy, terrestrial plants, and, like ferns, may usually be found in swamps or rich, moist woods. As already noticed (5), there is a marked tendency to variation in the same species, and numerous varieties have been established from the various forms. 82. The sterile and fertile portions of the plant are borne on a common stalk, and either portion may be sessile, long * See other references at close of Chapter X. THE FERN ALLIES, 29 or short stalked, in the various species. In Ophioglossum the sterile portion is simple, and in all our species except the anoma- lous O.palmatum appears like a sin- gle leaf borne on the common stalk. In Botrychium (Fig. 19) the sterile segment (except in some forms of B. simplex] is somewhat pinnately or ternately divided, and in the larger forms of B. Virginianum is broad- ly ternate, with the divisions even tri — quadripinnatifid. The veins are free in the latter genus, but anas- tomose in the former. This charac- ter, however, is frequently obscured by the fleshy texture of the plant. 83. Vernation. — As has been before stated, ferns are rolled in the bud from the apex downward (cir- cinate), distinguishing them from the higher forms of vegetation. Among the OPHIOGLOSSACE^E, how- ever, the vernation is either straight, inclined at the apex of one or both segments, or else the fertile seg- ments are folded on the main stalk, making the vernation wholly in- clined. Until recently there has been much difficulty in distinguishing the smaller species of Botrychium, and some forms seem to connect the smaller ones with the reduced forms of B. ternatum and B. Virgini- anum, Mr. Davenport has investigated the bud characters of these intimately related species, and has made their identification a matter of comparatively easy investigation. The buds may be found enclosed in the base of the common stalk (except in B. Virginianum, where they are placed in an upright cavity at one FIG. 19. — Plant of Botrychium lunaria, natural size. 30 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. side), and may be examined with a strong lens. The three di- visions are summed up as follows : "I. Vernation wholly straight. B. simplex Hitch. (Fig. 31). II. Vernation partly inclined in one or both portions. B. lunaria Swz. (Fig. 32), B. boreale Milde, B. matricaricefolium A. Br. (Fig. 33), and B. ternatum Swz. (Fig. 34). III. Vernation wholly inclined, in the fertile frond recurved. B. lanceolatum Angs. (Fig. 35), and B. Virginianum Swz." The special characters of each species will be found under the descriptions of the Botrychia later in this work. The cuts will be valuable for reference, and will enable even beginners to identify the species of this complicated genus with compara- tively little difficulty. 84. Fructification. — In this order of plants the fructification consists of sporangia, which, unlike those of the true ferns, are not reticulated, possess no trace of a ring, open by a transverse slit, and are variously spiked and panicled (Fig. 20). In the adder-tongues (Ophioglossum) the sporangia are large, and cohere in two ranks along the margins of a single spike, opening transversely to discharge their copious sulphur-yellow spores. In the grape -ferns (Botrychiuwi) the sporangia are FIG. 20.— Enlarged globular and arranged in double rows along SSJ*1* Qternatruym the narrow segments, more or less in panicles. Swz- In both genera the sporangia are not developed from the epidermal cells, but arise from a transformation of the interior tissue of the leaf. This, with other characters as clear- ly denned, serves to separate these anomalous plants from the order FILICES. 85. Germination. — Among the OPHIOGLOSSACE^E, so far as known, the prothallia are destitute of chlorophyll, develop under ground, and are monoecious. In Botrychium lunaria the prothallium is an ovoid mass of cellular tissue, light brown without and yellowish white within. It produces a number of antheridia and archegonia on the upper surface as well as the lower, differing in a few minor points from the true ferns in the method of their development. THE FERN ALLIES. 31 LITERATURE.* HOOKER (W. J.) and BAKER (J. G.). Synopsis Filicum, pp. 444-448. MILDE (J.)- Botrychiorum Monographia. In VerhandL der k.k. zool. hot. Gesellschaft,yi\\\l, 507-516 (1868); XIX, 55-190; Tafel vn, vin (1869); xx, 999-1002 (1870). DAVENPORT (George E.). Notes on Botrychium simplex. 4to, paper, with plates (1877). Vernation in Botrychia. In Torrey Bulletin, vi, 193- 199, plate (1878); vn, 115,116(1880); vin, loo, 101 (1881). Cf. also xii, 22, 23. CAMPBELL (Douglas H.). The Development of the Root in Botrychium ternatum. In Botanical Gazette, XI, 49-53, with plate (March, 1886). A Method of Spore Germination. In Botanical Ga- zette, x, 428 (1885). GILBERT (Benjamin D.). Notes on Botrychia. In Torrey Bulletin, XI, 75, 76 (July, 1884). Cf. XII, 22, 23. B. THE HORSE-TAILS. 86. General Characters. — The horse-tails or scouring- rushes belonging to the genus Equisetum are perennial, rush- like plants, that may be found in damp, gravelly, or loamy soil, some species even growing in shallow water. Our native species vary in height from a few inches up to eleven feet, as seen in some of the larger forms of E. robustum. In some species only the root is perennial, the stems which are sent up for producing fruit dying down to the ground every year. In others the stems are evergreen, continuing through the winter. Some species, like the common horse-tail (E. arvense), are dimorph- ous, the fertile stems being simple and destitute of green color- ing matter (chlorophyll), while the sterile stems are green and copiously branched, The fertile stems of some other spe- cies, as E. silvaticum, which are simple at first, after maturing their fruit produce branches and resemble the ordinary sterile stems (Figs. 21, 22). * In addition to these papers, Bessey's Botany and Goebel's Outlines of Classification should be consulted for further references on Fern Allies. 32 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 87. The furrowed stems are hollow, except in E. scirpoides, and in addition to the large central cavity there is a series of smaller air-cavities opposite the furrows known as the vallecular canals, the furrows themselves being called valleculce and the ridges carina. Opposite the carinae there are still smaller cavi- ties known as carmal canals. The carinae vary in number from FIGS. 21, 22. — Equisetum sylvaticum L., showing sterile and fertile stems (From Thome.) five to fifty in different species. The stems are also jointed, and at each node some species produce a whorl of branches which may be simple or compound. Some species, however, like the common scouring-rush (E. hiemale), produce simple stems. 88. The leaves are produced also at the nodes, and by the union of their margins form a short sheath which ends in a row THE FERN ALLIES. 33 of teeth. These teeth may be deciduous or persistent, and their number, varying from three upwards, indicates the number of leaves forming the united whorl. 89. Stomata (77) are distributed along the valleculse either irregularly or disposed in ranges on either side of the valleculae. The epidermis frequently contains much silica, and the rough- ened tubercles of some species give the surface a harsh feeling. 90. Fructification. — The fructification in Equiseturn is arranged in cone-like spikes borne at the apex of the fertile stems. These spikes are composed of successive closely-placed whorls of shield-shaped, stalked scales or modified leaves, each of which bears from five to ten one-celled sporangia on its under side. The sporangia open along the inner side to discharge their numerous spores, whose outer coat is spirally split into two bands, forming the so-called elaters. The elaters when dry are spread out at right angles to each other in the form of a cross, and probably assist in scattering the spores ; when moist they rapidly absorb water, and become closely coiled around the spore.* 91. Germination. — The spores of Equisetum retaining their powers of germination only a few days, soon develop branched and irregularly lobed prothallia, which are provided with chlorophyll. These are usually dioecious, the male being smaller, and producing antheridia at the end or margin of the larger lobes. The antherozoids are large, and provided with a peculiar appendage known as the "float." The female prothal- lium may reach one half inch in length, and develops archegonia on the anterior margin of the fleshy lobes. The process of fertilization is similar to that of ferns. * An interesting illustration of this can be seen by placing a mass of fresh spores on a slide uncovered, and examining it with a low power. By breath- ing on the slide the elaters coil closely about the spore ; as soon as the moist- ure evaporates they uncoil, and in their activity jostle each other in great confusion. 3 34 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. LITERATURE. BAKER (J. G.). Fern Allies, pp. 1-6 (1887). BRAUN (Alexander). A Monography of the North American Species of the Genus Equisetum. With additions by George Engelmann, M.D. In Silliman's Journal, XLVI, 81-91 (1843). Describes the then known North American species of Equisetum. CAMPBELL (Douglas H.). - The Development of the Male Prothallium of the Field Horse-tail. In American Naturalist, xvi, i-io (Jan. 1883). MILDE (J.). Monographia Equisetorum. 410, pp. 607, with 35 plates. Dresden (1865). This elegant work is a marvel of completeness, and a monument to the patience, industry, and ability of the author. C. THE CLUB-MOSSES. 92. General Characters. — The club-mosses are chiefly small perennial plants usually growing in dry or moist woods, or even on exposed rocks with little soil for nourish- ment. Most of the species are somewhat moss-like in habit, as might be suspected from the popular names given to these plants, the genus Lycopodium taking the name of club-moss and Selaginella that of rock- moss. Various species of Lycopodium are also known as ground-pine, ground-fir, ground-cedar, running pine, etc., from more or less marked resemblances (Fig. 23). In the curious Sela- ginella lepidophylla from FIG. 23.— Portion of Lycopodium clavatum L. . . - , ^ natural size. (After Prantl.) Arizona the branches of the closely coiled central stem roll up when dry into a nest-like ball, and when moistened expand so as to appear flat or saucer- THE FERN ALLIES. 35 shaped. As the plant retains this power indefinitely, it has sometimes been called " the Resurrection-plant." 93. The stems are usually creeping, yet in some species show a tendency to become erect, and most species send up erect branches which bear the fruit. Most species bear roots at irregular intervals along the under side of the creeping stems, but our solitary species of Psilotum is rootless, bearing only underground shoots which perform the functions of roots. The leaves are small and unbranched, in some instances resembling appressed scales, in others resembling the acicular leaves of Conifers, and are arranged in four, eight, or many ranks. In some species the leaves are of one kind, while in others two or even more forms may occur on the same plant. In Psilotum the leaves are all rudimentary. 94. Fructification. — The fructification of the club-mosses is chiefly borne on upright branches in solitary or clustered (2-5) spikes, which are formed of numerous scales or scale like leaves, each bearing a single large sporangium in its axil. The sporangia open transversely, and are one-celled, except in Psilotum, where they are three-celled. In a few species of Lycopodium the sporangia are borne near the summit of the fertile stems in the axils of ordinary leaves. The usual shape of the fruit-bearing scales is represented in Figs. 24-26. 95. The spores of Lycopodium and Psilotum are of one kind (Fig. 24), but in Selaginella two kinds of spo- rangia are developed — the microspo- rangia, producing numerous micro- spores (Fig. 25) not unlike the spores of Lycopodium ; and the macrospo- rangia, producing usually four macro- spores (Fig. 26), so called from their larger size. This character of Sela- tile spike of Selaginella, • 77 u- u • i- • L u -11 tris Spring,disclosing two sorts gmella, which it shares with the quill- of spores. (After Sprague.) worts and pepperworts soon to be described, serves as the basis for the division of the fern allies into two groups : the 36 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. zsosporous, producing spores of one kind ; and the heterosporous, producing spores of more than one kind.* 96. Germination. — The germination of Lycopodium is only partially known, as the prothallia have been seen in only three species, and in these they have not been carried through all the stages of development. That of L. annotinum is a yel- lowish-white mass of tissue with a few small root-haijrs.t The antheridia and archegonia are developed from the upper side of the prothallium. In L. cernuum, TreubJ found the pro- thallia much smaller (one twelfth of an inch long), vertical in growth, yellowish below and bright green above. The anthe- ridia and archegonia are found round the summit of the cylin- dric prothallium. 97. The germination of Selaginella is better known. The contents of the ripened microspores are transformed into a mass of tissue consisting of a few cells, one of which remains sterile and is considered a rudimentary prothallium, while the others give rise to antherozoids, and are consequently considered as a rudimentary antheridium. The macrospores, on the other hand, produce a many-celled prothallium, which develop a few root hairs and numerous archegonia, which after fertilization give rise to a new plant. Two plants are sometimes produced on the same prothallium. 98. The microspores are thus seen to be male and the macrospores female, showing a clearer differentiation of sex in the products of the mature plant than appears in any other group of the fern allies already studied. This may be consid- ered a foreshadowing of the completely differentiated sexual organs which occur in the flowering plants. In the method of formation of the embryo the Selaginella also differs from all other plants of this group, and approaches the flowering plants. * This division, though used by some of the best botanists, is at best an artificial classification, as it separates genera otherwise closely allied to each other. t Cf. J. Fankhauser, Botanische Zeitung, 1873, pp. 1-6; Bruchmann, Botanisches Centralblatt, xxi (1885). \ Cf. Treub, Ann. d. Jard. Bot. d. Buitenzorg, IV (1884). THE FERN ALLIES. 37 LITERATURE. Fern Allies, pp. 7-123. London, 1887. BAKER (John G.). (George Bell & Sons.) SPRING (A.). Monographic de la Famille des Lycopodia- cees. In Me moires de V Academic Roy ale de BeJgique, XV, i-uo (1842); xxiv, 1-358 (1849). D. THE QUILLWORTS. 99. General Characters.— The quillworts, so named from the appearance of the leaves, are principally incon- spicuous aquatic plants of a grass-like or rush-like aspect (Fig. 27). Some species are X always submerged — often in several feet of water ; others grow in marshy soil or in the shallow margins of ponds or streams, where they become ap- parently terrestrial in time of low water; while others still are found between high and low water marks, where they will be covered by water at high tide. The leaves are awl-shaped or linear, and are attached to a short fleshy trunk. They vary in number from ten to one hun- dred in each plant, and in length from two to twenty inches in various species. On account of their resemblance to the im- mature forms of rushes and other aquatic vegetation of a higher order, they have been very sparingly collected. Many questions of distribution, habits, and life-history may be studied by ever* amateur botanists in various sections of the country. FIG. iT.—Isoetes lacustris L., natural size. (Redrawn from Sprague.) 38 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. In this way valuable additions to science may be contributed by those whose labor misdirected might be wasted. 1 OO. Fructification. — The sporangia of the quillworts, like those of the club-mosses, are sessile in the base of the leaves. The leaf base, sometimes called the sheath, is some- what triangular from the broad insertion, convex behind and concave in front, where there is a / '1A I llti large depression known as \hefovea> which contains the sporangium. The margin of the fovea rises in the form of a delicate membrane called the velum, which in many species lies above the sporangium and en- closes it. The sporangia of the outer FIGS. 28, 20.— Two kinds of , , i_- • i sporangia In /. lacustris L., en- leaves contain large spherical ma- larged. (After Sprague.) crospores ; those of the inner con- tain numerous oblong, triangular microspores. The size and marking of the spores form important characters in distin- guishing species. 1 O 1 . Germination. — The microspore after remaining dor- mant through the winter forms a few-celled structure which produces the antherozoids, which are long and slender, and provided with a tuft of cilia at each end. The macrospore produces a prothallium much as in Seluginella (97) ; from this the germ of the mature plant arises after fertilization by the antherozoids. LITERATURE. BAKER (J. G.). Fern Allies, pp. 123-134 (1887). BRAUN (Alexander). On the North American Species of Isoetes and Marsilea. Communicated by Dr. G. Engelmann. In Sillimaris Journal, Second Series, in, 52-56 (1847). ENGELMANN (George). Isoetes of Northern United States. In Gray's Manual, Fifth Edition (1868). The Species of Isoetes of the Indian Territory. In Bo- tanical Gazette, ill, i, 2 (Jan. 1878). The genus Isoetes in North America. In Trans. St. Louts Acad. Set., IV, 358-390 (1882). A valuable monograph of this most difficult genus of the fern allies. See also notes in Botanical Gazette, vi, 228. THE FERN ALLIES. 39 E. THE RHIZOCARPS. 1O2. General Characters.— The Rhizocarps, so-called from the fruit being produced at or near the roots in some genera, include aquatic plants of very diverse characters. Some, like Marsilia, root in mud and produce long-petioled leaves resembling " four-leaf clovers" which sometimes float on the surface of water ; more often the plant will be found grow- ing in wet or marshy places, with more rigid stipes. Others, like Pilularia, resemble the sterile conditions of Eleocharis or other sedges with a habit similar to Marsilia. Others, like Azolla or Salvinia, float on the surface of water, and consist of a leafy axis, sending numerous roots deep into the water. In Azolla the leaves are minute and lobed ; in Sahiinia (Fi^. 30) they are larger and simple. Marsilia and Pihilarta have cir- cinate vernation. 1 O3. Fructification. — The fruit of Marsilia consists of a hollow-stalked receptacle known as the sporocarp, which is oblong or rarely globose, and bears the spo- rangia in sori on the inner walls of its two valves. The spores are of two kinds, as in all rhizocarps. The numerous microspores are con- tained in microsporangia, while the macrospores are solitary in the few macrosporangia. 1 04. The sporocarp of Pilu- Iraia is globose, containing from two to four cells, which produce microsporangia in the upper portion and macrosporangia below ; the microspores are numerous, while a single macrospore is found in each sporangium. 1 05. In Azolla the sporocarps are of two kinds, borne in the axils of the leaves ; the larger are glo- bose, and contain numerous micros FIG. 30. — Salvinja Hoffm.. natural size, drawn from Thom<5.j >ia fa us (Re- res. which are aggregated 40 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. in masses; the smaller are ovoid, and contain a single macro- spore. 1 06. Salvima (Fig. 30), recently discovered in Missouri, has the sporocarps borne in clusters on short branches of the floating stem, one or two of each cluster bearing ten or more macrosporangia, each of which contains a single macrospore, the remainder bearing numerous globose microsporangia with numerous microspores. 107. Germination. — In Marsilia the antherozoids are produced in a rudimentary prothallium which develops from the microspore and are corkscrew-shaped, consisting of several coils. The prothallium, developed from the apex of the ma- crospore is a hemispherical mass of tissue, and contains a sin- gle archegonium. Much is yet to be learned of the habits and life-history of our native species. LITERATURE. BAKER (J. G.). Fern Allies, pp. 134-149 (1887). BRAUN (Alexander). On the North American Species of fsoj'fes and Marsilea. In Sillimaris Journal, Second Series, in, 52-56 (1847). Ueber Marsilia und Pilularia. In Monatsberichte der KonigL Akademie der Wissenschaft zu Berlin, 1863, 413-436. Neuere Untersuchungen iiber die Gattungen Marsilia und Pilularia. Ibid., 1870,653-753. — Nachtragliche Mittheilungen iiber die Gattungen Mar- silia und Pilulnria. Ibid., 1872, 635-679. ENGELMANN (George). New Species of Marsilia. In Silli- man's Journal, Second Series, vi (1848). STRASBURGER (L.). Ueber Azolla. 8vo, 7 plates. Jena (1873)- UNDERWOOD (L. M ) and COOK (O. F.). Notes on the American Species of Marsilia. In Torrey Bulletin, XIV, 89-94 (May, 1887). CLASSIFICATION AND NOMENCLATURE. 4! CHAPTER VII. CLASSIFICATION AND NOMENCLATURE. The education of a naturalist now consists chiefly in learning how to compare. — AGASSIZ. 1 OS. Nomenclature. — Before the time of Linnaeus, the method of naming plants and animals was a subject of much embarrassment to science, and gave rise to endless confusion. This great author, justly called the " Father of Botany," intro- duced a new system of nomenclature that gave an impetus to the study of nature. His system has since been in constant use, and has made possible the greater accuracy and definiteness in the descriptions of subsequent naturalists. He also introduced a system of classification which, though artificial and since abandoned, paved the way to the more natural system since adopted. He arranged the various plants and animals known to him in a few groups according to some particular plan of structure, divided these into still smaller groups, and so on to the lowest divisions, genera and species. To these divisions special names were assigned, thus giving to each organism a double name, the first generic, which may be likened to our fam- ily name, the other specific, corresponding to our baptismal name. Thus the " golden-back" of California bears the name Gymnograimne triangitlaris given it by Kaulfuss. The first it bears in common with other species from this and other coun- tries which possess a like fructification. The latter is peculiar to this species, which has a somewhat triangular frond. 1 O9. Generic Names. — These may be derived from some characteristic of growth or structure (Cryptogramme, Cheilan- thes, Schizced), in honor of some botanist or distinguished patron of science (Dicksonia, Woodsid), or occasionally from some mythological or symbolical character (Osmunda). 1 1 O. Specific Names. — These are usually adjective ele- ments either Latin or Latinized, and must agree in gender with 4 2 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. the generic name, according to the rules of Latin syntax. Errors in agreement have frequently been made by botanists who were not versed in the classics, and it is unfortunate that errors of this character as well as gross errors in the orthography of gen- eric names have found their way into accepted text-books of botany.* Specific names frequently indicate something regard- ing habit or mode of growth (bulbifera,gracilis, atropurpured), or may indicate the locality in which the organism was first dis- covered (Californica, Ilvensis). A few take their name from their discover, in which case the name is Latinized and takes a genitive ending (Boottii, Lemmont), or else an adjective form (Goldieanum, Clint onian u ui) . 111. The advantage of this binary nomenclature is at once evident when we consider the immense number of ferns alone, to say nothing of the remainder of the vegetable world and the hosts of the animal creation. By this means organisms of complex structure can be definitely characterized with com- paratively few words, and the scientific name once established, is recognized among scientists of all nations and languages. 1 1 2. Among some there is a tendency to regard scientific names with disfavor, on the ground that they are long and dif- ficult. But what shall we say of Geranium, or Gladiolus, or Fuchsia, or Phlox Drummondti, or a hundred others familiar to every lover of flowers ? Are these less difficult than Aspidium, Nothohzna, Woodsia, or Pell *9 (May, 1873) ; vi, 33 (May, 1875), 7L 72 (Jan. 1876), 263-265 (Oct. 1878), 306, 307 (Apr. 1879), 360, 361 (Nov. 1879); vn, 62-64 (June» 1880); vin, 4, 5 (Jan. 1881), 99, TOO (Sept. 1881) ; ix, 49, 50 (Apr. 1882); x, 26-29 (Mar- l883)« 101. I02 (Sept. 1883). Valu- able notes and descriptions of new species. — Ferns of North America. Illustrated with colored plates drawn by J. H. Emerton and C. E. Faxon. This finely executed work contains descriptions of the North American species miscellaneously arranged ; it contains also a systematic arrangement, with brief synoptical descriptions. It was origin- ally published in parts, and though somewhat expensive, ought to be in the library of every lover of the subject. The reputa- tion of its author is a sufficient recommendation. Ferns of the Southwest. In Wheeler's Geological Re- ports, vol. vi, 1877. Describes 72 species. Vascular Acrogens of California. In Botany of Cali- fornia, vol. II, 1880. Describes 56 pteridophytes, including 43 ferns. GRAY (Asa). On the Discovery of Two Species of TricJio- manes in the State of Alabama. In Sillimaiis Journal, Second Series, vol. XV (1853). Description of T. Peter sii, n. sp. KUNZE (G.). Notes on Some Ferns of the United States. In Sillimaris Journal, Second Series, vol. vi (1848). Com- municated by G. Engelmann. Contains notes on several Amer- ican Ferns and their allies, with descriptions of several species. WILLIAMSON (John). Ferns of Kentucky, i2mo. Louis- ville, Ky., 1878. Illustrated by the author with etchings of the Ferns of that State, 40 in number. Fern Etchings. I2mo. Louisville, Ky., 1879. Con- taining descriptions and etchings of the Ferns of Northeastern United States and Canada. Those desiring more extensive literature on the Ferns of other countries should have access to the following works : FEE (F. L. A.). Memoires sur la Famille des Fougeres. THE FERN'S PLACE IN NATURE. 59 Complete en 13 parties. 410, avec 289 planches. Strasbourg, 1844-1873. FEE (F. L. A.). Catalogue des Fougeres et des Lycopodia- cees du Mexique. Strasbourg, 1857. - Histoire des Fougeres et des Lycopodiacees des An- tilles. Strasbourg, 1866. HOOKER (William Jackson). Genera Filicum. 410. Lon- don, 1842. Illustrated by 120 colored plates, representing 135 genera and sub-genera. Species Filicum. 5 vols. 8vo. London, 1846-1864. Contains among 304 plates nineteen of North American Ferns. HOOKER (W. J.) and BAKER (John Gilbert). Synopsis Filicum. Second Edition, Svo. London, 1874. Contains de- scriptions of all Ferns known at that date, and is valuable for the determination of species from beyond our limits. It lacks one very essential feature of a systematic work, namely, a key to the genera, and the grouping of the species is such as to make it often difficult to identify them. HOOKER (W. J.) and GREVILLE (Robert Kane). Icones Fi- licum. 2 vols. folio. London, 1831. Containing 240 plates, of which 13 represent North American Ferns. Spermaphyta. The only work attempting to describe all our flowering plants is incomplete, covering only the Gamopetalae. It stands as a monument to its author, the leader of American Botany for many years. GRAY (Asa). Synoptical Flora of North America. Gamo- petalae. 4to. New York, 1886. The following manuals will cover various portions of our country : GRAY (Asa). Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States. Svo. New York, 1868. CHAPMAN (A. W.). Flora of the Southern United States. Svo. New York, 1883. COULTER (John M.). Manual of the Botany of the Rocky Mountain Region. Svo. New York, 1885. WATSON (Sereno). Botany of California. 2 vols. 4to. 1880. 60 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. CHAPTER IX. DISTRIBUTION IN TIME AND SPACE. 139. Geographic Distribution. — Ferns are found in all parts of the world. The number of described species is not certainly known, and the uncertainty is largely increased for the reason that our best systematists do not agree as to what constitutes a species. Baker, whose authority is generally recognized in England and America, places the estimate at about 3000 species. Added to these are 565 fern allies as recog- nized by the same author. From what has been said respecting the climatic conditions of fern growth we would naturally expect to find them most abundant in countries where warmth and moisture predomi- nate. These conditions seem most completely met on tropical islands or in tropical continental areas with insular climates. The little island of Mauritius, having an area of 676 square miles, or less than one third the area of Delaware, has 235 na- tive species, while Java, little larger than New York, has 460. Brazil furnishes 387, and the Isthmus of Panama 117. Com- paring these with colder climates, we find 67 in all Europe, and only 26 grow within the borders of the arctic zone. " Our Native Ferns," as described later in this volume, in- cluding those species that are classed in the order FILICES, number 156 species. Adding to these the 11 species of the order OPHIOGLOSSACE^E, which have frequently been enumer- ated with the ferns, we have a total of 167 species. The remain- ing fern allies number 56, making a grand total of 223. 1 4-O. Divisions of our Flora. — It has been found conven- ient to divide the surface of the earth into faunas and floras, limited by the natural distribution of the various species of animals and plants. These limits are by no means sharply defined, for wherever the limit is made some species will pass DISTRIBUTION IN TIME AND SPACE. 6l beyond it ; yet the majority found on one side are different from the majority of those on the other. North America (ex- cluding Mexico) forms the Nearctic realm or fauna (Regnum Nearcticum}, and the same boundaries may be used in the limi- tation of our fern flora, although some species from tropical regions invade our borders in Florida, Texas, and Arizona. Leaving out of question the species that are widely distributed over the greater part of our country, many of which are cos- mopolitan species, we may divide the Nearctic realm into five provinces, each of which possesses many species peculiar to itself. 141. The provinces* are as follows : I. BOREAL : inhabiting (with a few exceptions) the northern portion of the United States, extending through Canada and British America, some species even reaching Labrador, Green- land, and Alaska, and nearly all represented also in the north- ern portions of the Old World. II. MEDIAL: extending throughout the mountain and hilly region of the States east of the Mississippi, westward to the mountains, and northward into Canada, and in a few instances also inhabiting the Old World. III. OCCIDENTAL : extending along the western border of the continent from British Columbia to California, in a few cases appearing also in the Rocky Mountain region. IV. ARIZONIAN : inhabiting the central mountain regions of Western Texas, Arizona, and Colorado, many of the species ex- tending thence into Mexico, and some even to South America. V. AUSTRAL : inhabiting the border of the Gulf of Mexico, many of the species extending into the West Indies and Tropi- cal America. 1 42. The following lists will indicate the relations of our native species, though several species exceed the bounds here indicated, and occur within the borders of other provinces. * This division is a slight modification of one proposed by John H. Red- field in 1875. Cf. Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club, vi, 1-7. 62 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. BOREAL. (Those marked * are known only from Alaska.) Cheilanthes argentea.* Local. Cryptogram me acrostichoides. Pellaea gracilis. Asplenium viride. Aspidium lonchitis. aculeatum, var. Braunii. oreopteris. fragrans. filix-mas. spinulosum. Boottii. Cystopteris montana. Woodsia hyperborea. glabella. Botrychium lunaria. Rare and local. boreale.* Local. Equisetum pratense. palustre. litorale. Rare. variegatum. Lycopodium annotinum. alpinum. sabinaefolium. Selaginella selaginoides. MEDIAL Adiantum pedatum. Cheilanthes vestita. Pellaea atropurpurea. Woodwardia Virginica. angustifolia. Asplenium pinnatifidum. ebenoides. ebeneum. angustifolium. ruta-muraria. montanum. Bradleyi. thelypteroides. Scolopendrium vulgare. Rare and local. Camptosorus rhizophyllus. Phegopteris polypodioides. hexagonoptera. dryopteris. Aspidium acrostichoides. Noveboracense. thelypteris. cristatum. var. Clintonianum. Goldieanum. marginale. Aspidium spinulosum, var. interme- dium. var. dilatatum. Cystopteris bulbifera. Onoclea sensibilis. struthiopteris. Woodsia Ilvensis. obtusa. Dicksonia pilosiuscula. Lygodium palmatum. Rare. Schizaea pusilla. Local. Osmunda regalis. Claytoniana. cinnamomea. Marsilia quadrifolia. Local. Salvinia natans. Local. Botrychium simplex. matricariasfolium. lanceolatum. Equisetum sylvaticum. limosum. scirpoides. Lycopodium selago. lucichilum. inundatum. DISTRIBUTION IN TIME AKD SPACE. Lycopodium dendroideum. clavatum. complanatum. Selaginella apus. Isoetes lacustris. Tuckermani. Local, echinospora, var. Braunii. var. robusta. Local, var. Boottii. Isoetes echinospora, var. muricata. Local. saccharata. Local, riparia. Engelmanni. var. gracilis. var. valida. melanopoda. Butleri. Rare. OCCIDENTAL. (Species marked * are confined to California ; those marked t are found only in Oregon.) Polypodium falcatum. Californicum.* Scouleri. Gymnogramme triangularis. Notholaena Newberryi. cretacea.* tenera. Adiantum emarginatum. Pteris aquilina, var. lanuginosa. Cheilanthes Calif crnica.* viscida.* Cooperae.* gracillima. Parishii.* fibrillosa.* Clevelandii.* Pellasa Breweri. andromedaefolia.* brachyptera. ornithopus.* densa. Bridgesii.* Lomaria spicant. Woodwardia radicans. Phegopteris alpestris. Aspidium munitum. mohrioides.* aculeatum.* var. Californicum.* var. angulare.* Nevadense.* rigidum, var. argutum. Woodsia scopulina. Oregana. Marsilia vestita. Pilularia Americana. Equisetum telmateia. robustum. Selaginella Oregana. Douglasii. Isoetes pygmaea.* Bolanderi. Howellii.f nuda.t Nuttallii. Suksdorfii.t ARIZONIAN. (Species marked * are found in our region only in Arizona; those marked t are Texan.) Polypodium thysanolepis.* Gymnogramme Ehrenbergiana. Notholaena sinuata. ferruginea. Notholaena Parryi. Aschenborniana.* Candida. Hookeri. 64 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. Notholaena Grayi.* Lemmoni.* nivea. Fendleri. Adiantum tricholepis.f Cheilanthes Pringlei.* Wrightii. leucopoda.f lendigera.* lanuginosa. tomentosa. Fendleri. myriophylla. Lindheimeri. Pellasa aspera. pulchella. Pellaea ternifolia.t Wrightiana. flexu osa. intermedia.* Asplenium monanthemum.* septentrionale. Glenniei.* Aspidium juglandifolium. patulum.* Woodsia Mexicana. Aneimia Mexicana.t Marsilia macropoda. uncinata. vestita, var. tenuifolia.f Selaginella lepidophylla. AUSTRAL. (Species marked * are found in our region only in Florida.) Acrostichum aureum.* Polypodium plumula.* pectinatum.* incanum. aureum.* phyllitidis.* Swartzii.* Taenitis lanceolata.* Vittaria lineata.* Adiantum capillus-veneris. tenerum.* Pteris longifolia.* serrulata. aquilina, var. caudata. Cheilanthes microphylla. Alabamensis. Ceratopteris thalictroides.* Blechnum serrulatum.* Asplenium serratum.* parvulum. dentatum. firmum. Asplenium cicutarium.* rhizophyllum,var. myriophyllum* var. Biscaynianum* Phegopteris tetragona.* Rare. Phegopteris reptans.* Rare. Aspidium trifoliatum. Rare. conterminum, var. strigosum.* patens. unitum, var. glabrum.* Floridanum.* Nephrolepis exaltata.* acuta.* Rare. Trichomanes Petersii. Local. radicans. Aneimia adiantifolia.* Ophioglossum crotalophoroides. nudicaule. palmatum.* Equisetum Icevigatum. Lycopodium inundatum, var. pinna turn.* alopecuroides. cernuum. Rare. Carolinianum. Psilotum triquetrum. Rare. Selaginella Ludoviciana. Rare. rupestris, var. tortipila. Rare. Isoetes melanospora. Local. flaccida.* var. Chapmani.* DISTRIBUTION IN TIME AND SPACE. 65 COSMOPOLITAN SPECIES. Polypodium vulgare. Pteris aquilina. Asplenium trichomanes. filix-foemina. Cystopteris fragilis. Ophioglossum vulgatum. Botrychium Virginianum. teraatum. Equisetum anrense. hiemale. Selaginella rupestris. Azolla Caroliniana. 1 43. Local Lists. — The number of species found in a sin- gle locality is usually limited, yet in certain favored locations there is a marked diversity. As an instance, in one of the habitats of the rare hart's-tongue * the writer has collected twenty-three species illustrating eleven genera within the radius of a thousand feet. Such localities, however, are comparatively rare, and must include wide diversity of soil and shade within very narrow limits. Onondaga County, New York, possesses perhaps as many ferns as any county in the entire country, including 41 species. 32 are catalogued from Essex County, Massachusetts. Several State lists more or less complete have been compiled, and are noticed in the literature below. Carefully prepared lists from all the States and Territories would be a valuable addition to our knowledge of geographic distribution. 144. Geologic Distribution.— It is well known that the plants and animals now existing on the earth are not the same in kind as those of former ages. Geologists have carefully studied the stony heart of nature, and have drawn therefrom the story of the development of land and sea, and the succes- sive populations that from time to time have held possession of our globe. Plants furnishing the natural food for animals must have preceded animal life, yet in the earliest geologic ages the remains of animals are far more numerous. The abundance of the deposits of graphite and iron-ore in the earli- est or Archaean rocks indicates the existence of extensive plant growth, but the remains are so transformed as to make it im- possible to determine the character of this primeval vegetation. 145. In the succeeding Silurian age the fossil remains in- dicate the existence of algae or sea-weeds in abundance, and a * " Green Pond," one mile east of Jamesville, Onondaga County, New York. 5 66 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. single small species of ground pine attests the existence of some of the higher Cryptogamia ; no ferns, however, have been found in America older than the Devonian. Over fifty species of Devonian ferns have been described from the American rocks chiefly, by Principal J. W. Dawson of Montreal. 1 46. It is in the coal measures, however, that ferns and other Cryptogamia are found in the greatest abundance and profusion. Their delicate foliage is impressed on the various rock strata above the beds of coal, and so perfectly are they preserved that not only the methods of fructification but even the microscopic spores have been detected ! In the coal meas- ures of the United States and Canada (counting from the base of the Catskill), 381 species of ferns have been described, chiefly by Prof. Leo Lesquereux. The most abundant Ameri- can genera are Neuropteris 45 species, Pecopteris 50 species, Sphenopteris 31 species, Pseudopecopteris 25 species, and Rha- cophyllum 24 species. The frontispiece gives an ideal representation of the vegeta- tion of the Carboniferous age. The luxuriant tree-ferns, the Lepidodendrids, ancient representatives of the diminutive club- mosses or ground-pines, the Catamites, allies of the modern scouring-rushes, and other forms no less wonderful, are seen in their profusion. 1 47. In the later geologic ages, Mesozoic and Tertiary, ferns are found preserved in the rocks, with the leaves of many trees and shrubs of existing genera. The indications are that terns formed a far smaller part of the vegetation of these later ages than in the preceding Carboniferous, and even approxi- mated to that of the present. Six Cretaceous and twenty-four Tertiary species have been catalogued,* including species in the existing genera Lygodium, Pteris, Woodiuardia, Aspidium, Gymnogramme, etc., as well as some related to genera abundant in earlier formations. No living species is found fossil, unless Dr. Newberry's variety of Onoclea sensibilis becomes estab- lished .t In the course of geologic history, however, we can * Tenth report, Hayden Geological Survey of the Territories. Washing- ton, 1878. t Prof. Lesquereux writes me: ''Though analogous by the nervation, I doubt the identity on account of the coriaceous character of that fossil fern, DISTRIBUTION IN TIME AND SPACE. 6? trace a gradual approximation to the modern types from the generalized forms of Devonian and Carboniferous times. 14-8. Fern Allies. — Ophioglossum dates back to the Ter- tiary period with one species. The order EQUISETACE^E have existed since the coal period and the genus Equisetum since the Triassic. The order CALAMARIACE^J:, which combined charac- ters of modern Equiseta and Conifers, came into existence in the Devonian, but became extinct before the close of the Permian. Illustrations of Calamites can be seen at the left-hand corner of the frontispiece, also under the tree-fern in the centre. The club-mosses proper have been in existence since the Devonian, and the genus Lycopodtum since the Carboniferous. Selaginella has never been found fossil, but its near relatives belonging to the extinct orders LEPIDODENDRACE^: and SIGILLARIACE^E were very abundant in the Palaeozoic era, particularly during the Carboniferous, where they formed the largest part of the forest vegetation, reaching in some instances a height of sev- enty to one hundred feet. The former possessed characters connecting modern club-mosses with Conifers, while the latter seem to connect the club-mosses with the Cycads. Restora- tions of Lepidodendron may be seen on the left-hand side of the frontispiece, and of Sigillaria on the right. Isoetes dates back to the Miocene (Tertiary) and Marsilta and Pilularia to the same period. LITERATURE. Besides the works referred to below, many State floras will give additional information respecting local distribution. Among the more important of these are those of New Jersey (Brittoti), Ohio (Beardslee), North Carolina (Curtiss), Wiscon- sin (Laphani), Vermont (Perkins), New Hampshire (Flint}, Pacific Coast (Lemmo)i), Illinois (Patterson}, New York (Torrey), Michigan ( Wheeler and Smith), Indiana (Coulter and Barnes), Iowa (Arthur}, Minnesota (Upham), Missouri {Tracy). BURGESS (T. W. J.). Recent Additions to Canadian Filici- neae. In Transactions Royal Society of Canada (1886). which I have not seen in any variety of O. sensibilis now living." Principal Dawson, however, writes: "The Onoclea sensibilis of the Laramie is truly that species, and I have found with it in our Manitoba formations another modern fern, Davallia tenuifolia" 68 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. DAVENPORT (George E.). Catalogue of the "Davenport Herbarium" of North American Ferns. Salem (1879). Sup- plement (1883). Some Comparative Tables showing the Distribution of Ferns in the United States of North America. In Proceedings American Philosophical Society, 1883, 605-612. MACOUN (John) and BURGESS (T. W. J.). Canadian Filici- nese. In Transactions Royal Society of Canada (1884). REDFIELD (John H.). Geographical Distribution of the Ferns of North America. In Torrey Bulletin, vi, 1-7 (1875). Minor notes on distribution will also be found in the follow- ing journals : Botanical Gazette, I, 11, 22, 27; II, 55, 62; III, 82; iv, 128, T39» 177. 232 ; v» *5» 39; VI» !95» 220» 248 ; vn, 76,96, 160; x, 370; xii, 63, 67. 181 ; xn, 117. Torrey Bulletin, II, 24, 28 ; III, 2, 33 ; IV, 2, 17, 42 ; V, 38, 39 ; VI, 8, 175, 177, 199, 206, 221, 234, 291, 345, 347 ; vn, 16, 80, 89, 94, 96, 1 18 ; VIII, 47, 93, 105, 127, 144 ; IX, 55, 71, 128 ; X, 32, 40 ; xi, 7, 67 ; xiv, 97, 149. Other notes still will be found in Mr. Davenport's series of " Fern Notes" and Prof. Eaton's series of " New and Rare Ferns of the United States," together with much of the remaining descriptive literature noted in Chapter VIII. on the Ferns and their allies. The literature on fossil ferns is very extensive. A valuable work on the coal flora will be found in the Reports P and PP of the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. CHAPTER X. METHODS OF STUDY. The great benefit which a scientific education bestows, whether as training or as knowledge, is dependent upon the extent to which the student . . . learns the habit of appealing directly to Nature. — HUXLEY. 149. Determination of Species. — The first thing to learn about a plant or animal is not its name, but its structural characteristics, knowing which the name can be readily deter- METHODS OF STUDY. 69 mined. Having provided ourselves with a strong lens, two or more needles mounted in wooden handles for dissecting pur- poses, and a few well-fruited ferns taken with the roots, we are prepared to commence our study. In investigating any plant we should be systematic and accurate in our observations, and no subject will develop order and accuracy of description or enlarge our powers of observation as will the subject of botany rigidly pursued. In order to fix the characters of the fern in question, it is well to note them down in some systematic order, and the preparation of blanks like the following is suggested for the purpose : Synoptical characters of ROOT. ROOTSTOCK. STIPE. FROND. VEINS. SORI. SPORANGIA. SPORES. The characters thus commence with the lowest parts and continually advance upwards to completion. 1 5O. Taking now a common fern, we will notice its charac- teristics. Suppose it to be the one commonly called " Maiden- hair" in the Northern States. We take the parts in order and give them a searching examination : the character of the root; the direction of growth, position and appearance of the root- stock ; the appearance, color, and method of growth of the 7O OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. stipe; the method of cutting of the frond and the character of its surface; the method of veining; the position of the fruit clusters on the frond and veins, and the peculiar form of the indusium, if present. The sporangia and spores are best studied with a microscope, yet the shape of the sporangia and the character of the ring can be determined with a strong lens. 151. The characters of the Maidenhair can be summed up as follows : Synoptical characters of ADIANTUM PEDATUM L. ROOT. Many delicate fibres, somewhat matted. ROOTSTOCK. Scaly, somewhat creeping. STIPE. Separate, slender, polished, black, forked at frond, forming two recurved rachises. base of FROND. Roundish in outline, formed of several pinnae, which branch from the recurved rachises; pinnules unequal sided, oblong or deltoid ; upper margins irregularly lobed; sur: faces smooth. VEINS. Free, several times forked. SORI. Borne at the end of the veins on the under side of the re- flexed margins of the lobes, which form somewhat kidney- shaped membranous indusia. SPORANGIA. Globose, with a nearly complete vertical ring. SPORES. Minute, of one kind. 1 52. We are now prepared to determine the specific name, and for this purpose will turn to the " ARTIFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF ORDERS" (p. 75), where we read the statements under A, with the first of which our plant agrees ; then to B as directed, where we find it agrees with the third statement ; then to C, where we determine the Order to which our plant belongs. After having determined the plant to be a member of the order FILICES, we proceed to the "ARTIFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF GENERA" (p. 82). Reading the two statements under A we find our plant agrees with the first, bearing the sporangia at the margin of a leafy frond, so we proceed to B as indicated at the right-hand mar- METHODS OF STUDY. 71 gin. There being an indusium present, we are directed to C, where we find four statements. Our fern agrees with the second, as the indusium is formed of a reflexed portion of the frond. Passing to D we find it agreeing with the first state- ment. Passing to E, the statement, " Sporangia at the ends of the veins, borne on a reflexed portion of the margin of the frond," answers our purpose, and the marginal reference indi- cates the genus Adiantum. Under this genus (p. 89) we find two statements designated by *, and ** ; the latter referring to the " dichotomously forked " fronds, answers our purpose, and we find our fern to be number 5, Adiantum pedatum L., the scientific name of the Maidenhair, which we can now place in our description. Were we in Florida or any of the Southern States, instead of A. pedatum we would probably have found the Venus' Hair (A. capillus-veneris), or in California the Cali- fornian Maidenhair (A. emarginatunt), either of which would agree with the common Eastern species in all respects save the method of branching of the frond and the shape of the pinnules. In like manner we can trace any of our native species to their scientific names, by carefully noting their structure and methods of fruiting. 1 53. In a few ferns it will be necessary to exercise great care in the examination of the indusia. In the genera Cystop- teris, Dicksonia, and Woodsia, and in a few species of Aspidtum^ the indusia wither away after fruiting, so that one is likely to classify them under the non-indusiate genera if he carelessly examines them in this condition. In such cases a large number of sori should be carefully examined, and the least trace of an in- dusium should be noted. Five sixths of our genera, including four-fifths of our species, are indusiate. 1 54. Fern Allies. — In determining the species of the fern allies the method of procedure is quite similar to that indicated above for the Maidenhair, in each case referring the plant to its proper order. The specimens must be in fruit, and in the case of Equisetum must include both sterile and fertile shoots. As the species of Isoetes differ mainly in the size, character, and markings of the spores, they will require a microscope with micrometers for successful determination, though some can be identified with a lens if the life habits are also known. /2 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 1 55. Histology. — We have now gained a slight knowledge of the more apparent characters of the fern as viewed from without, and have been formally introduced to the species in hand by name. With some the study might seem to be at an end, but in fact it has only fairly begun. The minute structure, the development and the life-history of our fern, is yet unknown, leaving the most important features yet to be ascertained. Classification as it now exists is only a temporary arrangement, for the true relations of our species can never be fully deter- mined until their minute anatomy and life-histories have been thoroughly studied and compared. The minute anatomy has been carefully studied in only a few of our native ferns, and fewer still have been watched through the phases of their life-history. Less still is known of the species of fern allies. There is no fear of exhausting the subject, and even amateur botanists with the most limited facilities can do something in original inves- tigation. 1 56. Guides to Study. — It is impossible within the limits of a manual of this character to do more than suggest guides for study, yet no guide can be followed blindly to the exclusion of native common-sense. For the study of anatomy the works already mentioned under Chapter V. will serve for reference, while the following laboratory guides, each containing an out- line for the study of a single fern, will be found necessary : ARTHUR (J. C.), BARNES (C. R.) and COULTER (J. M.). Hand- book of Plant Dissection. New York (1886). (Henry Holt & Co.). For Adiantum pedatuin. BOWER (F. O.) and VINES (S. H.). A Course of Practical In- struction in Botany, Part I. London (1885). (Macmillan & Co.) For Aspidium filix- mas and fern allies. SEDGWICK (W. T.) and WILSON (E. B.). General Biology. Part I. New York (1886). (Henry Holt & Co.). For Pterts aquilina. 1 57. For the study of life-histories the recent paper by Dr. Campbell on Onoclea struthiopteris can well serve as a model. (Cf. Literature under Chapter VI.) The study of fern structure and fern development will grow in interest at every step, and will result in contributions of value to the knowledge of our native ferns and their allies. OUR NATIVE PTERIDOPHYTA I love not man the less, but Nature more, From these our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be, or have been before, To mingle with the Universe, and feel What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal. —BYRON. PTERIDOPHYTA Cohn. Vascular acrogens containing woody tissue in the stems. Antheridiaor archegonia or both formed on a prothallus which is developed from the spore on germination, and upon which the asexual plant is produced. Includes eight living and three extinct orders, all represented in North America. ARTIFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF ORDERS. * j Isosporous, i.e., spores of one kind B ( Heterosporous, i.e., spores of two kinds D f Plant rush-like, . . . Order V. EQUISETACE^E, p. 132 B j Plant moss-like, . . Order VI. LYCOPODlACEjE, p. 135 [Plant fern-like C I Vernation erect or inclined ; sporangia not reticulate, in spikes or panicles, opening by a transverse slit. Order IV. OPHIOGLOSSACE^E, p. 128 C \ Vernation circinate ; sporangia reticulate, provided with a ring, usually borne on the back or margin of a frond sometimes in spikes or panicles, Order I. FlLICES, p. 75 f Terrestrial, moss-like plants, j Order VII. SELAGINELLACE^E, p. 140 j Aquatic, rooting in mud, E [ Aquatic, floating, . .Order III. SALVINIACE^E, p. 127 j Leaves awl-shaped, tubular, containing the sporangia in their axils, . . . Order VIII. ISOETACE^E, p. 142 E -j Leaves quadrifoliate or filiform ; sporangia enclosed in sporocarps borne on separate peduncles, . . . [ Order II. MARSILIACE^E, p. 125 ORDER I. FlLICES Juss. Plant body consisting of fronds usually raised on stipes ris- ing from a prostrate, ascending, or erect rootstock, circinate in vernation. Sporangia modified trichomes of the leaves, reticu- / OUR NATIVE PTERIDOPHYTA, late, one-celled, encircled by a more or less complete, jointed elastic ring, collected in clusters of various forms on the under surface of the frond, with or without an indusium or covering ; or panicled, or spiked and naked ; or borne on receptacles of various kinds. Spores of various forms, minute. Prothallium above ground, green, monoecious or dicecious. Contains six well-marked sub-orders, four of which are represented with us. Genera, seventy,* of which we have representatives of thirty. SUB-ORDER I.-POLYPODIACEJE Presl. Sporangia pedicelled, surrounded more or less completely by a jointed, vertical, and elastic ring, bursting transversely. Sori dorsal or marginal, borne on a leafy frond, with or without indusia. TRIBE I. ACROSTICHES. Sporangia spread in a stra- tum over the under surface, or rarely over both surfaces of the frond. Indusia wanting. I. Acrostichum L. Sori covering the entire surface of the upper pinnae. TRIBE II. POLYPODIES. Sori dorsal, borne at or near the ends of the veinlets, without indusia. II. Polypodium L. Possessing characters of the tribe. TRIBE III. GRAMMITIDES. Sori dorsal, variously arising from the veins, usually linear. Indusia wanting. III. Gymnogramme Desv. Sori oblong or linear, follow- ing the course of the veinlets. IV. Notholsena R. Br. Sori on the veins or near their extremities, roundish or oblong, soon confluent into a narrow marginal band. V. Taenitis Swz. Sori linear, central, or submarginal. TRIBE IV. VITTARIE^E. Sporangia borne in a continu- ous marginal or intra-marginal furrow. VI. Vittaria Sm. Fronds simple, linear, grass-like. TRIBE V. PTERIDES. Sori marginal or intra-marginal, provided with an indusium formed of the reflexed margin of the frond, and opening inwardly. * This number is based on Hooker's classification. Other authors, narrow- ing the limits of generic characters, recognize a greater number. Smith, for example, publishes 220 and Presl 230, yet the tendency among most botanists is to restrict the number. FILICES. 77 * Sporangia borne on a reflexed portion of the margin of the frond. VII. Adiantum L. Sori usually numerous and distinct. Midrib of the pinnules near the lower margin or wanting. ** Sporangia borne an a continuous vein-like receptacle "which connects the apices of the veins. VIII. Pteris L. Sori continuous. Indusium delicate, whitish. Midribs of pinnules central. *** Sporangia at or near the ends of unconnected veins, borne on the under surface of the frond. IX. Cheilanthes Swz. Sori minute, at the ends of the veins. Indusium continuous or interrupted. X. Cryptogramme R. Br. Sporangia on the back or near the ends of the veins forming oblong or roundish sori, which are at length confluent and cover the back of the pin- nules. Sterile and fertile fronds unlike, smooth. XL Pellaea Link. Sori on the upper part of the veins, distinct, or mostly forming a marginal band of sporangia. Sterile and fertile fronds usually similar, smooth. TRIBE VI. CERATOPTERIDE^E. Sori on two or three longitudinal veins which are nearly parallel with the edge of the frond. Habits aquatic. XII. Ceratopteris Brong. The only genus ; having the characters of the tribe. TRIBE VII. BLECHNE^E. Sori dorsal, linear or oblong, borne on transverse veins, parallel to the midrib. Indusium fixed at its outer margin, opening at the inner. * Veins free. XIII. Lomaria Willd. Sori in a continuous band next the midrib. Indusium elongate, formed of the recurved and altered margin of the pinnae, or else sub-marginal. Fronds of two sorts, elongate, pinnate. XIV. Blechnum L. Sori linear, elongate, continuous near the midrib. Indusium continuous. Fronds pinnate. ** Veins more or less reticulate. XV. Woodwardia Sm. Sori linear or oblong, forming chain-like rows. Indusia separate. TRIBE VIII. ASPLENIE^E. Sori dorsal, linear or oblong, 7 8 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES oblique to the midrib, or rarely sub-parallel with it. Indusium fixed by one margin to the veinlet, opening at the other, some- times double. - * Veins free. XVI. Asplenium L. Sori on the upper side of a fertile veinlet, rarely on both sides. XVII. Scolopendrium Sm. Sori linear, confluent in pairs, which appear like a single sorus with the double indusium opening in the middle. ** Veins reticulate. XVIII. Camptosorus Link. Sori oblong or linear, borne partly on veins parallel to the midrib, partly on veins oblique to the midrib. TRIBE IX. ASPIDIE^E. Sori dorsal, round or roundish, on the back or rarely on the apex of a vein. Indusium usually membranous, rarely wanting. * Without indusia. XIX. Phegopteris Fee. Sori round, rather small, borne on the back of the free veins. ** With indusia. t Indusia superior. XX. Aspidium Swz. Indusium orbicular and fixed by the centre, or reniform and fixed by the sinus, opening all round the margin. Sori mostly on the back of the veins. XXI. Nephrolepis Schott. Indusium reniform, fixed at the sinus or at the arcuate base, opening toward the margin of the frond. Sori at the end of free veins. ft Indusia fixed by a broad base partly under the sorus. XXII. Cystopteris Bernh. Indusium convex, usually reflexed as the sporangia ripen. Texture delicate. ttt Indusia obscure. Fertile frond much contracted, very un- like the sterile. XXIII. Onoclea L. Sori dorsal on the veins of the con- tracted pinnae, concealed by their revolute margins. tttt Indusia inferior. 'FILICES. 79 XXIV. Woodsia R. Br. Indusium roundish or stellate, delicate, cleft into irregular lobes. TRIBE X. DICKSONIE^E. Sori roundish or transversely elongate, borne at the ends of the veins or on marginal cross- veinlets, with an indusium attached at the base or base and sides and opening toward the margin of the segment. XXV. Dicksonia L'Her. Sori marginal, small, the indu- sium cup-shaped, somewhat two-valved, the under portion con- fluent with a lobule of the frond. SUB-ORDER II.-HYMENOPHYLLACE>E Endl. Sporangia borne on an elongate, often filiform, receptacle, surrounded by a complete transverse ring, opening vertically. Sori terminal or marginal from the apex of a vein. Indusium inferior, usually of the same texture as the frond. Fronds deli- cately membranous and pellucid. XXVI. Trichomanes Sm. Indusia tubular, cup-shaped, or funnel-shaped, sometimes two-lipped. SUB-ORDER III.-SCHIZJEACE>E Presl. Sporangia ovate, sessile, arranged in spikes or panicles, hav- ing a complete, transverse, articulated ring at the apex, and opening by a longitudinal slit. * Stems scandent. XXVII. Lygodium Swz. Sporangia borne in a double row on narrow fertile segments, each on a separate veinlet and pro- vided with a special indusium. ** Stems not sc undent. XXVIII. Aneimia S\vz. Sporangia naked, attached by their bases to the narrow divisions of the panicled fertile seg- ments of the frond. XXIX. Schizaea Sm. Sporangia naked, fixed in a double row to the midrib of the narrow fertile segments. Sterile fronds simple or dichotomously forked. SUB-ORDER IV.-OSMUNDACEJE R. Br. Sporangia naked, globose, mostly pedicelled, with no ring or 80 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. mere traces of one around the apex, opening into two halves by a longitudinal slit. XXX. Osmunda L. Fertile pinnae or fronds much con- tracted, bearing the large and abundant sporangia on the mar- gins of the narrow segments. ARTIFICIAL SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. Sporangia collected in sori and borne on the back or margin of a leafy frond B Sporangia in spikes or panicles not on the leafy portion of the frond -. U ( Sori covered with indusia C ( Sori naked * P r Fertile frond closely rolled together, entirely unlike the sterile, its segments berry-like or necklace-like . .XXIII. ONOCLEA, p. 119 Sori marginal, covered with a reflexed portion of the frond . I) Sori marginal or terminal, borne on an elongate receptacle, XXVI. TRICHOMANES, p. 122 I Sori dorsal or marginal, provided with special indusia ... H ( Terrestrial, growing mostly in rocky places E \ Aquatic, sterile fronds floating on the water, XII. CERATOPTERIS, p. 101 |- Sporangia at the ends of the veins, borne on a reflexed portion of the margin of the frond VII. ADIANTUM, p. 89 Sporangia borne on a continuous, marginal, vein-like receptacle con- necting the apices of the veins VIII. PTERIS, p. 90 Sporangia at or near the ends of unconnected veins, borne on the I under surface of the frond F {Fronds conspicuously dimorphous ; stipes light-colored, X. CRYPTOGRAMME, p. 97 Fronds nearly uniform ; stipes usually dark G C Sori on the upper part of the veins, mostly forming a continuous mar- ginal band ; indusium membranous, continuous round the segment, f± XI. PELL^EA, p. 97 ISori minute, at the ends of the veins ; indusium interrupted, or if con- tinuous, the ultimate segments usually small and bead-like ; fronds mostly chaffy, woolly, or farinose, . . IX. CHEILANTHES, p. 91 ( Sori roundish ; indusia not more than twice as long as broad . I I Sori linear or oblong ; indusia more than twice as long as broad L f Indusium superior, attached by the centre or sinus ....". J _ J Indusium convex, fixed by a broad base partly under the sorus, XXII. CYSTOPTERIS, p. 118 I Indusium inferior K FILICES. 8 1 Sori mostly on the back of the veins ; indusium orbicular or reniform, opening all round the margin XX. ASPIDIUM, p. no Sori at the end of a free vein ; indusium reniform, opening toward the margin of the frond ; fronds simply pinnate, the pinna? articu- lated to the rachis XXI. NEPHROLEPIS, p. 117 i Indusium roundish or stellate, delicate . . XXIV. WOODSIA, p. 119 K A Indusium cup-shaped, somewhat two-valved, XXV. DICKSONIA, p. 121 {Sori all parallel to the midribs or rachises M Sori all oblique to the midribs O Sori partly oblique and partly parallel to the midrib ; frond simple, I tapering to a point . .... . XVIII. CAMPTOSORUS, p. 108 | Veins free . • N ] Veins reticulate XV. WOODWARDIA, p. 102 ( Indusium near the margin ; fertile frond much contracted, XIII. LOMARIA, p. 101 j Indusium remote from the margin ; fronds nearly uniform, XIV. BLECHNUM, p. 102 (Sori on the upper side of a veinlet, rarely on both sides, XVI. ASPLENIUM, p. 103 1 Sori confluent in pairs, with an apparently double indusium open- ( ing in the middle XVII. SCOLOPENDRIUM, p. 107 { Sori spread in a stratum on the under surface of the frond, I. ACROSTICHUM, p. 82 j Sori roundish, or not more than twice as long as broad ... Q [ Sori usually linear, always more than twice as long as broad . K, [ Stipes articulated to the rootstock ; fronds (in our species) entire or ~ simply pinnate . . ". . . » \ . . . . II. POLYPODIUM, p. 82 I Stipes not articulated to the rootstock; fronds (in our species) bi — tripinnatifid or ternate XIX. PHEGOPTERIS, p. 108 „ * Fronds simple S ( Fronds pinnate to quadripinnate T i Fronds very narrow, grass-like ; veins indistinct, free, S VI. VlTTARIA, p. 89 ' Fronds broader ; veins anastomosing .... V. T^ENITIS, p. 88 f Sori marginal, more or less confluent in a marginal band, T IV. NOTHOL^EXA, p. 85 I Sori following the veinlets, simple, forked, pinnate, or variously [ anastomosing III. GYMXOGRAMME, p. 84 \ Sporangia ovate, with transverse ring at apex * V ' Sporangia globose without a ring .... XXX. OSMUXDA, p. 124 •«r i Stems scandent, pinnae palmate . . . XXVII. LYGODIUM, p. 122 1 Stems not scandent W _~ \ Sporangia in close distichous spikes . . XXIX. SCHIZ^EA, p. 123 < Sporangia in copiously branching panicles, XXVIII. AXEIMIA, p. 123 6 82 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. I. ACROSTICHUM L. Sporangia spread over the whole surface of the frond or upper pinnae, or occasionally over both surfaces. Venation and cut- ting various (in our species simply pinnate). Name from Gr. aKpoS, the summit, and OTIXO?, a row. A tropical genus con- taining over 170 species. § CHRYSODIUM. 1. A. aureum L. Stipes i° — 2° long, tufted, strong, erect, glossy; fronds 2° — 6° long, i°— 2° broad, upper pinnae fertile, slightly smaller than the barren ones ; texture coriaceous ; areolae small, copious, without free veinlets. Florida. II. POLYPODIUM L. Sori round, naked, dorsal, in one or more rows each side of midrib, or irregularly scattered. Stipes articulated to root- stock. Name from Gr. TfoAuS, many, and itovS, itoSoS, foot, allud- ing to the branching rootstock. The largest, most cosmopolitan genus of ferns, containing 350 or more species. § I. EUPOLYPODIUM. Veins free ; fronds (in our species) pinnate. * Sori large. 1. P. vulgare L. Stipes 2' — 4' long, firm, erect; fronds 4'— 10' long, i' — 3' broad, cut nearly or quite to the rachis into entire or slightly toothed, usually blunt pinnae ; veins once or twice forked. Larger fronds with their pinnae sharply serrated and long-pointed form the var. occidental Hook. New England westward to Oregon and southward to Alabama. 2. P. falcatum Kellogg. Stipes 5' — 8' long, stramineous; fronds 12' — 15' long, 4' — 8' broad ; pinnae numerous, tapering to a slender point, sharply serrate; sori nearest the midrib; veins with 2 — 4 veinlets. (P. glycyrrhiza D. C. Eaton.) California to Washington Territory. ** Sori smaller, often minute. 3. P. plumula H. B. K. Stipes i' — 4' long, black, slender; fronds narrowly lanceolate, 9' — iS'long, i' — 2' broad; pinnae nu- merous, narrow, entire, blunt, lower gradually reduced ; surfaces naked except the black wiry rachis; veinlets forked, obscure. (P. elasticum Rich.) Florida. FILICES. 83 4. P. pectinatum L. Stipes rigid 2'— 6' long; fronds el- liptical-lanceolate, i° — 2^° long, 2' — 6' broad, cut to the rachis into horizontal, entire or toothed pinnae, the lower ones much reduced ; rachis naked or finely villose ; veinlets pellucid, once or twice forked ; sori in long rows, of medium size. Florida. §2. GONIOPHLEBIUM Blume. Veins forming ample regular areolce (almost imperceptible in No. 5), each with a single distinct free included veinlet, bearing a sorus at its terminus. * Under surface squamous. 5. P. incanum Swz. Rootstock woody, wide creeping, cov- ered with small brown scales; stipes i' — 4' long, erect, densely scaly; fronds 2' — 6' long, i' — 1£' broad, cut to the rachis into entire pinnae; texture coriaceous ; sori small; veins indistinct, united or frequently free. Virginia to Illinois, and southward. 6. P. thysanolepis A. Br. Rootstock slender, firm, densely covered with minute lanceolate scales ; stipes 3' — 12' long, erect, scaly ; fronds ovate, 3' — 9' long, 2' — 3' broad ; pinnae distant, as- cending, blunt, dilated at base (except the lowest), thick, sub- coriaceous, covered below with cil'iate scales with brown centre and broad scarious border ; areolae and sori in a single series. Huachuca Mountains, Arizona (Lemmoti), Mexico. ** Under surface mostly smooth. 7. P. Calif ornicum Kaulf. Rootstock creeping, chaffy; stipes 2' — 6' long, stramineous when dry, naked ; fronds ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 4' — 9' long, i' — 5' broad, cut nearly or quite to midrib into finely-toothed pinnae ; texture papyraceo-herba- ceous; sori large; veinlets 4 — 6 to each vein. (Including/*, in- termedium H. & A.) California. 8. P. Scouleri H. & G. Rootstock stout, creeping, scaly ; stipes 2' — 4' long, erect, naked ; fronds thick, 3' — 12' long, 2'— 6' broad, cut down to rachis into from 5 — 29 close, blunt pinnae ; texture coriaceous, fleshy when recent; sori very large ; veinlets regularly anastomosing forming a single series of large areolae. (P. carnosum Kellogg, P. pachyphyllum D. C. Eaton.) Cali- fornia and northward. § 3. PHLEBODIUM R. Br. Veins forming ample areolce, each with two or more distinct, free, included veinlets bearing sori on their united points. 84 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 9. P. aureum L. Rootstock stout, densely scaly ; stipes i° — 2° long, castaneous, naked ; fronds 3° — 5° long, 9' — 18' broad, cut nearly to the rachis into broad entire or slightly undulate pinnae ; areolae copious. Florida. § 4. CAMPYLONEURON Presl. Primary veins distinct from midrib to the edge, connected by parallel transverse veinlets ; areolce similar, containing t'juo or more sort. 10. P. phyllitidis L. Rootstock stout, scaly; stipes short or none; fronds simple, i°— 3° long, i' — 4' broad, the point acute, lower part gradually narrowed ; texture rigid, coriaceous ; areolse in rows of 6 — 12 from midrib to edge. Florida. § 5. PHYMATODES Presl. Areolce fine, copious, irregular, the free veinlets spreading in various directions ; sori various in posi- tion. 11. P. Swartzii Baker. Rootstock wide creeping, slender, covered with linear ferruginous scales ; stipes -J-' — i' long, slender, naked ; frond simple, 2' — 4' long, £' — f' broad, narrowed gradu- ally toward both ends, the edge entire, undulate, or slightly lobed ; sori uniserial on free veinlets. (P. serpens Swz.) Key Largo, Florida (Curtiss). III. GYMNOGRAMME Desv. Sori oblong or linear, following the course of the veinlets and like them, simple, forked, pinnate, or variously anastomosing, without indusia. Name from Gr. yvnvoS, naked, and ypdpfia, line. Includes about 100 species, mostly tropical. § i. EUGYMNOGRAMME. Veins free, under surface not fari- nose. 1. G. Ehrenbergiana Klotzsch. Rootstock creeping ; stipes grayish, puberulent, 3' — 6' long; fronds 5-angled, i' — 3' each way, hispid above, tomentose beneath, pinnate ; lower pinnae much the largest, unequally triangular, pinnate; upper pinnae lobed or crenate. (G.pedata of check-lists not of Kaulf., G. podo- phylla Hook, in part, G. hispida Mett. and former edition.) Texas to Arizona. § 2. CEROPTERIS Link. Fronds farinose below. 2. G. triangularis Kaulf. (GOLD-FERN, GOLDEN-BACK.) Stipes densely tufted, slender, blackish-brown, polished, 6' — 12' long; fronds 2' — 5' each way, deltoid, pinnate; lower pinnae FILICES. 85 much the largest, triangular, bipinnatifid ; upper pinnae more or less pinnately lobed ; lower surface coated with yellow or white powder, finally more or less obscured by the fruit. Arizona, California, and northward. IV. NOTHOL^NA R. Br. CLOAK FERN. Sori marginal, at first roundish or oblong, soon confluent into a narrow band, without indusium, but sometimes covered at first by the inflexed edge of the frond. Veins free. Name from Lat. notfius, spurious, and latc; stipes stramineous. 7. C. leucopoda Link. Stipes 3' — 4' long, stout, chaffy at base; fronds 2' — 4' long, deltoid-ovate, quadripinnate at base, gradually simpler above, everywhere glandular-puberulent ; lowest pair of pinnae unequally deltoid-ovate, upper ones ob- long; pinnules short-stalked; ultimate pinnules divided into minute rounded lobules, strongly revolute when fertile. Texas. ft Fronds ovate-lanceolate; stipes brownish. 8. C. vestita Swz. Stipes tufted, 2' — 4' long, wiry, chest- nut-brown ; fronds 4'— 9' long, i' — 2' broad, tripinnatifid ; pinnae somewhat distant, lanceolate-deltoid ; segments more or less thickly covered with acute hairs ; sori copious ; indusia formed of the ends of roundish or oblong lobes. (Nephrodium lano- sum Michx.) New York to Kansas and southward to Georgia. 9. C. Cooperae D.C.Eaton. Stipes densely tufted, fragile, 94 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. hairy with straightish nearly white articulated hairs, which are usually tipped with a glandular and viscid enlargement ; fronds 3' — 8' long, bipinnate, the pinnae rather distant, oblong-ovate ; pinnules roundish-ovate, crenate and incised, the ends of the lobules forming herbaceous indusia. California. § 3. PHYSAPTERIS Presl. Ultimate segments minute, bead- like ; indusium usually continuous all round the margin ; fronds (in our species) bi — quadripinnate, the lower surf ace scaly or tomen- tose or both. Fronds hairy or tomentose beneath, not scaly. t Upper surface naked or nearly so. 10. c. gracillima D. C. Eaton. (LACE-FERN.) Stipes densely tufted, 2' — 6' long, dark-brown ; fronds i' — 4' long, nar- rowly ovate-lanceolate, bipinnate; pinnae numerous, crowded, pinnately divided into about nine oblong-oval pinnules, at first slightly webby above, soon smooth, heavily covered beneath with pale ferruginous matted wool ; indusia yellowish-brown, formed of the continuously curved margin. (C. vestita Brack.) California, Oregon, British Columbia. 11. C. lendigera Svvz. Rootstock cord-like, creeping, cov- ered with narrow scales ; stipes rather distant, 4' — 8' long, at first loosely tomentose, at length nearly smooth ; fronds 4' — 8' long, ovate-oblong, tri — quadripinnate ; ultimate pinnules small, cuneate-obovate, pouch-like from the recurved margins, green above, hairy below. Huachuca Mts., Arizona (Lemmoii). ft Upper surface decidedly pubescent. \ Stipes tomentose or smooth. 12. C. lanuginosa Nutt. Stipes densely tufted, slender, at first clothed with woolly hairs, at length nearly smooth ; fronds 2' — 4' long, ovate-lanceolate, tripinnate or tripinnatifid, rarely bipinnate ; pinnae deltoid below, oblong-ovate above, the lowest distant ; ultimate pinnules minute, the terminal one slightly largest, crowded ; upper surface scantily tomentose, the lower densely matted with whitish-brown, woolly hairs ; indu- sia narrow, formed of the unchanged margin. (C.lanosa Eaton, C. Test it a Hook, in part, C. gracilis Mett., Myrioptcris gracilis Fee.) Illinois to Texas, Arizona, and British America. 13. C. tomentosa Link. Stipes tufted, 4' — 6' long, rather FILICES. 95 stout, covered with pale-brown tomentum ; fronds 8' — 15' long, oblong-lanceolate, everywhere but especially beneath tomentose with slender, brownish-white, obscurely articulated hairs, tri- pinnate; pinnae and pinnules ovate-oblong ; ultimate pinnules i'' — |" long, the terminal ones twice as large; indusium pale, membranous, continuous. (C. Bradburii Hook.) Virginia to Missouri, Texas, and Arizona. \\ Stipe and rachises covered with very narrow scales. Var. Eatoni Dav. Differs from the type mainly in having the rachises scaly; characters scarcely sufficient to keep it dis- tinct. (C. Eatoni Baker and former editions.) Arizona. 14. C. fibrillosa Dav. Plant 3' — 6' high ; rootstock forming dense, entangled clumps of short rhizomes, clothed with dark linear-lanceolate scales, passing gradually into lighter-brown scales, mixed with coarse fibres and tomentum at the base of the stipes ; stipes 2' — 3' long, chestnut-brown, terete, at first tomentose with fibrous scales and wool, becoming smooth with age; fronds 2 — 3' long, f — i^' wide, tripinnate, loosely covered with deciduous tomentum, that along the rachises beneath per- sistent, tawny, mixed with coarse fibres. (C. lanuginosa, var. fibrillosa Dav.) San Jacinto Mountains, California (Parish). 15. C. Parishii Dav. Rootstock creeping, short, clothed with deep-brown linear-lanceolate scales, with darker nearly black mid-nerves ; stipes 2' — 3' long, approximate, light to dark- brown, clothed at base with scales similar to those on the root- stock, passing gradually into broader pale-brown or nearly white nerveless scales, with more or less deciduous, slender, pale scales and chaff above; fronds 3' — 4' long, i' — ij' broad, oblong- lanceolate, tri — quadripinnate, with both surfaces scantily clothed with a coarse tomentum ; pinnae alternate, oblong-ovate, obtuse, the lowermost somewhat distant; segments roundish, the terminal ones largest and three-lobed ; indusia very narrow, only partially enclosing the sori. San Diego Co., California (Parish). ** Fronds covered beneath with imbricated scales, not tomentose. 16. C. Fendleri Hook. Stipes 2 — 5' long, chaffy with minute slender scales ; fronds 3' — 4' long, ovate-lanceolate, tripinnate; scales of primary rachis like those of stipe, those of 96 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. secondary and ultimate rachises larger, broadly-ovate, entire or nearly so, usually edged with white, imbricate and overlapping the (£" — J-" broad) sub-globose ultimate segments; these are naked above, and commonly bear at their centre a single broad scale; indusium formed of the much incurved margin. Texas and Colorado to California. 17. C. Clevelandii D. C. Eaton. Stipes scattered, 2' — 6' long, dark-brown, scaly when young, but at length nearly smooth ; fronds 4' — 6' long, ovate-lanceolate, tripinnate, smooth above, deep fulvous-brown below from the dense covering of closely imbricate, ciliate scales growing on the ultimate segments as well as on the rachises ; segments nearly round, £" — £" broad, the terminal ones larger, margin narrowly incurved. Califor- nia. *** Under surface both tonientose and scaly. 18. C. myriophylla Desv. Rootstock very short, scaly; stipes tufted, 2' — 6' high, castaneous, covered with pale-brown scales and woolly hairs intermixed ; fronds 3' — 8' long, oblong- lanceolate, tri— quadripinnatifid, smooth or pilose above, be- neath matted-tomentose and densely clothed with pale-brown, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, ciliate scales, those of the ultimate segments with long, tortuous cilia ; pinnae deltoid-ovate, nar- rower upwards; ultimate segments minute, i" broad, crowded, innumerable, the margin unchanged, much incurved. Very variable. (C. elegans Desv., C. villosa Dav.) Texas to Arizona. 19. C. Lindheimeri Hook. Rootstock long, slender, chaf- fy ; stipes scattered, 4' — 7' high, blackish-brown, at first cov- ered with scales and woolly hairs; fronds 3' — 5' long, ovate- lanceolate, tri — quadripinnate ; ultimate segments £" long, crowded ; upper surface white tomentose, lower surface very chaffy, those of the midribs ciliate at base, those of the segments more and more ciliate, passing into entangled tomentum. West- ern Texas to Arizona. § 4. ALEURITOPTERIS Fee. Indusia more or less confluent ; fronds farinose below. 20. C. argentea Kunze. Stipes densely tufted, 3' — 6' long, castaneous; fronds 3' — 4' long, 2' broad, deltoid, bi — tripinnati- fid ; lower pinnae much the largest, cut nearly to the rachis ; rachis polished like the stipe ; upper surface naked, lower thick- FILICES. 97 ly covered with white powder; sori numerous, very small. Alaska. X. CRYPTOGRAMME R. Br. ROCK BRAKE. Sporangia on the back or near the ends of the free veins, forming oblong or roundish sori, which are at length confluent, and cover the back of the pinnules. Indusium continuous, formed of the membranous, somewhat altered margin of the pinnule, at first reflexed along the two sides and meeting at the midrib, at length opening out flat. Name from Gr. KpvittoS, concealed, and y pauper, line, alluding to the concealed fructifi- cation. A boreal genus of two species. i. C. acrostichoides R. Br. Stipes densely tufted, stra- mineous; fronds dimorphous, sterile ones on shorter stalks, tri — quadripinnatifid, with toothed or incised segments; fertile ones long-stalked, less compound, with narrowly elliptical or oblong-linear pod-like segments. (C. crispa, forma Americana Hook., Allosorus acrostichoides Spreng.) Lake Superior, Colo- rado to California and northward. XI. PELL>EA Link. CLIFF-BRAKE. Sori intramarginal, terminal on the veins, at first dot-like or decurrent on the veins, at length confluent laterally, forming a marginal line. Indusium commonly broad and membranous, formed of the reflexed margin of the fertile segment. Name from Gr. TreAAos, dusky, alluding to the dark-colored stipes. In- cludes 55 species. § i. CHEILOPLECTON Fee, Baker. Texture herbaceous or sub- coriaceous, veins clearly visible, indusium broad, in most of the species rolled over the sorus till maturity. 1. P. Brewer! D. C. Eaton. Stipes densely tufted, cov- ered with narrow, crisped, fulvous chaff; fronds 2' — 6' long, simply pinnate, the pinnae short-stalked, 6 — 8 pairs, membra- nous, mostly 2-parted, the upper segment larger; segments ob- tuse, in the fertile frond narrower; indusium continuous, pale; veins repeatedly forked. Colorado to California and southward. 2. P. gracilis Hook. Stipes scattered, slender, 2' — 3' long, stramineous or pale-brown ; fronds 2' — 4' long, i' — 2' broad, ovate, bi — tripinnatifid ; pinnae lanceolate-deltoid, cut to the 7 98 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. rachis into a few broad, blunt, slightly-lobed pinnules; texture thinly herbaceous, flaccid ; indusium broad, continuous, mem- branous; veins of the fertile fronds mostly only once forked. (Allosorus crispus, var. Stelleri Milde, A. gracilis Presl, Pteris gracilis Michx., P. Stelleri Gmelin.) Labrador to Pennsylvania, Illinois, Colorado, and northward. § 2. ALLOSORUS Baker. Texture coriaceous, the veins not perceptible ; indusium broad, conspictwus. * Pinnules or segments obtuse or barely acute. t Fronds pinnate or bipinnate. 3. P. atropurpurea Link. Stipes tufted, 2'— 6' long, dark- purple ; fronds 4' — 12' long, 2' — 6' broad, lanceolate or ovate- lanceolate, simply pinnate or bipinnate below; pinnules and upper pinnse i' — 2' long, £' broad or less, nearly sessile, smooth ; indusium formed of the slightly altered incurved edge of the pinnules. (Allosorus atropiirpureus Kunze, Pteris atropurpurea L., Platyloma atropurpurea J. Sm.) Arizona, New Mexico, Texas to Vermont and northward. 4. P. aspera Baker. Stipes slender, 2'— 3' long, black with scurfy pubescence ; fronds 4' — 6' long, oblong-lanceolate, bipinnate ; pinnae and pinnules deltoid-lanceolate or oblong, pinnules next to main rachis often lobed ; all of them rough on both surfaces with short harsh hairs. (Cheilanthes aspera Hook.) Western Texas and New Mexico. tt Fronds bi — quadripinnate, ultimate segments oval or cordate. 5. P. andromedaefolia Fee. Stipes scattered, erect, pale- brown, 2' — 12' long; fronds 6' — 12' long, 3' — 6' broad, ovate, bi — quadripinnate, usually tripinnate; pinnae rather distant, spreading; ultimate pinnules 2" — 5" long, oval, slightly cordate, coriaceous, the margin of the fertile ones sometimes revolute to the midrib; veins numerous, parallel. (Allosorus andromedce- folius Kaulf., Pteris andromedccfolia Kaulf.) California. 6. P. pulchella Fee. Stipes densely tufted, 3' — 8' long, chaffy at base, nearly black; fronds 3' — 9' long, i' — 5' broad, triangular-ovate, quadripinnate below, gradually simpler above ; lower pinnse deltoid, narrowly triangular above; ultimate pin- nules numerous, i" — 3" long, oval or often cordate-ovate, stalked, coriaceous, smooth, the edges often much reflexed. FILICES. 99 (Allosorus pulchellus Mart, and Gale.) Western Texas and New Mexico. ttt Fronds tri—quadripinnatifid; segments linear-oblong ; secondary rachises margined. 7. P. marginata Baker. Stipes tufted, 3'— 9' long, casta- neous, shining, slightly fibrillose at the base ; fronds 4' — 6' long, nearly as broad, deltoid ; the lower pinnae much the largest ; in- dusium broad, continuous, the margins slightly erose ; texture chartaceous. (Cheilanthcs marginata Hook.) Huachuca Mts., Arizona (Lcmmoti). ** Pinnules mucronulate or decidedly acute. t Fronds narrowly linear in outline, usually bipinnate. 8. p. ternifolia Link. Stipes tufted, nearly or quite black, 2' — 6' long, fronds 4' — 10' long, narrowly linear ; pinnae usually 9 — 15 pairs, all but the uppermost trifoliate; segments com- monly linear, slightly mucronate, coriaceous, sessile or the middle one indistinctly stalked, the edges much indexed in fer- tile fronds ; indusium broad. (Pteris ternifolia Cav.) Western Texas. 9. P. brachyptera Baker. Stipes 2' — 8' long, stout, pur- plish-brown ; fronds 3' — 8' long, narrow in outline from the as- cending secondary rachises, bipinnate; pinnules crowded, 2"- 5" long, oblong-linear, simple or trifoliate, acute or mucronulate ; margins inflexed to the midrib in fertile fronds. (P. ornithopus, var. brachyptera D. C. Eaton, Platyloma helium et P. brachypte- rum Moore.) California. ft Fronds broader, lanceolate to ovate, bi — tripinnate. 10. P. ornithopus Hook. Stipes tufted, 3' — 8' long, rather stout, dark-brown; fronds very rigid, 3' — 12' long, 2 — 3' broad, broadly deltoid-lanceolate, bi— tripinnate ; primary pin- nae spreading or obliquely ascending, linear, bearing 4—16 pairs of trifoliate (varying from simple to 5 — 7 foliate) mucronulate pinnules, i£" — 2" long; margins inflexed to midrib in fertile fronds. (Allosortts mucr onatus D. C. Eaton.) California. 11. P. Wrightiana Hook. Rootstock short, thick, densely chaffy; stipes crowded, purplish-brown, 4' — 6' long; fronds 3' — 6' long, i' — 3' broad, lanceolate to deltoid, trifoliate at apex, 100 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. bipinnate below; pinnae short with i — 2 pairs of long narrow pinnules besides the terminal one; mucro short, with margin broad and cartilaginous; margins of fertile fronds inflexed to the midrib. Very variable; forms with fronds decreasing to simply pinnate at the apex, and longer but less broadly winged mucro form var. longimucronata Dav. (P. longimucronata Hook.); forms with pinnules densely crowded are var. compacta Dav. Colorado and Texas to California. 12. P. densa Hook. Rootstock rather slender, chaffy with blackish scales ; stipes densely tufted, wiry, very slender, castaneous, 3' — 9' long; fronds ovate or triangular-oblong, i' — 3' long, densely tripinnate; segments 3" — 6" long, linear, nearly sessile, sharp pointed or mucronate, in the fertile fronds entire, with the margin narrowly recurved ; in the rare sterile fronds sharply serrate, especially toward the apices. (Onych- ium densum Brack.) Utah (Jones), and Wyoming to California, Oregon, and northward ; Mt. Albert, Gaspe, Quebec (Allen). §3. PLATYLOMA J. Sm., Baker. Texture coriaceous, the veins usually hidden, the itltimate segments broad and flat, the indusium so narrow as to be soon hidden by the fruit. 13. P. Bridges!! Hook. Stipes 2' — 6' long, tufted, castane- ous ; fronds 4' — 6' long, i' or more broad, simply pinnate ; pinnae 5 — 1 8 pairs, mainly opposite, nearly sessile, glaucous green, coriaceous, rounded or cordate at the base; indusium narrow, formed of the whitish margin of the pinna, soon flattened out exposing the broad sorus. California. 14. P. flexuosa Link. Rootstock creeping, rather slender ; stipes reddish, passing into a more or less flexuous or zigzag rachis ; fronds 6' — 30' long, ovate-oblong, bi — tripinnate ; second- ary and tertiary rachises usually deflected and zigzag, rusty puberulent or nearly smooth ; pinnae mostly alternate ; ultimate pinnules 5" — 10" long, roundish-ovate, or sub-cordate, smooth ; margins at first reflexed, soon flattened out. (Allosorus flexu- osus Kaulf.) Western Texas to California. 15. P. intermedia Mett. Rootstock long, wide creeping, slender, chaffy ; stipes scattered, 4' — 6' long, pinkish-stramine- ous, smooth ; fronds 5' — 10' long, 3' — 8' wide, ovate-bipinnate ; pinnae nearly opposite, remote ; pinnules 2 — 6 pairs, petiolate, sub-coriaceous, oval or cordate-ovate ; veins obscure ; ra- FILICES. 10 1 chises often pubescent. Huachuca Mountains, South Arizona {Lemmon) . XII. CERATOPTERIS Brong. FLOATING-FERN. Sori placed on two or three veins which run down the frond longitudinally, nearly parallel with both the edge and midrib. Sporangia scattered on the receptacles, sessile, sub-globose, with a complete, partial, or obsolete ring. Indusia formed of the reflexed margins of the frond, those of opposite sides meet- ing at the midrib. Name from Gr. KepaS, horn, and arrepzS, a fern. Contains a single tropical species. i. C. thalictroides Brong. Stipes tufted, thick, inflated, filled with large air cells; fronds succulent in texture, the sterile ones floating in quiet water, simple or slightly divided when young, bi — tripinnate when mature; fertile ones bi — tripinnate; ultimate segments pod like. Southern Florida. XIII. LOMARIA Willd. Sori in a continuous band next the midrib of the contracted pinnae of the fertile frond, covered till mature by an elongate indusium, either formed of the recurved and altered margin of the pinna or sub-marginal and parallel to the margin. Veins of sterile frond oblique to the midrib, simple or forked and free. Fronds mostly elongate, of two kinds, the sterile foliaceous, the fertile commonly much contracted. Name from Gr. Ao//a, a fringe. Principally south temperate, containing 45 species. § EULOMARIA. i. L. spicant Desv. (DEER-FERN.) Rootstalk short, thick, very chaffy ; fronds tufted, erect, sterile ones nearly sessile, narrowly linear-lanceolate, 8' — 24' long, i' — 3' wide, tapering to both ends, cut to the rachis into oblong or oblong-linear closely set segments, the lower ones gradually diminishing to minute auricles; fertile fronds sometimes three feet high, long-stalked, pinnate ; pinnae somewhat fewer and more distant, longer and much narrower than in the sterile frond ; indusia distinctly in- tramarginal. (Osmunda spicant L., Blechnum boreale Swz.) California, Oregon, and northward, IO2 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. XIV. BLECHNUM L. Sori linear, continuous or nearly so, parallel with the midrib and usually contiguous to it. Indusium membranous, distinct from the edge of the frond. Veins usually free. Name from Gr. fiXexvov, an old name for some kind of fern. A tropical and south temperate genus, containing 19 species. § EUBLECHNUM. I. B. serrulatum Richard. Stipes 6' — 12' long, stout, erect, nearly naked; fronds oblong-lanceolate, i° — 1£° long, 3' — 6' broad, with 12 — 24 pairs of distinct linear-oblong pinnae, the margins finely incised ; texture coriaceous ; veins very fine and close; fertile pinnae narrower. (B lee/mum angustifoliuui Willd.) Florida. XV. WOODWARDIA Sm. CHAIN-FERN. Sori oblong or linear, sunk in cavities in the frond, arranged in a chain-like row parallel to the midribs of the pinnae and pinnules and near them. Indusium sub-coriaceous, fixed by its outer margin to the fruitful veinlet and covering the cavity like a lid. Veins more or less reticulate. Named for Thomas J. Woodward, an English botanist. Contains six species, mostly north temperate. § i. Eu WOODWARDIA. Fronds uniform, the veins forming at least one series of areolce between the sori and margins. 1. W. radicans Sm. Caudex stout, erect, and rising a little above the ground ; stipes stout, 8' — 12' long; fronds 3° — 5° long, sub-coriaceous, pinnate; the pinnae 8' — 15' long, 2' — 4' broad, oblique to the rachis, pinnatifid nearly to the midrib; segments spinulose-serrate ; veinlets forming a single row of oblong sorus-bearing areolae next the midvein, besides a few oblique empty areolae outside the fruiting ones, thence free to the margin. California, Arizona. § 2. ANCHISTEA Presl. Fronds uniform, the veins free be- tween the sort and the margins. 2. W. Virginica Sm. Stipes stout, 12' — 18' long; fronds oblong-lanceolate, 12' — 18' long, 6' — 9' broad; pinnae linear- lanceolate, 4' — 6' long, |-'— i' broad, cut nearly to the rachis into linear-oblong lobes. {IV. Banister iana Michx., Blechnum FILICES. 103 Carolinianum Walt., B. Virginicum L., Doodia Virginica Presl.) Canada and Florida westward to Michigan and Arkansas. § 3. LORINSERIA Presl. Fronds dimorphous, veins every- where forming areolce. 3. W. angustifolia Sm. Sterile frond with slender stipes, 9' — 12' long, 6' — 8' broad, deltoid-ovate, with numerous oblong- lanceolate sinuate pinnae ; rachis broadly winged ; fertile frond with an elongate, castaneous stem; pinnae 3' — 4' long, narrowly linear. ( W. onocleoides Willd., W. areolata Moore, Acrostic hum areolatum L.) Maine to Florida, Michigan, Arkansas. XVI. ASPLENIUM L. SPLEENWORT. Sori oblong or linear, oblique, separate; indusium straight or rarely curved, opening toward the midrib when eingle, some- times double. Veins free in all our species. Name from Gr. a, without, and (Tit\rjv , spleen. A cosmopolitan genus contain- ing nearly 350 species. § i. Eu ASPLENIUM. Veins free, simple or branched ; indu- sium straight or slightly curved, attached to the upper side of a vein. * Fronds simple. 1. A. serratum L. Fronds growing in a crown from a short, stout, erect rootstock, i£° — 2^° long, 2' — 4' broad, simple, spatulate or linear-oblanceolate, the margin crenulate or irreg- ularly but finely serrate, sub-coriaceous; midrib prominent, keeled and often blackish purple beneath ; veins closely placed, free, once forked ; sori elongate, following the veins of the upper half of the frond from near the midrib half-way to the margin ; indusia single, the free edge entire. Florida. ** Fronds pinnatifid or pinnate below, tapering to a point. 2. A. pinnatifidum Nutt. Stipes tufted, 2' — 4' long ; fronds 3' — 6' long, i' — 1£' broad, lanceolate, pinnatifid, or pin- nate below, tapering to a slender prolongation above ; lobes roundish-ovate, or the lowest pair acuminate ; sori numerous. Pennsylvania to Illinois, Kentucky, and Alabama. 3. A. ebenoides R. R. Scott. Fronds 4' — 9' long, broadly lanceolate, pinnatifid, pinnate below ; apex prolonged and slender; divisions lanceolate from a broad base, the lower ones 104 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. shorter ; stipes black and polished, as is the lower part of the midrib, especially beneath. Schuylkill River, above Manayunk, Pennsylvania (Scott) ; Havana, Alabama (Miss Tutwilcr) ; Canaan, Connecticut (Adani) ; near Poughkeepsie, New York (Lown), Jackson County, Illinois (Patterson). *** Fronds once pinnate. t Pinnce J' — f ' long, mostly blunt. \ Rachis chestnut-brown or blackish. 4. A. ebeneum Ait. Stipes tufted, 3' — 6' long, chestnut- brown, nearly naked; fronds 8' — 16' long, linear-lanceolate; pinnae 20 — 40, lanceolate, subfalcate, or the lower oblong, £' — i' long, the dijated base auricled on the upper or both sides; sori often 10 — 12 on each side. (A. trichomanoides Michx.) Florida and Kentucky northward to Canada. 5. A. parvulum Mart. & Gale. Fronds tufted, erect, rigid, 4' — 10' long, narrowly linear-lanceolate ; stipe and rachis black and shining; pinnae numerous, oblong, obtuse, entire or crenulate, auricled on the upper side, nearly sessile ; middle pinnae longest, the lower gradually shorter and deflexed ; sori short, abundant. (A. ebeneum var. minus, Hook., A. resiliens Kunze.) Virginia, South Carolina, and'Florida to Arkansas and New Mexico. 6. A. trichomanes L. Stipes densely tufted, purple- brown, shining ; fronds 3' — 8' long, £' or more broad, linear ; pinnae 15 — 30 pairs, nearly opposite, roundish-oblong or oval, the two sides unequal, obliquely wedge-truncate at the base, at- tached by a narrow point, the edge slightly crenate, the mid- vein forking and evanescent; sori 3 — 6 on each side of the mid- rib. (A. melanocaulon Willd.) Eastern United States to the Pacific coast. Var. incisum Moore. Fronds larger, often •£-' or more broad, pinnae more or less deeply incised. California, Vermont. 7. A. monanthemum L. Stipes densely tufted, 3' — 6' long, chestnut-brown ; fronds 6' — 12' long, narrow, with 20 — 40 pinnae on each side ; pinnae crenate above, abruptly narrowed at base, often auricled, the lower much reduced; texture sub- coriaceous; veins flabellate ; sori i — 2, linear-oblong, parallel FILICES. 105 with lower edge of pinnae. Huachuca Mountains, Arizona (Letnmon). \\ Rachis green. 8. A. viride Huds. Stipes densely tufted, 2'— 4' long, naked, the lower part chestnut-brown ; fronds 2' — 6' long, £' broad, with 12 — 20 pinnae on each side, which are ovate or rhomboidal in outline, the upper edge narrowed suddenly at the base, the lower obliquely truncate, the outer part deeply crenate ; rachis naked ; sori copious. Vermont, Canada, and New Brunswick. 9. A. dentatum L. Stipes tufted, 2'— 6' long, naked, ebeneous below; fertile fronds 2' — 3' long, i' broad, with 6 — 8 pairs of stalked, oblong-rhomboidal pinnae, the lower side trun- cate with a curve, the outer edge irregularly crenate ; sterile fronds smaller on shorter stipes ; rachis naked ; sori copious in parallel rows. Florida, South Carolina. ft PinncE only 2 — 5, linear -cuneate. 10. A. septentrionale Hoffm. Stipes densely tufted, 3'— 6' long, slender, naked, ebeneous toward the base ; fronds irreg- ularly forking, consisting of two to five narrowly linear rather rigid segments, which are entire or more frequently cleft at the end into a few long narrow teeth ; sori elongate, placed near the margin, usually facing each other in pairs, commonly only two or three to each segment. Ben Moore, New Mexico (Bigelow}\ Middle Mountains, Colorado {Hall and Harbour). tff PinncE numerous, linear or linear-oblong, acute or acuminate. n. A. angustifolium Michx. Stipes i° or more long, brownish, slightly scaly below ; fronds i^°— 2° long, 4' — 6' broad, lanceolate-oblong, flaccid ; pinnae 20 — 30 pairs, linear- lanceolate, acuminate, entire or crenulate, those of the fertile frond narrower; texture thinly herbaceous; sori linear, 20 — 40 each side of the midvein. New England to Kentucky and Wis- consin. 12. A. firmum Kunze. Stipes 4' — 8' long, erect, grayish, naked; fronds 6' — 12' long, 3' — 4' broad ; pinnae 12 — 20 pairs, oblong-lanceolate, the point bluntish, the margin inciso-cre- nate, the upper one narrowed suddenly at the base, the lower 106 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES one obliquely truncate ; sori short, falling short of both mid- vein and margin. Florida, Arizona. **** Fronds bi — tripinnattfid. t Texture somewhat coriaceous. 13. A. ruta-muraria L. Stipes tufted, 2' — 4' long, naked ; fronds ovate-deltoid, i' — 2' long, bi — tripinnate below, simply pinnate above ; the divisions rhombic-wedge- shaped, toothed or incised at the apex ; veins flabellate ; sori few, elongate, soon confluent. Vermont to Michigan and Kentucky. 14. A. montanum Willd. Stipes tufted, 2'— 3' long, naked; fronds 2' — 5' long, ovate-lanceolate, pinnate; pinnae 3 — 7 parted below, incised or toothed above; veins obscure; sori short, the basal ones sometimes double. Lantern Hill, Connecticut, and Ulster County, New York, to Georgia, Ken- tucky, and Arkansas. 15. A. Glenniei Baker. Caudex erect, with dark brown, linear-setaceous scales; stipes densely tufted, •£' — i' long, cas- taneous ; fronds 3' — 4' long, oblanceolate, bipinnate; pinnae 20 — 25 pairs, lanceolate, the lower gradually reduced, cuneate- truncate ; pinnules 5 — 6 pairs, oblong, toothed or externally sub-entire ; sori, one at base of each pinnule, or two or more on lowest anterior. Huachuca Mountains, Arizona (Lcmtnori). ft Texture thinly herbaceous or membranous. 16. A. Bradley! D. C. Eaton. Stipes tufted, 2' — 3' long, ebeneous, as is also the lower half of the rachis ; basal scales brown-black, lanceolate-acuminate; fronds 3' — 7' long, oblong- lanceolate, bipinnatifid ; pinnae 8 — 12 pairs, short-stalked or sessile, ovate-oblong, the lowest not reduced, the largest pinnat- ifid with oblong lobes toothed at the tip ; sori short, near the midvein. Ulster County, New York; East Tennessee, Ken- tucky, and Arkansas. 17. A. rhizophyllum Kunze, var. myriophyllum Mett. Stipes tufted, 2'— 6' long ; fronds 3'— 10' long, delicately mem- branous, lanceolate, narrowed below, bi— tripinnate ; ultimate segments obovate-oblong, entire or 2—3 lobed ; veins single in each segment, bearing below the middle a solitary oblong sorus. Forms with fronds narrowly linear, £' — i' wide and widely as- FILICES. 107 cending, 7 — 8 lobed pinnae, are var. Biscaynianum D. C. Eaton. Florida. 18. A. cicutarium Swz. Stipes tufted, 4' — 8' long, green* ish, naked; fronds 6' — 15' long, 4 — 6' broad, with 10 — 15 hori- zontal pinnae on each side, the lower ones 2' — 3' long, i' broad, cut down to the rachis into linear or oblong segments, which are once or twice cleft at the apex; rachis compressed and often winged ; sori principally in two rows. Florida. §2. ATHYRIUM Roth. Veins free ; sort more or less curved, sometimes horseshoe-shaped, often crossing to the outer or lower side of the fruiting veinlet. 19. A. thelypteroides Michx. Stipes long, erect, stra- mineous; fronds i° — 2° long, 6' — 12' broad, bipinnatifid ; pinnae linear-lanceolate ; segments crowded, oblong, minutely toothed ; sori 5 — 6 pairs to each segment, slightly curved, the lower ones often double. New England to Kentucky and Illinois. 20. A. filix-fcemina Bernh. (LADY-FERN.) Stipes tufted, 6' — 12' long, stramineous or brownish ; fronds delicate, \\° — 3' long, broadly oblong-ovate, bipinnate ; pinnae 4' — 8' long, lan- ceolate ; pinnules oblong-lanceolate, pointed, more or less pin- nately incised or serrate, distinct or confluent on the secondary rachises by a very narrow and inconspicuous margin ; sori short; indusium straight or variously curved. Small starved specimens growing in mountainous places form the var. exile D. C. Eaton, often fruiting when 3' — 6' high. Narrow forms with the pinnae obliquely ascending are var. Michauxii Mett. (var. angustiim D. C. Eaton), and other forms equally unim- portant, form the remaining sixty-three varieties that have been described of this species. (Aspidium filix-fcemina Swz., Nephro- dium asplenoides Michx.) Eastern United States to Utah, Ne- vada, California, and Arizona. XVII. SCOLOPENDRIUM Sm. HART'S-TONGUE. Sori linear, elongate, almost at right angles to the midvein, contiguous by twos, one on the upper side of one veinlet, and the next on the lower side of the next superior veinlet, thus appearing to have a double indusium opening along the middle. Name from Gr. o-KokoTrerSpa, a centipede, alluding to the posi- tion of the sori. Includes five species. 108 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. i. S. vulgare Sm. Stipes 2' — 6' long, fibrillose below; fronds oblong-lanceolate from an auricled heart-shaped base, entire or undulate, 7' — 18' long, i' — 2' wide, bright green. (S. officinarum Swz., Asplenium scolopendrium L.) Chittenango Falls and Jamesvi lie, New York; Woodstock, New Brunswick (Sutton), Owen Sound, Canada (Mrs. Roy), Tennessee. XVIII. CAMPTOSORUS Link. WALKING LEAF. Sori oblong or linear, irregularly scattered on either side of the reticulate veins of the simple frond, those next the midrib single, the outer ones inclined to approximate in pairs, or to become confluent at their ends, thus forming cropked lines. Name from Gr. xajurcroS, curved, and croapd?, a heap. Includes only two species. i. C. rhizophyllus Link. Fronds evergreen, tufted, spread- ing or procumbent, 4' — 9' long, lanceolate from an auricled, heart-shaped or often hastate base, tapering above into a slender prolongation which often roots at the apex. Var. interniedius Arthur is an interesting form, differing mainly from the typical forms in having the base acute, without proper auricles and with a single fibro-vascular bundle in the stipe. (Antigramma rhizophylla J. Sm., Scolopendrium rhizophyllum Hook., Asple- nium rhizophyllum L.) New England to Wisconsin and south- ward ; the variety in Iowa. XIX. PHEGOPTERIS Fee. BEECH-FERN. Sori small, round, naked, borne on the back of the veins below the apex. Stipe continuous with the rootstock. Veins free or reticulate. Name from Gr. vyo$, a beech-tree, and itrepiS, a fern. Includes 95 species. § i. EUPHEGOPTERIS. Veins free. * Fronds triangular, bipinnatifid; pinna sessile, adnate to a winged rachis. i. P. polypodioides Fee. Stipes6' — 9' long; fronds longer than broad, 4' — 9' long, 4' — 6' broad, hairy on the veins especi- ally beneat'j ; pinnae linear-lanceolate, the lowest pair deflexed and standing forward , segments oblong, obtuse, entire, the basal ones decurrent and adnate to the main rachis ; sori near the margin. (P. mdgaris Mett., Polypodium phegopteris L. , P. connect He Michx.) New England to Virginia and westward. FILICES. » 109 2. P. hexagonoptera Fee. Stipes 8' — 18' long, stramine- ous, naked; fronds as broad as long or nearly so, 7' — 12' long, slightly pubescent, and often finely glandular beneath ; upper pinnse oblong, obtuse, toothed or entire, the very large lowest pinnae elongate and pinnately lobed ; sori near the margin or some between the sinus and the midrib. (Polypodhtm hexagon- opterum Michx.) Canada to Illinois, Kentucky, and Florida. ** Fronds oblong-lanceolate, tripinnatifid; rachis wingless. 3. P. alpestris Mett. Rootstock short, thick, erect or ob- lique ; stipes 4' — 10' long, with a few brown spreading scales near the base; fronds i° — 2° long, pinnae deltoid-lanceolate, the lower ones distant and decreasing moderately ; pinnules oblong- lanceolate, incised and toothed ; sori sir.all, rounded, sub- marginal. (Poly podium alpestre Hoppe, Aspidium alpestre S\vz.) California and northward. *** fronds ternate, the three divisions petioled; rachis wingless. 4. P. dryopteris Fee. (OAK-FERN.) Rootstock slender, creeping; fronds broadly triangular, 4' — 8' wide; the three primary divisions I — 2 pinnate ; segments oblong, obtuse, entire or toothed ; sori near the margin. {Poly podium dryopteris L., Xephrodium dryopteris Michx.) Northeastern United States to Virginia, and westward to Oregon and Alaska. Var. Robertianum Dav. Stipes 6' — 10' long, stramineous when dry, glandular; fronds 6' — 8' long, 5' — 7' wide, deltoid- ovate in outline, bipinnate, lowest pair of pinnae far the largest, pinnatifid or again pinnate; upper pinnae smaller, pinnatifid, lobed, or entire ; sori copious, forming submarginal rows around the segments. (P. calcarea Fee.) Minnesota (Cathcari), Deco- rah, Iowa (Holway), Northeast Territory (Macoini}. \ 2. GONIOPTERIS Presl. Veins pinnate, the lower veinlets of contiguous groups uniting. 5. P. tetragona Fee. Rootstock creeping; stipes erect, 6 — 18' long, naked or slightly villose ; fronds i°— 2° long, 6 — 12 broad ; pinnae numerous, spreading 3' — 6' long, the lowest narrowed at the base and sometimes stalked, deeply pinnatifid ; texture thinly herbaceous ; rachis and under surface finely pu- bescent; sori in rows near the midrib. Marion County, Florida (Reynolds). HO OUR NATIVE. FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 6. P. reptans D. C. Eaton. Rootstock short, creeping; stipes 3' — 10' long, clustered, gray-stramineous, slender, naked ; fronds 4' — 12' long, membranous, softly hairy with branched or stellate hairs, oblong-lanceolate, pinnate with nearly or quite sessile, oblong, crenately pinnatifid pinnae, the apex pinnatifid, often elongate and rooting; veins pinnate, simple, the basal veinlets often anastomosing; sori on the middle of the veinlets, rather small, sometimes with a minute rudimentary indusium. (Pofypodiutn reptans Swz., Aspidium reptans Mett.) On cal- careous rocks, on left bank of Withlacoochee River, 15 miles N.E. from Brooksville, Florida (J. Donnell Smith). XX. ASPIDIUM Swz. SHIELD-FERN. Sori round, borne on the back or rarely at the apex of the veins. Indusium flat or flattish, orbicular and peltate at the centre, or cordato-renifonn and fixed either centrally or at the sinus. Stipe continuous with the rootstock. Name from Gr. dcrnidioy, a small shield. A cosmopolitan genus containing 350 or more species. § i. EUASPIDIUM. Veins anastomosing copiously. 1. A. trifoliatum Swz. Stipes tufted, i° or more long, brownish, scaly at base; fronds 12' — 18' long, 6' — 12' broad, with a large ovate-acuminate terminal pinna narrowed or forked at the base, and one or two lateral ones on each side, the lowest mostly forked; primary veins distinct to the margin; areolae fine, copious, with free included veinlets ; sori in rows near the main veins; indusia orbicular, peltate. Florida, Western Texas. § 2. CYRTOMIUM Presl. Indusium peltate; fronds simply pinnate with broad pinna?; veinlets usually uniting slightly near the margin. 2. A. juglandifolium Kunze. Stipes tufted, clothed below with large scales; fronds 6' — 2° long, coriaceous ; pinnae 2 — 12 pairs, short-stalked, ovate-oblong or broadly lanceolate, the ter- minal one distinct, and in small fronds the largest, appressed- serrulate, smooth on both surfaces; veins pinnate, the veinlets few, free or uniting near the margin; sori scattered in several irregular rows. Western Texas, Arizona. § 3. POLYSTICHUM Roth. Indusium orbicular and entire, FILICES, 1 1 1 peltate, fixed by the depressed centre; pinna and pinnules usually auricled on the iipper side at base, mucronately serrate; veins free. * Fronds simply pinnate. t Fronds long-stalked, lanceolate. 3. A. acrostichoides Swz. (CHRISTMAS-FERN.) Stipes 6' — 8' long, densely clothed below with pale-brown lanceolate scales ; fronds i° — 2° high, 3' — 5' broad ; pinnae linear-lanceolate, somewhat falcate, half-halberd-shaped at the base, serrulate with appressed bristly teeth ; the fertile ones contracted and smaller, bearing contiguous sori near the middle, soon covering the entire surface. A form with cut-lobed, often strongly fal- cate pinnae, set obliquely to the rachis, and with the tips of nearly all bearing sori, is the var. incisum Gray. {Nephrodium acrostichoides Michx.) New England to Florida, Mississippi, and northward. 4. A. munitum Kaulf. Stipes 4' — 12' long, chaffy like the rachis with brown scales; fronds growing in a crown, i° — 4° long, tapering slightly toward the base ; pinnae numerous, linear-acuminate, 3' — 4' long, very sharply and often doubly serrate, with appressed needle-like points; sori numerous, form- ing a single row each side of the midrib half-way to the margin. California and northward. ft Fronds scarcely stalked, linear-lanceolate. 5. A. lonchitis Swz. (HOLLY-FERN.) Fronds 9'— 20' long, rigid ; pinnae i' or more long, broadly lanceolate-falcate or the lowest triangular, strongly auricled on the upper side, the lower obliquely truncate, densely spinulose-toothed ; sori contiguous and near the margin. Canada and Wisconsin to Utah (Jones), Castle Lake, Siskiyou County, California (Pringle), Mt. Peddo, Washington Territory (Suksdorf}, and northward. ** Fronds bipinnate or nearly so. 6. A. mohrioides Bory. Stipes tufted, 2' — 6' long, more or less densely clothed with lanceolate dark-brown scales ; fronds 6' — 12' long, 2' — 3' broad, with numerous dense, often imbri- cated, lanceolate pinnae, which are cut below into slightly toothed oblong rhomboidal pinnules; teeth blunt or mucro- nate ; texture coriaceous ; both surfaces naked ; rachis stout, 112 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. compressed, scaly; veins close, immersed; sori copious. Cali- fornia. 7. A. aculeatum Swz. Rootstock stout, erect ; stipes vari- able in length, very chaffy with large and small scales inter- mixed as in the rachis; fronds i° — 2° long, growing in a crown, oblong- lanceolate, pinnate; pinnae closely placed, lanceolate from a broad base, mostly curved upwards, incisely pinnatifid or again pinnate ; segments or pinnules of variable shape, oval- rhomboidal, or unequally triangular-ovate and auriculate on the upper side of the slightly stalked base, the teeth aculeate in various degrees; under surface more or less chaffy-fibrillose; sori in two rows, on the segments nearer the midvein than the edge. California, Mt. Peddo, Washington Territory (Suksdorf). Var. Californicum D.C.Eaton. Fronds elongate, narrow, tapering slightly at the base; pinnae but slightly incised above the middle, more and more deeply cleft toward the rachis, the lower superior segment largest, but scarcely distinct as a pin- nule, and not at all auricled. (A. Californicum D. C. Eaton.) California. Var. angulare D. C. Eaton. Fronds oblong-lanceolate, scarcely or not at all narrowed at the base, fully bipinnate ; pin- nules distinctly short-stalked, mostly auricled and slightly in- cised; the basal one largest and again pinnatifid; under sur- face chaffy-fibrillose. {A. angulare Willd.) California. Var. Braunii Koch. Fronds oblong-lanceolate ; pinnae nu- merous, oblong-lanceolate, the lower gradually reduced in size and obtuse ; pinnules ovate or oblong, truncate and almost rectangular at the base, sharply toothed, beset with long soft hairs as well as chaffy ones. (A. Braunii Spenner.) Maine to New York and northward. § 4. NEPNRODIUM Rich. Indiisium cordato-reniform or orbicular with a narrow sinus ; veins free. * Texture tJiin-iiicmbranous, veins simple or once forked, fronds bipinnatifid. ^ t Lowest pinnce gradually reduced to mere lobes. 8. A. Noveboracense Swz. Rootstock slender, creep- ing; fronds i° — 2° long, 4' — 6' broad, lanceolate, tapering both ways from the middle ; pinnae lanceolate, the two or more lowest FILICES. I I 3 pairs gradually shorter and deflexed, those of the barren frond broader; segments flat, oblong, basal ones often enlarged; veins simple or forked in basal lobes ; sori distinct, near the margin ; indusium minute, the marginxglanduliferous. (A. the- lypteroides Swz., Polypodium Noveboracense L., Nephr odium Noveboracense Desv., Lastrea Noveboracensis J. Sm.) North Carolina to Arkansas and northward. 9. A. conterminum Willd., var. strigosum D. C. Eaton. Rootstock stout, erect, often extending a foot above the ground, bearing a crown of fronds ; stipes very stout, narrowly wing- margined at the base ; fronds i°— 4° long, lanceolate in outline, caudate-acuminate, much narrowed at the base, somewhat rigid, pinnate ; pinnae sessile, narrowly lanceolate from a broader base, acuminate, deeply pinnatifid into oblong, ob- liquely sub-falcate, obtuse segments ; under-surface copiously dotted with resinous globules ; veins free, simple; sori near the margin; indusium reniform, minute, glandular, somewhat pilose, evanescent. (A. strigosum Fee, Nephrodium conter- minum Desv. in part.) Florida. 10. A. Nevadense D. C. Eaton. Rootstock creeping, densely covered with the persistent bases of former stalks ; fronds in a crown, i£° — 3° long, lanceolate ; pinnae linear-lanceo- late from a broad base, deeply pinnatifid, the lower pairs distant and gradually reduced to mere auricles ; segments crowded, ob- long, slightly hairy on the veins beneath, and sprinkled with minute resinous particles ; veins about seven pairs to a lobe ; sori close to the margin ; indusium minute, furnished with a few dark-colored marginal glands, and bearing several straight jointed hairs on the upper surface. California. 11. A. oreopteris Swz. Rootstock short, erect or decum- bent, scaly ; stipes short, tufted, scaly below ; fronds i^0 — 2° long, firm, membranous, broadly lanceolate, gradually tapering and attenuated below, glandular ; pinnae 2' — 3' long, sessile from a broad base, lanceolate-acuminate, deeply pinnatifid, gradually shorter to the lowest, which are more distant, deltoid, and less than i' long; segments flat, nearly entire, oblong ; sori quite marginal; indusia delicate, membranous, more or less toothed at the margin. (Nephrodium oreopteris Desv.,N.mon- 8 114 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. tanum Baker.) Unalaska, Mount Dawson, British Columbia (Macoun), tt Lower pinna little smaller than those above. 12. A. thelypteris Swz. (MARSH-FERN.) Rootstock slen- der; fronds i° — 2° long, 4'— 6' broad, lanceolate, pinnae mostly horizontal, linear-lanceolate ; segments oblong, entire, obtuse or appearing acute in fruit from the strongly revolute margins; veins mostly forked, bearing the sori near their middle ; indusia minute, smooth, and naked. (Polypodium thelypteris L., Ne- phrodium thelypteris Desv. , Lastrea thelypteris J. Sm.) North- ern United States to Florida. 13. A. patens Swz. Rootstock rather stout, bearing several fronds at the growing end ; fronds 2° — 3° long, 4' — 10' broad, ovate-oblong, softly pubescent beneath ; pinnae closely placed, linear-acuminate, lowest pair somewhat deflexed, all cut three- fourths of the way to the midrib ; segments numerous, acutish, basal ones longest; veinlets evident, lowest ones of adjoining segments often uniting; sori near the margin; indusia very pubescent. (A. molle Kunze.) Florida to California. ** Texture firmer or sub-coriaceous, veins forking freely. t Fronds pinnate; pinnce cut into spreading triangular lobes; sori confluent. 14. A. unitum R. Br., var. glabrum Mett. Stipes i° — 1^° long, brownish, naked; fronds i£° or more long, 5' — 8' broad ; pinnae narrow, cut from one third to half-way down into sharp, pointed lobes; lower pinnae not reduced; veins pinnate in the broad lobes with 6 — 8 veinlets on each side, the lower ones of contiguous groups united ; sori near the ends of the veins prin- cipally in the lobes. Florida. ft Fronds bipinnatifid or bipinnate ; indusia rather large ; segments not spinulose. \ Fronds small, narrowly lanceolate. 15. A. fragrans Swz. Fronds 4' — 12' high, glandular and aromatic ; pinnae linear-oblong, pinnately parted ; segments toothed or nearly entire, nearly covered beneath with the very large thin imbricate indusia, which are orbicular with a narrow sinus, the margin ragged and sparingly glanduliferous. (Ne- FILICES. 115 phrodium fragrans Rich.) New England, New York to Wis- consin, and northward. \\ Fronds larger, mostly 2° — 4° high. A. Fronds bipinnatifid or nearly twice pinnate ; indusia large, thinnish and Jlat. 16. A. Floridanum D. C. Eaton. Stipes 6' — 10' long, sparingly clothed with ovate scales; fronds lanceolate, 18' — 20' long, 5' — 8' broad ; fertile pinnae confined to the upper half of the frond, narrowly lanceolate, cut down to the narrowly winged secondary rachises into oblong, distinct pinnules; the sterile pinnae broader, shorter and sub-deltoid below, less deeply cut. (A. cristatum, var. Floridanum Hook., Nephro- dium Floridanum Hook.) Florida. 17. A. cristatum Swz. Fronds linear-oblong or lanceolate in outline, i° — 2° long; pinnae short, 2' — 3' long, triangular-ob- long or the lowest nearly triangular, deeply pinnatifid ; seg- ments 6 — 10 pairs, finely serrate or cut-toothed ; sori as near the midvein as the margin ; indusia smooth, naked. (A. Lan- castriense Spreng., Nephrodium cristatum Michx., Lastrea cris- tata Presl.) Canada to Arkansas. Var. Clintonianum D. C. Eaton. Fronds much larger, 2£° — 4° long; pinnae oblong lanceolate, broadest at base, 4' — 6 long, i' — 2' broad, deeply pinnatifid; segments 8 — 1 6 pairs, crowded or distant, linear-oblong, obscurely serrate ; veins pin- nately forking, bearing the sori near the midvein. New Eng- land, New York, and westward. 18. A. Goldieanum Hook. Fronds broadly ovate, 2° — 4° long; pinnae 6' — 9' long, broadest in the middle, pinnately parted ; the segments about 20 pairs, oblong-linear, sub-falcate, serrate with appressed teeth ; veins bearing the sori very near the midvein ; indusia very large, orbicular with a narrow sinus. {Nephrodium Goldieanum Hook., Lastrea Goldieana J. Sm.) Canada to Kentucky. B. Fronds mostly bipinnate ; indusia convex, without mar- ginal glands. 19. A. filix-mas Swz. (MALE-FERN.) Rootstock short, stout; fronds in a crown, i° — 3° high, broadly oblong lanceo- late, slightly narrowed toward the base, bipinnatifid or bipin- Il6 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND 7^HEIK ALLIES. nate ; pinnules oblong, smooth, polished beneath, the larger ones pinnately incised ; sori large, near the midvein, commonly on the lower half or two thirds of the segment ; indusia firm, smooth ; rachis more or less chaffy. (Nephr odium filix-mas Rich., La strea filix-mas Presl.) Canada to Colorado, Arizona, California, and Oregon. 20. A. marginale Swz. Fronds smooth, nearly coriaceous in texture, 6'— 2° long, ovate-oblong; pinnae lanceolate, broadest just above the base ; pinnules oblong or oblong-falcate, entire or crenately toothed ; sori close to the margin. (Polypodium mar- gtnale L., Nephrodium marginale Michx., Lastrea marginalis J. Sm.) Northern United States and Canada. \\\ Fronds bipinnate or tripinnatifid; segments spinulose- toothed. 21. A. rigidum Swz., var. argutum D. C. Eaton. Root- stock short, stout; fronds in a crown on chaffy stalks, half- evergreen, smooth above, paler and more or less glandular be- neath, i° — 3° high, ovate-lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate, bipinnate; pinnae broadly oblong-lanceolate, the lowest ones broadest, scarcely shorter than the middle ones ; pinnules ob- long, incised or doubly serrate with spinulose teeth; indusia firm, convex, the edge bearing short-stalked glands. (A. argu- tuin Kaulf.) California, Oregon. 22. A. spinulosum Swz. Stipes with a few, pale-brown, deciduous scales; fronds ovate-lanceolate, bipinnate, the pinnae oblique to the rachis, elongate-triangular, the lower pairs broadly triangular ; pinnules oblique to the midrib, connected by a very narrow wing, oblong, incised or pinnatifid with lobes spinulose toothed; indusia smooth without marginal glands. (Nephrodium spinulosum Desv. Lastrea spitmlosa Presl.) Canada and Northern United States. Var. intermedium D. C. Eaton. Scales of the stipes few, brown with a darker centre; fronds oblong-ovate, bi — tripin- nate; pinnae spreading, oblong-lanceolate, the lowest unequally triangular-ovate; pinnules crowded, pinnately divided ; margin of indusium denticulate and beset with stalked glands. {A. in- termedium Willd., A. Americanum Dav.) Canada to Tennes- see. Var. dilatatum Horneman. Scales of the stipes large, FILICES. I I / brown with a darker centre; fronds broadly ovate or triangular- ovate, oftenest tripjnnate; pinnules lance-oblong, the lowest often much elongated ; indusia smooth and naked. {A. dila- tatum Swz. A. campylopterum Kunze., Nephrodium dilatatum Desv., Lastrea dilatata J. Sm.) Axdwarf form is var. dume- torum. Canada and New England to Oregon. 23. A. Boottii Tuckerman. Scales of the stipes pale-brown ; fronds elongate oblong or elongate lanceolate in outline; pin- nules broadly oblong, very obtuse, the lower pinnatifid, the upper and smaller merely serrate ; indusia minutely glandular. (A. spinulosum, var. Boottii Gray.) New England, New York, and northward. 24. A. patulum Swz. Stipes tufted, 8' — 12' long, stra- mineous, scaly at base; fronds pale green, i° — 2° long, 6' — 12' broad, ovate-lanceolate; pinnae lanceolate or the lower subdel- toid; rachis and both surfaces naked ; sori in rows midway be- tween edge and midrib ; indusium conspicuous, naked. {Nephro- dium patulum Baker, N. Mexicamtm Hook. Distributed by Lemmon as A. Kar-winskyanum^ Huachuca Mountains, Arizona (Lemmori). XXI. NEPHROLEPIS Schott. Sori round, arising from the apex of the upper branch of a vein, usually near the margin. Indusia reniform or roundish. Veins all free, the fronds simply pinnate, the pinnae articulated at the base, and bearing white cretaceous dots on the upper surface. Name from Gr. recppoos, a kidney, and AeTrzS, a scale. A tropical and sub-tropical genus containing seven species. r. N. exaltata Schott. Stipes tufted, 4' — 6' long, naked or slightly scaly; fronds i°— 6° long, 3' — 6' broad; pinnae close, lanceolate, the edge entire or slightly crenate, the upper side auricled at the base, the lower rounded ; rachis nearly naked ; sori sub-marginal ; indusia firm, distinctly reniform. Florida; frequent in cultivation. 2. N. acuta Presl. Stipes tufted, 4' — 8' long, naked or slightly scaly; fronds 2° — 4° long, 8' — 12' broad; pinnae 4' — 8' long, V — T broad, acute, entire or slightly crenate, the upper side auricled, the lower rounded at base ; rachis and both sides nearly naked ; sori submarginal ; indusia suborbicular, subpel- Il8 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES tate. South bank of Miami River, Florida. March, 1887 (H olden). XXII. CYSTOPTERIS Bernh. BLADDER-FERN. Sori roundish, borne on the back of the veins. Indusium delicate, hood-like, or arched, attached by a broad base on the inner side partly under the sorus, early opening, free at the other side, and thrown back or withering away. Veins free. Name from Gr. KUOTIS, a bladder, and Ttrepis, a fern, alluding to the in- flated indusia. Found in the temperate zones of both hemis- pheres ; contains five species. * Fronds ovate-lanceolate, bi — tripinnate. 1. C. bulbifera Bernh. Stipes 4' — 6' long; fronds lan- ceolate, elongate. i° — 2° long, bi — tripinnatifid, pinnae lanceo- late-oblong; pinnules crowded, toothed or pinnatifid ; rachis wingless, often bearing bulblets underneath ; indusia short, trun- cate on the free side. (Aspidium bulbiferum Swz., Nephrodium bulbiferum Michx.) New England to Virginia and North Carolina. 2. C.fragills Bernh. Fronds oblong-lanceolate, 4' — 8' long, i' — 2\' broad, bi — tripinnate; pinnae and pinnules lanceolate or ovate in outline, decurrent along the margined or winged rachis; indusia tapering or acute at the free end. Narrower, less divided specimens, barely bipinnate with obtuse and bluntly toothed pinnules form the var. dentata Hook. Like many other so-called varieties it passes insensibly into the typical form. (Aspidium temie Swz.) New England to Arizona, Cali- fornia, and northward. ** Fronds deltoid-ovate, tri — quadripinnate. 3. C. montana Bernh. Rootstalk long, slender, creeping; stipes 6' — 9' long, slender;- fronds about 6' each way; lowest pinnae deltoid-lanceolate, much larger than those above, their inferior pinnules i' — i^' long; segments cut to the rachis into oblong lobes, deeply and sharply toothed ; sori numerous. Colorado (Brandegee), north shore of Lake Superior, Labrador (Butler}, Mt. Albert, Gaspe, Quebec, and northward to Alaska. FILICES. IIQ XXIII. ONOCLEA L. Sori round, borne on the back of the veins of the contracted fertile frond, and quite concealed by their revolute margins. Indusium very thin membranous, hemispheric or hood-like, fixed at the inferior side of the sorus. Fronds conspicuously dimorphous. Name from Gr. OKOS, a vessel, and K^eieiv, to close, alluding to the fertile fronds. A cold temperate genus contain- ing three species. § i. EuONOCLEA. Veins of sterile frond copiously anasto- mosing. 1. O. sensibilis L. (SENSITIVE-FERN.) Fertile fronds bi- pinnate, much contracted ; pinnules short, usually rolled up and converted into berry-shaped closed involucres, and forming a one-sided panicle; sterile fronds broadly triangular, deeply pin- natifid into lanceolate-oblong pinnae, which are entire, undulate, or the lowest pair sinuate pinnatifid ; veins copiously anasto- mosing. In var. obtusilobata Torr. the sterile fronds are again pinnatifid, more or less contracted and revolute, and bear a few sori. New England to Florida and Kansas. § 2. STRUTHIOPTERIS Willd. Veins all free. 2. O. struthiopteris Hoffm. (OSTRICH-FERN.) Fertile fronds i°— ii° long, simply pinnate with necklace-shaped pinnae formed of the strongly revolute margins ; sterile fronds 2° — 6° long, growing in a crown, broadly lanceolate, bipinnatifid, the lowest pinnae gradually much shorter ; veins pinnate, free and simple; sori crowded and confluent. Sterile fronds are some- times partially contracted and bear sori analogous to var. obtusilobata above. (O. Germanica Willd., O. nodulosa Michx., Struthiopteris Pennsylvania Willd., S. Germanica Willd., Osmunda struthiopteris L.) New England to Illinois. XXIV. WOODSIA R. Br. Sori round, borne on the back of simply forked free veins. Indusium inferior, thin and often evanescent, either small and open, or early bursting at the top into irregular pieces or lobes. Named for Joseph Woods, an English botanist. A genus of high temperate or boreal latitudes including 15 species. § i. EUWOODSIA. Indusium minute or evanescent, open and 120 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. fiat from an early stage, concealed under the sorus, its margin cleft into slender hairs or cilia. * Stipes obscurely jointed near the base ; cilia of the indusium long, inflexed over the sporangia. t Fronds thickly clothed underneath with rusty bristle-like chaff. 1. W. Ilvensis R. Br. Fronds broadly lanceolate, smooth- ish above, pinnate ; pinnae crowded, sessile, pinnately-parted, the crowded segments oblong, obscurely crenate ; sori near the margin, somewhat confluent when old. {W. rujidula Beck., Acrostichum Ih'ense L., PoJypodium Ilvense Swz., Nephrodium rufidulum Michx., Aspidium rufidulum Willd.) Virginia to Kentucky, westward and northward. ft Fronds glabrous or nearly so. 2. W. hyperborea R. Br. Stipes and rachis sometimes slightly hairy ; fronds linear-lanceolate, pinnate ; pinnae corda- to-ovate, pinnaiifid with few (5 — 7) broadly obovate entire lobes. Vermont, New York, and northwestward. 3. W. glabella R. Br. Smooth and naked throughout ; fronds linear, tapering slightly below, 2' — 5' high, pinnate; pinnae deltoid or ovate, the lower rather remote, cut into 3 — 7 rounded or subcuneate entire lobes. Vermont, New York, and northward. ** Stipes not jointed ; cilia of the indusium very short, hid- den by the sporangia. 4. W. scopulina D. C. Eaton. Rootstock short, creep- ing, very chaft'y ; stipes 2' — 4' long, puberulent like the rachis and under surface of the frond with minute flattened hairs and stalked glands ; fronds lanceolate, 4' — 8' long, pinnate; pinnae numerous, oblong-ovate, pinnatifid with 10 — 16 short ovate or oblong toothed divisions ; indusia very delicate, deeply cleft into laciniae which terminate in short hairs. Colorado, Ari- zona, California, Oregon, and northward. 5. W. Oregana D. C. Eaton. Stipes and fronds smooth ; fertile fronds taller than the sterile ones; pinnae triangular-ob- long, pinnatifid ; segments oblong or ovate, toothed or crenate; teeth often reflexed and covering the submarginal sori ; indusia FILICES. 121 very minute, divided almost to the centre into a few beaded hairs. Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, and northward. 6. W. Mexicana Fee. Stipes 2'— 3' long, smoothish or with a few scattered scales ; fronds 3'— 9' long, lanceolate ; pinnae sub-opposite, triangular-lanceolate, pinnately divided into finely-toothed segments, the teeth in young fronds ending in delicate, semi-transparent, ciliated tips ; sori near the mar- gin, broad, confluent ; receptacles dot-like, scales of indusium four, laciniate, narrow, dividing at the end into articulated hairs ; sporangia nearly sessile. Arizona, New Mexico. §2. HYPOPELTIS Torr. Indusium conspicuous, at first en- closing the sporangium, but early opening at the top and splitting into several spreading jagged lobes. 7. W. obtusa Torr. Stipes not jointed, 3' — 6' long ; fronds broadly lanceolate, minutely glandular-hairy, 6' — 12' high, nearly bipinnate; pinnae rather remote, triangular-ovate or ob- long, pinnately parted ; segments oblong, obtuse, crenately toothed, the lower ones pinnatifid ; veins forked. (W. Perrin- iana H. & G., Aspidium obtusum Willd., Cheilanthes crenata Kunze, Hypopeltis obtitsa Torr.) Smaller and more glandular forms are var. glandulosa Eaton (W. Plummcrce Lemmon). New England to Kentucky, Kansas, and Arizona. XXV. DICKSONIA L'Her. Sori small, globular, marginal or intra-marginal. Sporangia borne in an elevated, globular receptacle, enclosed in a mem- branous, cup-shaped indusium, which is open at the top, and on the outer side partly adherent to a reflexed toothlet of the frond. Named for James Dickson, an English botanist, 1738- 1822. Includes about 50 species, more than half of which are arborescent. § SITOLOBIUM J. Sm. i. D. pilosiuscula Willd. Rootstock slender, extensively creeping, naked; stipes stout, chaffless ; fronds i° — 2|° long, 5' — 9' broad, ovate-lanceolate and pointed, usually tripinnatifid ; pinnae lanceolate, pointed ; pinnules cut into oblong and ob- tuse cut-toothed lobes; rachis and under surface minutely glandular and hairy; sori minute, each on a recurved toothlet, usually one at the upper margin of each lobe. (D. punctiloba 122 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. Hook., D. punctilobula Kunze, Nephr odium punctilobulum Michx., A spidium punctilobulum Torr.) Canada to Tennessee. XXVI. TRICHOMANES Sm. FILMY-FERN. Sori marginal, terminating a vein, more or less sunken in the frond. Sporangia sessile on the lower part of a cylindrical, filiform, often elongated receptacle. Indusia tubular or funnel- shaped, entire or two-lipped at the mouth. Fronds delicate, pellucid. Name from Gr. TpixofiiaveS, the name of some fern, from rptx, hair, and jucrivojuai, producing frenzy, alluding to some supposed property. A tropical and temperate genus con- taining nearly 100 species. § EUTRICHOMANES. 1. T. Petersii Gray. Stipes i" — 2" long ; fronds 3" — 10" long, i" — 2" broad, oblong-lanceolate or obovate, entire or vari- ously pinnatifid, the younger ones with a few black hairs along the margins; indusium solitary, terminal, funnel-shaped, the mouth expanded and slightly two-lipped, the receptacle in- cluded. Winston County, Alabama (Peters). 2. T. radicans Swz. Rootstock wiry, tomentose ; stipes ascending, i' — 3' long, naked or nearly so, usually broadly winged; fronds 2' — 8' long, i' — i^' wide, lanceolate or ovate- lanceolate, bipinnatifid ; pinnae ovate, obtuse, the upper side of the base parallel and appressed to the winged rachis, the lower side cuneate ; divisions toothed or divided into linear lobes ; indusia terminal on short lobes, tubular or funnel-shaped, the mouth slightly two-lipped ; receptacle exserted little or very much. (T. speciosum Willd.) Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky. XXVII. LYGODIUM Swz. CLIMBING-FERN. Sporangia ovoid, solitary or occasionally in pairs, in the axils of large imbricated scale-like indusia, which are fixed by their broad bases to short oblique veinlets. Fronds scandent, twining, bearing stalked and variously lobed divisions in pairs. Veins mostly free. Name from Gr. JtvyoodrjS, flexible, alluding to the scandent stems. Includes 16 species. § EULYGODIUM. i. L. palmatum Swz. Stipes slender, flexile, and twin- ing; fronds i° — 3° long, the short alternate branches or peti- FILICES. 123 oles 2-forked, each fork bearing a round-cordate palmately 4 — 7 lobed pinnule; fertile pinnules above, contracted, several times forked, forming a terminal panicle ; surfaces naked ; text- ure thinly herbaceous. (Hydroglossum palmatum Willd.) Mas- sachusetts and New York to Kentucky and Florida. XXVIII. ANEIMIA Swz. Sporangia ovate, sessile, placed in two rows on the back of the very narrow branchlets of the two long-stalked, panicled, lower branches of a pinnately divided frond, the fertile branches in a few species entirely distinct from the sterile frond. Veins free or anastomosing. Name from Gr. avainiac, bloodless. A small genus chiefly from tropical America, containing 27 species. § EUANEIMIA. 1. A. adiantifolia Swz. Rootstock creeping; stipes i° — i£° long, firm, naked ; fronds sparingly pubescent, the two lower branches elongate, pinnately decompound, fertile ; ster- ile portion deltoid-ovate, bi — tripinnate ; ultimate segments ob- ovate or cuneate, entire or lobed, striate above with numerous flabellate veins. Florida. 2. A. Mexicana Klotzsch. Rootstock creeping, covered with narrow blackish chaff; stipes slender, scattered, 6' — 12' long; the two lower branches of the frond fertile, long-stalked, glandular, bipinnate with densely clustered fructification ; the rest of the frond like the sterile ones, deltoid-ovate, simply pin- nate ; pinnae about six pairs and a rather large terminal one, short-stalked, ovate-lanceolate, subcoriaceous, smooth and somewhat glossy; midrib distinct, veins free, oblique, parallel, closely placed, once or twice forked. Western Texas. XXIX. SCHIZ/EA Sm. Sporangia large, ovoid, striate rayed at the apex, naked, ver- tically sessile in a double row along the single vein of the nar- row divisions of the fertile appendages to the slender and sim- ply linear, fan-shaped, or dichotomously many-cleft fronds. Name from Gr. (TX^IV, to split, alluding to the forked sterile fronds of foreign species. Includes 16 species. § EUSCHIZ^EA. i. S. pusilla Pursh. Sterile fronds linear, very slender, flattened and tortuous ; fertile ones equally slender, 3' — 4' high, 124 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. and bearing at top the fertile appendage consisting of about hvc pairs of crowded pinnae, forming a distichous spike. New Jer- sey; Grand Lake, Nova Scotia (Miss Knight}; Newfoundland (De la Pylaie). XXX. OSMUNDA L. FLOWERING-FERN. Fertile fronds or fertile portions very much contracted, bearing short-pedicelled, naked sporangia on the margin of the rachis-like divisions. Sporangia large, globular, opening by a longitudinal cleft into two halves, bearing near the apex a few parallel striae, the rudiment of a transverse ring. Spores green. Named for Osmunder, a Saxon name for the divinity Thor. A genus containing six species mostly north temperate. * Fronds bipinnate, fertile at the apex. 1. O. regalis L. Stipes tufted, i° — 1£° long, erect, naked ; fronds 2° — 4° long, i° or more broad ; sterile pinnae 6' — 12' long, 2 — 4' broad ; pinnules oblong-ovate to lance-oblong, sessile or slightly stalked ; the fertile pinnules cylindrical, panicled ; tex- ture subcoriaceous ; rachis and both sides naked. (O. specta- bilis Willd., O. glaucescens Link.) Canada to Florida and Mis- sissippi. ** Sterile fronds biptnnatifid. 2. O. Claytoniana L. Stipes tufted, i° or more long, clothed with loose woolly tomentum when young, naked when mature; fronds i° — 2° long, 8' — 12' broad; pinnae oblong-lan- ceolate with oblong, obtuse divisions ; 2 — 5 pairs of central pinnae fertile fertile pinnules dense, cylindrical ; texture her- baceous. (O. interrupt a Michx.) Canada to Kentucky, and northward. 3. O. cinnamomea L. (ClNNAMON-FERN.) Stipes dense- ly tufted, i° or more long, the sterile and fertile fronds dis- tinct, clothed when young with ferruginous tomentum ; sterile fronds smooth when mature, the pinnae bearing a tuft of tomen- tum at the base beneath, lanceolate, cut into broadly oblong, obtuse divisions ; fertile fronds contracted, bipinnate, with cin- namon-colored sporangia. In var.frondosa Gray, some of the fronds are sterile below, and sparsely fertile at the summit. (O. Claytoniana Conrad.) New England and Wisconsin to Florida. MARSILIACE&. 1^5 ORDER II. MARSILIACE^E R. Br. Perennial plants rooted in mud, with a slender creeping rootstock and either filiform or 4-parted, long-petioled leaves. Fructification consisting of sporocarps borne on peduncles, which rise from the rootstock near tlje leaf-stalk or consolidated with it and containing both macrospores and microspores. Con- sisting of two genera both found in this country. I. Marsilia L. Sporocarps ovoid ; leaves quadrifoliate. II. Pilularia L. Sporocarps globose ; leaves filiform. I. MARSILIA L. Sporocarps ovoid or bean-shaped, composed of two vertical valves having several transverse compartments or sori in each valve, the sori composed of both macrosporangia and micro - sporangia. Sporocarps also provided with a ring which at the opening of the valves swells and tears the sori from their posi- tion. Leaves quadrifoliate on slender petioles ; the sporocarps ped uncled and rising from the petiole or from the rootstock at the base of the petiole. Named for Aloysius Mar silt, an early Italian naturalist. Contains about 40 species, four occurring within our limits. * Sporocarps 2 — 6 on^ each peduncle. 1. M. quadrifolia L. Plant usually slender, 5 — 12 cm. high; leaflets variable, 4 — 14 mm. wide, 5 — 15 mm. long, mar- gins entire, smooth, or rarely with scattered hairs when young: sporocarps 2 (rarely 3) on a branching peduncle, which is usu- ally attached to the stipe near its base, but sometimes as much as 2 cm. above ; young sporocarp with short yellowish-brown hairs, later becoming naked and dark purple ; lower tooth ob- tuse, upper small, acute or obtuse; sori, 8 or 9 in each valve. Bantam Lake, Litchfield County, Connecticut (Dr. T. F. Allen), from whence it has been cultivated in several localities. 2. M. macropoda Engelm. Plant robust, 10 — 25 cm. high ; leaflets large, 2 — 5 cm. long, 2 cm. wide or less, usually undulate, clothed with white hairs on both sides when young, becoming smoother with age ; sporocarps 2 — 6, on erect branch- ing peduncles, ascending, densely villose, 6 — 8 mm. long, 5 — 6 mm. wide ; raphe short, the lower tooth obtuse, the upper in- 126 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. conspicuous or wanting ; sori, 10 in each valve. (M.macropus A. Br.) Texas, New Mexico. ** Sporocarps i (rarely 2) on each peduncle. 3. M. uncinata A. Br. Plant 6 — 20 cm. high ; leaflets nearly smooth, entire, 10 — 16 mm. long ; sporocarps 6 mm. wide, 8 mm. long ; peduncles 15 — 30 mm. long, 2 — 4 times the length of the sporocarps ; raphe long, terminating in two approximate teeth, the upper longer and mostly uncinately curved ; sori, 13 — 14 in each valve. Western Louisiana (Hale}, Dallas, Texas {Reverchon}. 4. M. vestita Hook. & Grev. Plant 3 — 6cm. high; leaf- lets entire or slightly toothed ; sporocarps 4 — 7 mm. long, 3 — 5 mm. wide; raphe short, lower tooth short and blunt, the upper acute, a little longer, sometimes curved ; paleae varying from soft, dense and spreading to short and appressed, in mucronata forms, where it is sometimes wanting ; sori, 6 — 11 in each valve, a very variable species. (Includes M. mucronata A. Br.) Ar- kansas (Nuttall), Kansas ( Watson}, Texas, Arizona (Lemmori), California, Nevada ( Watson}, Oregon (Hall}, Washington Terri- tory, Montana ( Watson}, Dakota (Nicollet}. Var. tenuifolia Und. & Cook. Plant somewhat slender, 5 — 15 cm. high; leaflets narrow (2 — 4 mm. wide), more or less falcate, the apex often somewhat truncate and unequally toothed, villose with appressed hairs ; sporocarps single, 5 — 8 mm. long, 4 — 5 mm. wide, the teeth divergent, subequal ; sori, 9 — ii in each valve. (M. tenuifolia Engelm. and former edition.) Pierdenales, Texas {Lindhcimer}, Western Texas ( Wright}. il. PILULARIA L. PII.LWOKT. Sporocarps globose, longitudinally 2 — 4 celled, dehiscent from the apex; cells with parietal cushions bearing in the upper por- tion microsporangia and below these numerous macrosporangia. contain ing solitary macrospores. Leaves filiform from a slender creeping rootstock, the sporocarps subsessile or peduncled or in the axils of the leaves. Named from Lat. pilula, a pellet. Includes six species widely distributed. i. P. Americana A. Br. Leaves setiform, I'long; sporo- carps i" in diameter, attached by the side to a short, descend- 6V/ L VINIA CEsE. 1 2 7 ing peduncle, usually 3-celled ; macrospores 13 — 17 in each cell, not constricted in the middle. Santa Barbara, California (J/r.y. Cooper}, Arkansas (Nuttall). ORDER III. SALVINIACE^E. Floating plants with a more or less elongate and sometimes branching axis bearing apparently distichous leaves. Sporo- carps soft, thin-walled, two or more on a common stalk, i-celled, with a central, often branched receptacle which bears macro- sporangia containing a single macrospore, or microsporangia containing numerous microspores. Consists of the two follow- ing genera. I. Salvinia Schreb. Leaves 6" — 9" long, with a distinct midrib. II. Azolla Lam. Leaves minute, numerous, closely imbri- cate, deeply lobed. I. SALVINIA Schreb. Floating annuals with slender stems bearing small two- ranked leaves. Sporocarps arranged in clusters, globose, mem- branous, i — 2 of each cluster containing 10 or more macro- sporangia, the others containing numerous smaller microspo- rangia. Named for Salvini, a Florentine professor. Contains thirteen species, one of which is found with us. i. S. natans Hoffm. Leaves oblong, horizontal, rounded or slightly cordate at base, £' — i' long, bright green above, the under surface matted with brown,. pellucid hairs; sporocarps 4 — 8 in a cluster. {Marsilta natans L.) Bois Brule Bottoms, Perry County, Missouri (Dewetrio.) Reported "by Pursh from Central New York; the exact station unknown. I. AZOLLA Lam. Small, moss-like plants with pinnately branched stems cov- ered with minute, imbricate, 2-lobed leaves, and emitting rootlets beneath. Sporocarps of two kinds, borne in the axils of the leaves. Smaller sporocarps ovoid, containing a single macro- spore at the base. Larger sporocarps globose, producing from the base many pedicelled sporangia, containing several masses 128 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. of microspores. Named from Gr. a$eiv , to dry, and oX\vvai. to destroy. Includes five species. i. A. Caroliniana Willd. Plant 4" — 12" broad, much branched ; leaves with ovate lobes, the lower reddish, the upper green with a reddish border; macrospores with a minutely granulate surface ; masses of microspores barbed at the tip. (A. microphylla Kaulf., A. Mexicana Schlecht.) New York to Florida, Arizona and Oregon. ORDER IV. OPHIOGLOSSACE^E Lindl. Plant-body consisting of stem and leaf, usually from a fleshy, sometimes bulbous root, straight or inclined in vernation. Sporangia formed of the interior tissue of the frond, spiked or panicled, naked, not reticulated, destitute of a ring, opening by a transverse slit into two valves discharging copious sulphur- colored spores. Prothallium (so far as known) subterranean, not green, monoecious. Contains, besides the two following genera, Helminthostachys Kaulf., with a single old world species. I. Ophioglossum L. Sporangia cohering in one or more simple spikes. Veins reticulate. II. Botrychium Swz. Sporangia in pinnate or compound spikes or panicles. Veins free. I. OPHIOGLOSSUM L. ADDER-TONGUE. Sporangia large, coriaceous, connate, coherent in two ranks on the edges of a simple spike. Veins anastomosing. Spores copious, sulphur-yellow. Name from Gr. ofiis, a serpent, and yXoacra, a tongue. Includes ten species, four in our limits. § i. EUOPHIOGLOSSUM. Fertile spike single, arising from the base of the sterile segment. * Sterile portion near the middle of the stalk. 1. O. vulgatum L. Rootstock short, oblique ; stalk 6' — 12' high, the sterile segment ovate or elliptical-oblong, i^' — 4' long, somewhat fleshy, somewhat narrowed at the base, sessile; fer- tile spike i' or more long. (O. Engelmanni Prantl.) Maine to Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Arizona to Alaska. ** Sterile portion near the base of the stalks. 2. O. qrotalophoroides Walt. Rootstock tuberous, 3" — 5" OPfflOGLOSSACEAS. I2g thick; stalk 3' — 6 high, the sterile segment £ — i' long, ovate, slightly petioled, the veins somewhat indistinct; fertile spike short and thick, 3" — 6" long. (O. bulbosum Michx., O. vulgatum, var. crotalophoroides D. C. Eaton.) Florida to Louisiana. 3. O. nudicaule Linn. f. Rootstock slightly tuberous; stalk i' — 4' high, the sterile segment i' — 1£' long, ovate or ob- long, the veins indistinct ; fertile spike linear-acuminate, 6" long, the peduncle very slender. (O. ellipticum H. and G., O. Californicum Prantl, O. vulgatum, var. nudicaule D. C. Eaton.) Georgia and Florida to Southern California. § 2. CHEIROGLOSSA Presl. Fertile spikes several, arising from the base of the sterile segment. 4. O. palmatum Plumier. Rootstock fleshy, tuberous, covered with fine wool-like chaff; plant fleshy, 6' — 2° high, the sterile segment cuneate at the base, 2 — 6 lobed or rarely entire, the lobes elongate and tapering; fertile spikes i — 8 or more, borne on the sides of the stipe just below the sterile segment or on its margin. Florida. II. BOTRYCHIUM Swz. GRAPE-FERN. Rootstock very short, erect, with clustered fleshy roots, the bud for the next year's growth usually imbedded in the base of the stipe. Sterile segment of frond pinnately or ternately di- vided or compound. Fertile segment i — 3 pinnate with double rows of sessile, naked sporangia. Veins free. Spores copious, sulphur-yellow. Name from Gr. fiorpvs, a bunch of grapes, alluding to the clustered sporangia. Contains ten species, of which seven are found in our limits. §i. EUBOTRYCHIUM. Bud enclosed in the base of the stalk. * Vernation wholly straight. i. B. simplex Hitch. Plant 2' — 7' high, fleshy ; sterile segment stalked, varying in inser- tion from near the rootstock to two thirds the height of the stem, ovate, obovate or oblong, entire, incised, or pinnately parted into i — 3 pairs of roundish or semi-lunate lobes; fertile spike long-stalked, simple or i — 2 pinnate; FIG. 31.- spores the largest of the genus, closely cov- H^chc'ock ered with small points ; bud smooth ; apex of DavenP°rt-) both sterile and fertile segments erect. (Fig. 31.) Specimens 9 130 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. with the sterile segment composed of two or three pinnately incised divisions form the var. compositum Lasch. New Eng- land, New York and northward, the variety in Wyoming Ter- ritory and California. ** Vernation partly inclined in one or both portions. t Buds smooth ; sterile segments sessile or short-stalked ; plant small, fruiting in early summer. 2. B. lunaria Swz. (MOONWORT.) Plant 5'— 8' high, fleshy; sterile segment nearly sessile, borne near the middle of the stalk, oblong, simply pinnate with 5 — 15 lunate or fan-shaped lobes which are crenate, incised, or entire, close and overlapping, or distant ; fertile segment bi — tripinnate, pan- icled, about the height of the sterile. Apex only of sterile segment bent over and outside of the nearly straight fertile segment in vernation ; divisions of sterile frond arranged nearly perpen-' dicularly. (Fig. 32.) Connecticut, New York, Lake Superior, Colorado, and British Columbia. 3. B. boreale Milde. Plant 2^' — 7' high, \/lfff smooth, fleshy; sterile segment placed above the [Ml/ middle, sessile, cordate, ovate or deltoid, pin- FIG. 32.— Verna- nately parted, acute ; lowest segment spreading Swz° (Affer*Sav*- from a narrower base, ovate or cordate-ovate, enport.) acute, all entire, or here and there flabellately incised with acute lobes, or pinnately parted ; secondary seg- ments from a narrowed base, ovate, acute, serrate, the upper spreading, quickly decreasing, finally elliptical, acute; fertile segment bi — tripinnate, panicled. Apex of sterile segment bent over inside of the nearly erect fertile one in vernation ; divisions of the sterile segment arranged on an angle. Una laska. 4. B. matricariaefolium A. Br. Plant 2' — 12' high, usually fleshy ; sterile segment placed above the middle, short-stalked or sessile, ovate or oblong, pinnately parted into ovate-oblong, obtuse, rounded, entire, incised, pinnatifid, or pinnately parted segments, the narrow divisions linear; fertile segment i — 3 pin- nate, panicled, often very much branched; spores thickly cov- ered with large rounded warts. Apex of both segments turned OPHIOGLOSSA CE^. down in vernation ; sterile segment clasping the fertile with its apex overlapping the whole. (Fig. 33.) (B.neglec- tum Wood.) New England, New York, Ohio, and Mt. Peddo, Washington Territory (Suksdorf}. ft Buds pilose; sterile segments usually long- stalked; plant larger , fruiting in autumn. 5. B. ternatum Swz. Frond fleshy, the common stalk very short ; sterile segment broadly pentagonal or triangular, tern ate ; the three primary divisions also stalked, as broad as long, pinnately decompound ; ultimate divi- sions varying from round-reniform to triangu- lar-lanceolate, entire or variously toothed and incised ; fertile segment long-stalked, bi — quad- ripinnate. Apex of both segments bent down, with a slight curve inward in vernation. (Fig. 34.) (B. ausirale R. Br., B. lunar ioides Swz., B. fumarioides Willd., B. decompositum Mart, and Gale., Osmunda ternata Humb., Botrypus lunar ioides Michx.) Very variable ; larger forms (6' — 17' high), with more compound fruc- tification and with divisions of sterile segment ob- (After Davenport.) long or lanceolate and obtuse or oblique at base, are the var. obliquum Milde ; forms with divi- sions of the sterile segment laciniately cut into narrow teeth are var. dissectum Milde. New England and Canada, westward to California, Washington Territory, British Columbia, and southward to Florida. *** Vernation wholly inclined1, in the fertile segment recurved. 6. B. lanceolatum Angs. Plant 3'— 9' high, somewhat fleshy ; sterile segment closely sessile at the top of a long common stalk, in the smallest forms three-lobed, in larger ones broadly triangular, twice pinnatifid, the divi- o^z?.' //r^Jww Swz! sions lanceolate, entire or toothed, all set at an (After Davenport.) obiique angle; fertile segment short-stalked, slightly overtopping the sterile, bi — tripinnate. Bud smooth ; 132 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. the fertile segment recurved its whole length, the shorter sterile segment reclined upon it. (Fig. 35.) New England to Lake Superior and Colorado to Alaska. § 2. OSMUNDOPTERIS Milde. Bud pilose, vj V' \ enclosed in a smooth upright cavity at one side u^M °f tke lower Part °f the s*alk- 7. B. Virginianum Swz. (RATTLESNAKE- FERN.) Plant from a few inches to two feet high ; sterile segment sessile above the middle of the stalk, broadly triangular, thinly herba- ceous, ternate; the short-stalked primary divi- sions once to twice pinnate, then once or twice pinnatifid; lobes oblong, cut-toothed toward the apex ; fertile segment long-stalked, bi — tri- pinnate. Bud pilose, enclosed in a smooth FIG. 35.— Vernation upright cavity at one side of the lower part of Angt (MtT/Daven- the stalk J fertile segment recurved its whole P°rt-) length, the longer sterile segment reclined upon it. Reduced forms are B. gracile Pursh. (Botrypus Virginicus Michx., Osmunda Virginica L.) New Brunswick to Florida, and westward to Arizona and the Pacific Coast. ORDER V. EQUISETACE^E DC. Plant body rush-like, often branched, with jointed, usually hollow stems rising from subterranean rootstocks, the sterile leaves reduced to sheaths at the joints, the fertile forming a short spike terminating the stem. Prothallium above ground, green, variously lobed, usually dioecious. Represented at pres- ent by only one genus. I. EQUISETUM L. HORSE-TAIL. SCOURING-RUSH. Perennial plants with extensively creeping rootstocks. Stems simple or branched, furrowed lengthwise, hollow, and pro- vided with an outer circle of smaller cavities opposite the fur- rows as well as a second and smaller series opposite the ridges. Sporangia adhering to the under side of the shield-shaped scales of the spike, one-celled, opening down the inner side. Spores furnished with two slender filaments attached by the EQUISETACE^E. 133 middle. Name from Lat. equus, horse, and seta, a bristle. Contains about 25 species, widely distributed. § I. EUEQUISETUM. Stems annual, stomata scattered. * Stems of two kinds, the pale or brownish fertile stems appearing earlier than the herbaceous sterile ones ; fruiting in spring. t Fertile stems simple, soon withering. 1. E. arvense L. (HORSETAIL.) Sterile stems green, rather slender, i° — 2° high, 6 — 19 furrowed ; branches numerous, long, mostly simple, 4-angled, minutely roughened, lowest joint commonly longer than the sheath of the stem ; fertile stems 4' — 10' high, light brown, the loose scarious sheath mostly dis- tant, whitish, ending in about 12 brown acuminate teeth ; spike rarely over i' long. (E. boreale Bong.) Virginia to California and northward to Greenland. 2. E. telmateia Ehrh. Sterile stems ivory white or greenish, stout, 2° — 6° high, 20 — 40 furrowed; branches very numerous, erect-spreading, simple, 4 — 5 angled, the ridges rough and sul- cate, the lowest joint shorter than the sheath of the stem ; fer- tile stems 10' — 15' high, white, many-furrowed, the loose brown- ish sheaths elongate, deeply 20 — 30 toothed. (E. fluviatile Sin., E. eburneum Schreb., E. maximum Auct. not of Lam.) California, Oregon, and northward. ft Fertile stems when older producing herbaceous branches, only the naked apex withering. 3. E. pratense Ehrh. Sterile and finally the fertile stems producing straight, simple branches; sheaths of the stem with about ii short, ovate-lanceolate teeth, those of the branches 3- toothed. (E. umbrosum Willd., E. triquetrum Bory.,^. Drum- mondii Hook.) Michigan, Wisconsin, and northward. 4. E. silvaticum- L. Sterile and fertile stems usually 12- furrowed, producing compound branches, the branchlets curved downward ; sheaths loose, those of the stem with 8 — i4bluntish teeth, those of the branches with 4 — 5, and of the branchlets with 3 divergent teeth. Virginia to Michigan, and northward to Labrador. ** Stems of one kind, herbaceous ; branches simple or none ; fruiting in summer. t Sheaths sotnew/iat loose. 134 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 5. E. palustre L. Stems slender, 10' — 18' high, very deep- ly 5 — 9 grooved, the grooves separated by narrow, wing-like ridges, roughish ; sheaths with about 8 lance-awl-shaped, whit- ish margined teeth ; branches few in a whorl, with mostly 5- toothed sheaths. {E. pratense Reichenb.) Western New York and Wisconsin to British Columbia and northward. 6. E. litorale Kuhl. Stems slightly roughened, 6 — 19 grooved, the carinse convex ; sheaths sensibly dilated above, the uppermost bell-shaped ; leaves convex, angled beneath, sepa- rate at the commisural groove ; teeth herbaceous, membranous at the margin, narrow, lanceolate ; branches of two kinds, the 4-angled hollow, the 3-angled solid, first joint a little longer or shorter than the sheath of the stem ; spores abortive, elaters usually wanting. Bay of Quinte, Canada (Macoun}\ Vermont (Pringle); Oswego River, New York ( Wibbe). ft Sheaths appressed. 7. E. limosum L. Stems 2° — 3° high, slightly many-fur- rowed, smooth, usually producing upright branches after fruc- tification ; sheaths appressed, with about 18 dark-brown, short, acute, rigid teeth ; air-cavities wanting under the grooves, small under the ridges. Includes E, fluviatile L. (E. uliginosum Muhl , E. heleocharis Ehrh.) Virginia to Washington Terri- tory and northward. §2. HiPPOCH^ETE. Stems perennial, evergreen; spikes tipped with a rigid point ; stomata in regular rows ; fruiting in summer. * Stems tall and stout, usually many-grooved. t Branches numerous, regidarly whorled. 8. E. ramosissimum Desf. Stems grooved, more or less roughened, 6 — 26 furrowed ; sheaths dilated, toothed ; teeth not grooved, persistent or deciduous, leaving only a triangular, very rarely a truncated margin ; leaves more or less distinct, 3 — 4 carinate ; branches when present, 4 — 9 angled ; series of stomata in i — 4 lines ; inner bark of ridges higher than the grooves ; ridges convex, marked with bands, never with two- rowed tubercles. Cuba ( Wright), Mexico (Schaffner), British Columbia (Lyall), and probably will be found in the intervening territory. L Y CO PODIA CE^. 1 3 5 ft Branches few and irregular or wholly wanting. \ Stems rough, tuber culate. 9. E. robustum A. Br. Stems 3° — n° high, and some- times nearly i' thick, 20 — 48 furrowed ; ridges roughened with a single series of transversely-oblong, siliceous tubercles ; sheath short, cylindric, marked with black girdles at the base, and at the base of the caducous teeth ; ridges of the sheaths tricari- nate. Ohio to Louisiana, California and northward. 10. E. hiemale L. (SCOURING-RUSH.) Jstems i°— 4° high, rough, 8 — 34 furrowed ; ridges with two indistinct lines of tu- bercles ; sheaths rather long, cylindric, marked with one or two black girdles ; ridges of the sheath obscurely quadricarinate ; teeth membranous, soon deciduous. North America gener- ally. \\ Stems not tuberculate. n. E. laevig-atum A. Br. Stems i° — 5° high, pale-green, 14 — 30 furrowed ; the ridges almost smooth ; sheaths elongate, enlarged upward, marked with a black girdle at the base of the mostly deciduous white margined teeth, and rarely also at the base of the sheath ; ridges of the sheath with a central carina and sometimes with faint, short, lateral ones. North Carolina and Ohio to Louisiana, California and Oregon. ** Stems slender, tufted, 5 — \ogrooved. 12. E. variegatum Schleich. Stems ascending, 6'— 18' long, usually simple from a branched base, 5—10 furrowed ; sheaths green, variegated with black above, the teeth 5 — 10, tipped with a deciduous bristle ; central air-cavity small. Bel- lows Falls, New Hampshire (Carey}, Niagara Falls to Illinois and northward to Greenland and Alaska. 13. E. scirpoides Michx. Stems filiform, very numerous, 3 — 6' high, flexuous and curving, mostly 6-furrowed, with acute ridges ; sheaths 3-toothed, the bristle tips more persistent ; cen- tral air-cavity wanting. New England to Pennsylvania, Illinois and northward. ORDER VI. LYCOPODIACE^E Lindl. Moss-like, terrestrial plants with small, lanceolate or subu- late, sometimes oblong or roundish, simple leaves, arranged in 136 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. two to many ranks on trailing or sometimes erect, usually branching stems. Sporangia i — 3 celled, solitary in the axils or the leaves, or on their upper surface. Spores of one kind, minute. Prothallia (so far as known) mostly subterranean, with or without chlorophyll, monoecious. Contains four gen- era, the following within our limits: I. Lycopodium L. Leaves well developed, in 4 — many ranks. Sporangia i-celled. II. Psilotum R. Br. Leaves minute, abortive. Sporangia 3-celled. I. LYCOPODIUM L. CLUB-MOSS. Perennial, terrestrial plants, with evergreen, one-nerved leaves arranged in 4 — 16 ranks. Sporangia coriaceous, flattened, reniform, one-celled, opening transversely, situated in the axils of ordinary leaves, or with fruit-bearing leaves modified into bracts which are arranged in spikes either sessile or peduncled. Spores copious, minute, sulphur-colored, inflammable. Named from Gr. hvxoS, wolf, and TCOV$, foot, without obvious applica- tion. Contains nearly one hundred species. § i. PLANANTHUS Beauv. Sporangia borne in the axils of leaves which are similar to those of the sterile and fertile stems. * Sporangia usually wanting in axils of upper leaves ; leaves dark-green, shining, about %-ranked. 1. L. selago L. Stems 3' — 6' high, thick, rigid, erect, 2 — 3 times forked, forming a level-topped cluster; leaves elon- gate-lanceolate, mucronulate, entire or spinulose-denticulate, nerved above, convex below. (L. recurvum Kit., L. suberectum Lowe, Plananthus selago Beauv.) Mountains of North Caro- lina to New England and Michigan, and northward to Alaska and Greenland. 2. L. lucidulum Michx. Stems ascending, thick, 2 — 3 times forked, the branches 6' — 12' high; leaves widely spread- ing or reflexed, flat, one-nerved, acute, minutely toothed. (L. refle.xum Swz., L. serratum Desv., Plananthus reflexus Beauv.) North Carolina and northward. ** Sporangia only in axils of upper leaves which form spikes; leaves many-ranked. 3. L. inundatum L. Sterile stems creeping, flaccid, fork- L Y CO PODIA CE&. 1 3 7 ing; fertile stems erect, simple, i' — 4' high, bearing a short, thick spike; leaves lanceolate or lance-awl-shaped, acute, entire, soft, spreading or curved upward on prostrate stems. (L, palustre Lam., Plananthus inundatus Beauv.) Forms hav- ing the fertile stems 5' — 7' high, with more pointed, often tooth- bearing leaves, are the var. Bigelovii Tuckerm. (L. Carolini- anum Bigel.) New England to Michigan and southward. Var. pinnatum Chapm. Stems pinnately branched ; leaves bristly-fringed below the middle, unequal, the upper and lower shorter and somewhat appressed, the lateral widely spreading; fertile stems i° high, very leafy; spike thick, cylindric, 2' — 3' long. Western Florida. 4. L. alopecuroides L. Stems stout, densely leafy through- out ; sterile branches flaccid, procumbent, creeping ; fertile branches rigid, erect, 6' — 20' high, bearing a single spike ; leaves narrowly linear-awl-shaped, spinulose-pointed, spreading, con- spicuously bristle-toothed below the middle, nerved above, those of the cylindric spike with long, setaceous tips. (L. longipes H. & G., Plananthus alopecuroides Beauv.) New Jersey to Florida and Mississippi. § 2. EULYCOPODIUM. (LEPIDOTIS Beauv.) Spora?igia borne in the axils of yellowish, scale-like, imbricated, ovate or cordate leaves which form a distinct spike ; leaves of sterile branches very unlike those of the spikes. * Stems leafy to base of spikes, or nearly so. t Spikes nodding. 5. L. cernuum L. Stems erect, branching, the branches similar; leaves crowded, awl-shaped, incurved, terete in the middle, spreading, grooved below; bracts 8-ranked. (L.mari- anum Willd., L. curvatum Blume., L. Boryanum Richard, L. bryifolium Vent.) Florida, Southern Alabama. ft Spikes erect, closely sessile. 6. L. annotinum L. Stems much branched, prostrate, creeping, i° — 4° long; the ascending branches similar, 5' — 8' high, sparingly forked ; leaves equal, spreading, five-ranked, rigid, linear-lanceolate, minutely serrulate, nerved below; spike oblong, cylindric, thick. (L. jumper if olium Lam., L. bryophyl- lum Presl, Lepidotis annotina Beauv.) Mountain forms with 138 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. shorter and more rigid, pointed leaves are var. pungens Desv. (L. reclinatum Michx.) New England and New Jersey to Washington Territory, and northward to Alaska and Greenland. 7. L. dendroideum Michx. (GROUND-PINE.) Stems erect, 6' — 9' high, from a subterranean creeping rootstock, densely branched above, the crowded branches spreading fan-like; leaves 4 — 6 ranked, lanceolate-linear, acute, entire ; spikes 4 — 10 on each plant; bracts many-rowed. (Lepidotis dendroidea Beauv.) Forms with the stems appearing flat, from the leaves of the upper side being shorter and appressed, are the var. ob- scurum (L. obscurum L.) Mountains of North Carolina to Canada, and northwestward to Indiana, Michigan, and Western North America. 8. L. alpinum L. Stems elongate, creeping, with ascend- ing densely clustered branches ; leaves 4-ranked, erect, imbri- cated, adnate-decurrent, of two forms ; those of the lateral rows lanceolate, falcate, acute, carinate, concave within ; those of the intermediate rows scarcely one third smaller, lance-awl-shaped, the upper and lower rows not different. (Possibly a form of L. complanatum L.) Lake Superior to Rocky Mountains ; Mt. Peddo, Washington Territory (Suksdorf}, and Unalaska. ttt Spikes erect, short-peduncled. 9. L. sabinsefolium Willd. (GROUND-FIR.) Stems elon- gate, creeping, usually underground; branches erect, short, di- chotomous, clustered ; leaves 4-rowed, small, appressed, lanceo- late, mucronate, entire, apparently terete ; spikes cylindric, soli- tary, with cordate acuminate bracts. (L. alpinum Michx., L. armatum Desv.) New Jersey, New York, New England, and northwestward. This is sometimes united with L. complanatum. **Fertile branches with minute leaves, so that the spikes ap- pear long-peduncled. t Leaves uniform, many-ranked; stems terete. 10. L. clavatum L. (RUNNING-PINE.) Stems extensive- ly creeping; branches similar, ascending, short and leafy, the fertile terminated by a slender peduncle bearing i — 4 linear, cylindric spikes ; leaves much-crowded, linear-awl-shapecr, tipped like the bracts with a fine bristle. (L. officinale Neck., L. vul- gar e Vaill., L. inflexum Swz., L. serpens Presl, Lepidotis inflexa L YCO PODIA CE&. 1 39 Beauv.) North Carolina to Canada and westward to Washing- ton Territory and Unalaska. ft Leaves of two forms, few ranked; stems flattened. 11. L. Carolinianum L. Sterile stems and their few short branches entirely creeping; lateral leaves broadly lanceolate, acute, and somewhat oblique, one-nerved, widely spreading in 2-ranks ; upper row of leaves shorter, appressed ; peduncle simple, slender, 2' — 4' high, clothed with small bract-like leaves, bearing a single cylindric spike. (L. repens Swz., L^affine Bory., Lepidotis repens Beauv.) New Jersey to Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana. 12. L. complanatum L. Stems extensively creeping, with erect or ascending fan-like branches several times forked above; branchlets crowded, flattened; leaves minute, imbri- cate-appressed, 4-ranked; the lateral rows with somewhat spreading tips; the intermediate smaller, narrower, and wholly appressed ; peduncle slender, bearing 2 — 4 cylindric spikes. (L. thyoides Humb. & Bonpl., L. tristachyon Pursh, L. anceps Wallr., L.chamcecyparissus A. Br. , Lepidotis complanata Beauv.) North Carolina to New England, Michigan, and northward. II. PSILOTUM R. Br. Perennial plants, terrestrial or growing on trees. Stems di- chotomously-branched with minute alternate leaves or appar- ently leafless. Sporangia sessile, 3-celled, opening at the apex into 2 — 3 valves. Spores farinaceous, oval or elongate-reniform, Name from Gr. t/>/Ao?, naked, alluding to the abortive leaves. Contains four species, mostly tropical. i. P. triquetrum Swz. Stems erect, 8' — 10' high, triquet rous at base, many times forked at apex ; ultimate divisions tri- quetrous-winged ; leaves remote, awl-shaped, less than i" long; sporangia in spikes. (P. Floridanum Michx., P. dichotomum Link., Bernhardia dichotoma Willd., B. pedunculata Desv., Lycopodium nudum L.) Eastern Florida ; Bluffton, South Caro- lina ( MellichamJ>)* 140 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. ORDER VII. SELAGINELLACE^. Plant-body leafy, terrestrial, moss-like, with branching stems and minute scale-like leaves. Sporangia one-celled, solitary, axillary, some containing microspores, and others macrospores. Contains a single genus largely tropical. I. SELAGINELLA Beauv. Fructification arranged in spikes. Sporangia minute, sub- globose, opening transversely; some containing usually 4 glo- bose macrospores, and others smaller, filled with numerous microspores. Leaves 4 — many ranked. Name a diminutive of Selago, an ancient name of some species of Lycopodium, which this genus resembles. Contains about 335 species widely dis- tributed ; seven are found within our limits. § i. EUSELAGINELLA. Stem leaves of one kind, many- ranked ; bracts uniform. * Stems prostrate or spreading, somewhat rigid. 1. S. rupestris Spring. Stems densely tufted, prostrate or ascending, much-branched, 2' — 12' long; leaves appressed- imbricate, linear or linear-lanceolate, convex and sulcate dor- sally, rigid, bristle tipped, ciliate; spikes strongly quadrangular, 6" — 12" long; sporangia of both sorts in the same axils ; macro- sporangia abundant; bracts ovate-lanceolate. {Lycopodium rupestre L., L. bryopteris Wall.) New England to Florida, Texas, California, and northward. Var. tortipila. Leaves sub-entire, gibbous dorsally near the apex ; terminal bracts tipped with a long, twisted, white awn ; macrospores loosely reticulate. Caesar's Head, South Carolina (J. D. SmitJi); Negro Mountain, North Carolina (Gray). 2. S. selaginoides Link. Sterile stems prostrate or creep- ing, small and slender; fertile stems thicker, ascending, simple, i' — 3' high; leaves lanceolate, acute, spreading, sparsely spinu- lose-ciliate ; bracts lax, ascending, lanceolate or ovate-lanceo- late, strongly ciliate. (S. spinosa Beauv., Lycopodium sclagi- noides L., L. ciliatum Lam.) New Hampshire to Colorado and northward to Greenland. ** Stems pendent, flaccid. 3. S. Oregana D. C. Eaton. Stems i° — 6° long, pinnately SELAGINELLACEM. I41 much branched; leaves loosely imbricate, scarcely i" long, linear-lanceolate, convex and grooved on the back, acute, sparsely spinulose-denticulate, not bristle-tipped ; spikes quad- rangular, very slender ; macrosporangia scarce. Port Orford, Oregon (Kautz); Tilamook Valley, Oregon (Hoivell); probably in Northern California. § 2. STACHYGYNANDRUM Baker. Stem leaves of two kinds, spreadmg in two planes, those of the upper plane smaller and more ascending ; bracts uniform. * Main stems decumbent ; root fibres extending to upper nodes. t Stems persistent ; leaves rigid, firm in texture. 4. S. Douglasii Spring. Stems decumbent, 3' — 12' long; branches 2' — 6' long, bi — tripinnately divided ; leaves of lower plane i" long, obliquely oval, obtuse, faintly nerved; leaves of upper plane half as long, oval, incurved, ending in a short point, both sparingly ciliate at base ; spikes 6" — 12" long, quad- rangular, terminal ; bracts deltoid-cuspidate, strongly imbri- cate. (Lycopodium Douglasii H. & G., L. ovalifolium H. & G.) Northern California to British Columbia. ft Stems mostly annual, fugacious ; leaves mostly membranous, flaccid. 5. S. apus Spring. Stems i'— 4' long, slender, angled on the face, prostrate, creeping, much-branched, flaccid ; leaves of the lower plane spreading above, the lower reflexed, ovate, acute, serrulate, not distinctly ciliate ; leaves of the upper plane ovate, shortly cuspidate ; spikes 3" — 6" long ; bracts ovate, acute, membranous, strongly serrulate, acutely keeled in the upper half. Canada and New England to Rocky Mountains, and southward to Florida and Texas. 6. S. Ludoviciana A. Br. Stems slender, copiously pin- nate, flat both sides, 4' — 6' long, lower branches slightly com- pound ; leaves of lower plane rather distant except at tips of branches, spreading, ovate-oblong, sub-acute, firmer in texture than in preceding, serrulate, not distinctly ciliate ; leaves of upper plane half as long, obliquely oblong, cuspidate ; spikes 3'' — 6" long ; bracts ovate-lanceolate, strongly keeled. (S. apus, var. denticulata Spring, where it may belong, the differ- ences possibly due to climatic conditions.) Covington, Louisi- 1 42 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. ana (Drutnmoi>, an animal, and ei'So?, form), the male element of crypto- gams. 20. ArchegOnium (plu. archegonia) (Gr. O'PXTJ, beginning, and yov-ft, off- spring), the part containing the fe- male element. 20. Arcuate (Lat. arcus^a. bow), curved like a bow. Areola (plu. areolce). (Lat. diminu- tive of area, an open place), a space enclosed by anastomosing veinlets. Asexual Reproduction in Ferns. 27. Aspidieae, 78. Aspidium, no; also 2, 5, 7, 8, ioTn, 16, 26, 42, 66, 78. Asplenieae, 78. Asplenium, 103; also 2, 3, 5, 6, 15 27, 78. Auriculate (Lat. auricula,* little ear), furnished with ear-like append- ages. Azolla, 127; also 39. Beech-fern. Vide Phegop- teris. Bi (Lat. bis, twice), (as a prefix) two, twice or doubly. Bladder-fern. Vide Cystop- teris. Blechneae, 77. Blechnum, 102; also 15, 77. Botrychium, 129; also 2, 3,5, 19, 29, 3°- Brake or Bracken. Vide Pteris. Bryophyta (Gr. /Bpvop, moss, and vr6i>, plant), 50. Buds, borne on ferns, 27. Bulblets, borne on ferns, 27. Calamariaceae, 67. Camptosorus, 108 ; also 3, 6, 9, 16, 27, 78. Carboniferous Age, Pterido- phytes of, 66. GLOSSARY AND INDEX. Car in ate (Lat. carina, a keel), keeled. Carpophyta (Gr. Kapnds, fruit, and vroV, plant), 49. Castaneous (Lat. castanea, a chestnut), chestnut-colored. Caudate (Lat. cauda, a tail), fur- nished with a slender appendage re- sembling a tail. Caudex (Lat. a stem), the upright rootstock forming the trunk of a tree- fern, 8. Cellulose (Lat. cellula, a little cell), the substance composing the wall of cells, containing the elements car- bon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Ceraceous (Lat. cera, wax), hav- ing the nature of wax. Ceratopteridese, 77. Ceratopteris, 101 ; also 6, 14, 77. Characese, 50.— Literature of, 56. Chartaceous (Lat. charta, a leaf of paper), having the texture of paper or parchment. Cheilanthes, 9* ; also 3, 6, 8, 13, 26, 43. 77- Chlorophyll (Gr. xAt°P°'«i green, and v'AAoj', leaf), the green grains forming the coloring matter of plants. Christmas-fern. FzV/*Aspid- ium. Ciliate (Lat. cilium, an eyelash), having on the margin a fringe of hairs resembling the fringing eye- lashes. Cinnamon-fern. Vide Os- munda. Ci rein ate (Lat. circinus, a pair of compasses), rolled inward from the apex, 8. Classification of the Vegetable Kingdom, 48. — Principle of, 45. Cliff-brake. Vide Pellaea. Climbing-fern. Vide Lygo- dium. Cloak-fern. vide Notho- Isena. Club-moss. Vide Lycopo- dium. Confluent (Lat. con, together, and fluere, to flow), blended together. Connate (L;it. con, together, and nasci, to be born), united together from the first. Cordate (Lat. cor, the heart), heart- shaped. Coriaceous (Lat. corium, a hide), leathery. Cotton-fern. Vide Notho- laena. Crenate (Lat. ere no., a notch), hav- ing the margin scalloped with rounded teeth. Crenulate (Lat. crenula, a little notch), scalloped with small rounded teeth. Cryptogamia (Gr. Kpunro's, hid- den, ya/u.os, marriage), flowerless plants ; an obsolete term. Cryptogramme, 97; also 2, 14, 77. Cultivation, Literature of, 7. Cuneate (Lat. cuneus, a wedge), wedge-shaped. Cystopteris, 118; also 4,5, 6, 16, 27, 78. Decurrent (Lat. de, down, and currere, to run), prolonged on the rachis. Deer-fern. Vide Lomaria. Deltoid (Gr. 6eAi-a, the letter D, and ei'Sos, form), triangular, like the Greek delta. Dentate (Lat. dens, a tooth), toothed. Denticulate (Lat. denticulus, di- minutive of dens, tooth), finely toothed. Desmidiaceae, 49.— Literature of, 53- Determination of Species, 68. Devonian Age, Pteridophytes of, 66. Diatomacese, 49 —Literature of, 53- Dichotomous (Gr. fit'xa, asunder, and refivetv, to cut), two-forked. Dicksonia, 121 ; also 3, 5, 7, 17, 79. Dicksonieae, 79. Dimorphism, 3.— Literature, of 7. GLOSSARY AND INDEX. Dimorphous (Gr. Si's, twice, and /u.o>p<£»j, shape, form), of two forms; said of ferns whose fertile fronds are uniike the sterile. Dioecious (Gr. Sis, twice, and OIKOS, house), bearing the male and female organs on different plants. Distichous (Gr. Si's, twice, and O-TI'XOS, a row), disposed in two rows Distribution, Geographic, 60.— Geologic, 65. — Local, 4. Dorsal (Lat. dorsum, the back), per- taining to or situated on the back. Ebeneous (Lat. ebenus, ebony), black like ebony. Elater, the spirally coiled append- ages of the spores of Equisetum. Endospore (Gr. ei-Soy, within, and ffTropos, a seed), the inner wall of the spore. Epidermis (Gr. ««, upon, and Sepfjia, the skin), the external covering of the plant. Epiphytic (Gr. en-i, upon, and fyvrov, a plant), growing upon an- other plant, but not nourished by it. Equisetaceae, 132; also 31.— Lit- erature of, 34. Equisetum. 132 ; also 31, 33, 67. Ex OS pore (Gr. e£to, outside, and 50-— Literature of, 57- Herbaceous (Lat. herba, an herb), having the texture of common herb- age. Heterosporous (Gr. eVep^s, other and o-wopd?, a seed), producing two kinds of spores, as in Selaginella, Marsilia, etc. Histology (Gr. ioros, web, tissue, and Aoyo?, a discourse), the study of the microscopic characters of the tis- sues of plants and animals. Holly-fern. K/^Aspidium. Horsetail. Vide Equisetum. Hymenomycetes, 50. — Litera- ture of, 55. Hymenophyllaceae, n, 26, 79. Imbricate (Lat. imbrex, a rhollow tile), breaking joints like slates or shingles. Indusium (plu. indusia) (Lat. in- duere, to clothe), the membranous covering of the sporangia in many species of ferns. Inferior, attached below; said of an indusium below the sporangia as in IVoodsia. Jntramarginal (Lat. intra. with- in, and margo, a border), near the margin. Involucre (Lat. involvere,\.o wrap up), the indusium. Isoetaceae, 142; also 37.— Litera- ture of, 38. Isoetes, 142; also 37, 38, 67. Isosporous (Gr. ZVTO»', a plant), 50, 75. Pteris, 90; also 5, 13, 66, 77. Pyrenomycetes, 50.— Literature of, 54- Quadri- (Lat. quattuor, four), (as a prefix) four, fourfold. Rachls (Gr. 'pa^is, the spine), the continuation of the stipe through a compound frond. Raphe^Gr. 'pa(H< a seam or suture), the ridge which connects the sporo- carp with its stem in Marsilia. Rattlesnake-fern. Vide Bo- trychium. Receptacle (Lat. red fere, to re- ceive), the part to which the sporan- gia are attached, especially in the HYMENOPHYLLACE^E. Renif orm (Lat. renes, the kidneys), kidney-shaped. Resurrection - plant. Vide Selaginella. Re volute (Lat. revolvere, to roll back), rolled backward; said of the margin of fronds. Rhizocarps. Vide Marsilia. Rhomboidal (Gr. 'pV/3o9, a rhomb, and etSos, form), approaching a rhomb in shape. Rock-brake. Vide Crypto- gramme. Rock-moss. Vide Selagi- nella. Roots, 25. Rootstock, an underground stem Salvinia, 127; also 39, 40. Salviniaceae, 127; also 39.— Litera- ture of, 40. Scandent (Lat. scandere, to climb), climbing. Schizaea, 123; also n, 18, 79. Schizaeaceae, n, 79. Sqhizomycetes, 48.— Literature of, 53- Scolopendrium, 107; also 3, 6, 15, 19, 26, 78. Scouring- rush. Vide Equi- setum. Segment, one of the divisions of a pinnatifid frond. Selaginella, 140; also 34, 35, 36, 67. Selaginellaceae, 140; also 34.— Literature of, 37 Sensitive-fern. Vide Ono- clea. Serrate (Lat. serra, a saw), having the margin cut into teeth pointing forward . Sessile (Lat. sedere, to sit), without a stalk or petiole. Setiform (Lat. seta, a bristle, and forma, form), bristle-like. Shield-fern. F/^Aspidium. Sigillariaceae, 67. Sinuate (Lat. sinus, a bending), having the margin alternately bend- ing inward and outward. Sinus (Lat. a bending), a recess or bay; the re-entering space between two lobes. GLOSSARY AND INDEX. 155 SoruS (plu. sort) (Gr. vrov, a plant), a group of plants including the lichens, fungi, and algae. Thalloid (Gr. 0oAAo?, a young shoot, and eZSos, form), having the form of a thallus, i.e., no leafy axis. Thalloid Phase, 19- Tissues, 24. Tissue Systems, 25. TomentOSe (Lat. tomentum, a stuffing of wool), covered with mat- ted woolly hairs. Tomentum (Lat. a stuffing of wool), the dense matted woolly hair found on some ferns as many species of Cheilanthes. Tri- (Lat. tris, three), (as a prefix) three, thrice. Tribes, 44- Trichomanes, 122; also 6, 11,17, 79- Trichomes (Gr. «pif, hair), hairs, variously modified as scales, indusia, sporangia, etc., produced from the epidermal cells, 26. Triquetrous (Lat. triquetrus), three-angled. Truncate (Lat. truncare, to cut short), cut off abruptly. Tufted, growing in clusters. U Undulate (Lat. undula, a little wave), wavy-margined. Uredineae, 50.— Literature of, 55. Vallecuia (plu. valleculce), the grooves on the stems of Equisetum. Variation among species, 2. Varieties, 44 Vascular (Lat. vasculum, diminu- tive of ras, a vessel), containing ves- sels, as ducts, etc. Velum (Lat. a curtain), the membra- nous margin of the fovea in Isoetes. Venation (Lat. vena, a vein), the i veining of the frond, 10. 1 56 GLOSSARY AND INDEX. Vernation (Lat. ver, spring), the arrangement of the leaves or fronds in the bud, 29. Vittaria, 89; also 6, 13, 76. Vittarieee, 76. W Walking-leaf. tosorus. Vide Camp- Water-fern. Vide Marsilia. Wood-fern. Vide Aspidium. 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