1902J Davenport, — Notes on New England Ferns — III 11 



factorily determine. The plant stood about two feet high, with the 

 erect fertile fronds standing well above the sterile, and its whole 

 aspect resembling that of an abnormal form of Clintonianum. 



On examining the rootstock I found it to be sub-erect, with a 

 growth similar to that 10JV. marginale, but sufficiently distinct from 

 that of N. cristatum X marginale to suggest its being a probable 

 hybrid between marginale and Clintonianum, 



As the particular section of woodland where it grew had been 

 staked out, and the plant appeared to be in danger of an early exter- 

 mination, I transplanted it to my own grounds where I could watch 

 and study it. 



This I have done since, until the plant with a single crown has 

 become a large clump, with a breadth of something like twelve 

 inches and a length of eighteen or twenty ; and with sixteen crowns, 

 on one of which last spring I counted 22 crosiers. 



Notwithstanding the fact that this extension had occurred by 

 means of lateral growth, the original crown has maintained its sub- 

 erect position, while the later crowns which have developed from 

 lateral offshoots have assumed in one direction more the character 

 of Clintonianum with a distinctly lateral or rhizomatose growth, and 

 in the other direction the caudiciform character of the original 

 crown ; so that there has existed on the same plant crowns of two 

 types, viz. : that of JV. marginale and that of Clintonianum. 



Not only that, but the fronds from the different crowns have 

 shown all manner of variations that might serve as instructive object 

 lessons for some of our industrious species and variety makers. 



The behavior of the plant during successive seasons has been 

 noticeable from the fact that some years it would produce a large 

 percentage of perfect fronds, and in others a large proportion of 

 abortive ones, while none have ever reached the original height of 

 the plant. 



It has also been noticeable that the position of the sori varied on 

 different fronds from different crowns. Thus on fronds growing on 

 the lateral ends of the clump the sori are medial, as in normal Clin- 

 tonianum, or sub-marginal as would be the case in a hybrid between 

 marginale and Clintonianum, while on fronds from the original crown, 

 and the later sub-erect crowns, and sometimes on the same frond, a 

 mixture of medial and costal sori occurs, and on those from the 

 latest sub-erect crowns a costal series of sori generally prevails. 



