40 



therefore, evident, that an old root-stock will form a conglomeration of 

 branches, and will have a coral-like appearance when the bulblets are 

 removed. 



It is not quite easy to decide from actual observation, whether 

 the buds morphologicall}^ belong to the bulblets, or to the axis on 

 which the latter are inserted. In the former case, we should have one 

 of the rather rare occurrences of abnormal bud-production from 

 petioles. But, I think, we can plainly distinguish a narrow zone of 

 tissue in the bulbletat the point of its insertion, that morphologically 

 belongs to the axis. But this zone, from which the incipient bud is 

 differentiated, is, together with its bulblet, very easily detached from 

 its axis, and then gives rise to a new individual plant. 



Explanation of Plate xxiii. -(For figure of entire plant see Gray's Struct. Bot. 

 p. 204, where, however, the thin portion of thepetiole ought to be represented as 

 proceeding from the top of the bulblet. 



Fig. I. longitud. sect, of last year's bulblet with bud at the base (December). 

 Fig 2, cross-sect, of the same. — Fig. 3, the same with elongating axis; If, leaf; br^ 

 bracts. — Fig.4, longitud. sect, of vigorous shoot (in December) separated from root- 

 stock, the large lower bracts removed; rt^ root breaking through overlying tissue; 

 bb, new bulblets in axils of upper bracts; pi, petiole-bases (the blades belonging to 

 them are cut off); a, end of axis» all magnified. Fig 5. cluster of bulblets be- 

 tween two bracts (in December), taken from the axil of a lower bract on shoot in 

 Fig. 4. Fig. 6,* sections of petioles in December, and Fig. 7, in April:^, longitud. 

 sections showing bud at base; b, cross-section from base, ^.from middle and d, 

 from top of thickened portion; e, from upper (thin) part of petiole. 



New OP Little-Known Ferns of the United States- No. 12. 



By D. C. Eaton. 



l6, Polypodium Swartzii, Baker.— Rootstock very long and 

 slender, chaffy with narrow ferruginous scales ; fronds scattered, 

 short-stalked, thin-membranaceous, smooth, oval to linear-lanceolate, 

 i- to 5 inches long, 3 to 5 lines broad, entire or sinuate; veinlets 

 visible, reticulated, paracostal areoles long and narrow, next ones 

 much larger, oblique, outer ones much smaller and irregular; fertile 

 fronds longer than the sterile, and soriferous on short included veinlets 

 in the largest areoles only, the sori thus in a single row each side of the 

 midrib. Syn, Fil., p. 357. P. serpens, Swartz, Mettenius, Hooker, 

 but not the P, serpens of Forster. 



■ Climbing on stems of shrubs and small trees, often several feet 

 above the ground ; at the north end of Key Largo, Florida ; A. H. 



Curtiss, Feb. 21, 1882. 



I have to thank Mr, Davenport for a specimen of this interestmg 

 Httle fern. It was discovered in Santo Domingo nearly two hundred 

 years ago by Plumier, who gave but a slightly exaggerated figure of 

 it under the name oi'' Lingua Cervina scandens, a?igtistts et undosis 

 foliis:' He remarked that the fronds are all drooping because of 

 their very slender stalks. Linnaeus gave no account of this plant; 

 but it has been recognized by most later writers on the West India 



* Fig. 6, the lettering of which was accidentally omitted^ is to the right of 

 Fig. 7. 



