188 Rhodora [SEPTEMBER 
tions being Mettenius ', who reduced them to varieties, and Hooker, 
who as noted above finally discarded them entirely. Milde, in some 
of his earlier publications ? identifies “ Asplenium Michaux” (Athy- 
rium angustum) with the European A. Filix-femina, but in his Filices, 
he does not include the names of the American ferns in the synonymy, 
of A. Filix-femina, and under the treatment of that species, he makes 
the following enlightening statement: 
“The American plant, very similar in habit to the European, pro- 
duces several forms which seem to be wanting in Europe. a) I have 
found smooth yellowish spores, in others ridged and blackish. b) 
Indusia sometimes fimbriate, sometimes furnished with cilia ending 
in large hyacinthine glands. Generally I have found stalked glands 
also intermixed with the sori. c) The blade beneath is either glabrous, 
or covered with long, cylindrical, obtuse, 1-2 celled hairs. Here 
belong: Athyrium asplenioides Fée and Presl (Aspidiwm Sw.— 
Asplenium Athyrium Sprengel) and Athyrium Michauxii Fée (Asplen- 
ium Spr.— Aspidium angustum Willd.— Asplenium elatius Link). 
The American plant is worthy of more accurate examination from 
various regions.” 3 
SyNOPTICAL TREATMENT OF THE Lapy Ferns or EASTERN NORTH 
AMERICA. 
A. Rhizome creeping, not densely covered with persistent bases of the 
fronds; scales of stipes very few, seldom persistent, rarely over 4 mm. 
long, their cells relatively broad and with pale walls; frond widest near 
` the base; indusia ciliate, the cilia ending inglands; spores nigrescent, 
reticulate or wrinkled. 
1 Mettenius, G., Uber einige Farngat. vi. Asplenium, 199 (1859). 
2 Milde, J., Die Gefiiss. Crypt. in Schles. 575 (1858). 
3 Planta Americana habitu Europaeae simillima formes complures procreat, quae in Europa 
deesse videntur. a) Sporas flavas laeves, in aliis formas subnigras verrucosas inveni. b) 
Indusia nunc fimbriata, nunc ciliis in glândulas magnas hyacinthinas exeuntibus instructa. 
Glandulae stipitatas etiam soris immixtas interdum inveni. c) Lamina subtus aut glabra est, 
aut pilis longis cylindricis, obtusis, 1-2 cellularibus obsita est. Huc pertinent: Athyrium 
asplenioides Fée et Presl. (— Aspidium Sw.— Asplenium Athyrium Sprengel) et Athyrium 
Michauxii Fée (Asplenium Spr.— Aspidium angustum Willd.— Asplenium elatius Link). 
Planta Americana digna est, quae ex diversissimis regionibus accuratius examinetur. Milde, 
J., Filices Europae et Atlantidis, 52 (1867). 
4 The variety of Athyrium alpestre which occurs in a few alpine situations in the Gaspé penin- 
sulà, is treated fully with the lady ferns of western America. It is readily distinguished from 
any other eastern species of Athyrium by the exceedingly narrow segments of the frond, and by 
its small round sori, entirely without indusium. 
