178 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



houses, the incanum makes clum.ps or masses, from the snarling of 

 the root-stocks, I suppose. It is usually called the "Resurrection 

 fern" because it dries up, and then freshens again when wet. I used 

 to be very much interested in watching an old roof which was par- 

 tially covered with it. In dry weather it was as neutral tinted as any 

 other old shingle-roof, but after a shower, it showed a bright fresh 

 green fern-garden ! 



Polypodium pedinatum, L. is well established on the banks of a 

 deep, wide ditch at Daytona. This ditch or "canal" was made to 

 drain a hummock land a hall mile or more back from the river, and 

 is well shaded by the underbrush and large trees growing all around. 

 The P. pectinatum fronds fruit sometimes when only two inches in 

 length, but generally they are from 6-33 inches long and heavily fruit- 

 ed. I have found them growing on old logs, but, except one plant at 

 the base of a tree-trunk, never on living trees. On the contrary, as far 

 as I know. P. Plumula grows ordinarily upon live trees ; I have never 

 seen it upon the ground, and only once on a prostrate log. My speci- 

 mens of P. pectinaiumi are all from the Halifax river. I have lately 

 learned of a locality about twenty -six miles south of St. A., which I 

 hope to visit this summer. 



P. Plumnla, Willd. possesses the same power of drying and fresh- 

 ening, that the P. incatiutn has. I find it difficult to keep the color of 

 this little fern, as it is apt to turn brown within a few weeks after 

 pressing. Although I have had a hundred and twenty or more fronds, 

 I have not yet gathered a score of fruited ones, and judge that fertile 

 fronds are scarce. In drying up on the trees, the incurved pinnas of 

 P incanum fold face to face so as to bring the smooth upper surfaces to- 

 gether, while the frond shows a decided tendency to curl up from tip 

 toward base. This position makes the scurfy-scaled under sides of 

 the pinnas very marked, and the little fern is quite comical in its e*i- 

 tirely shut-up aspect. The Phiinida fronds are very curious in their 

 dried-up state. The rhachis takes a backward bend above the middle 

 as if to prepare for coiling; this curve, ending in the recurved tip of 

 the frond, is strongly suggestive of the graceful curve of the swan's 

 neck. Each pinna rolls up tightly from its tip toward the rhachis, 

 making about three turns ; the under side with its dark midrib is thus 

 brought into notice. In opening, the pinnas nearest the base unroll 

 first, continuing up the stalk. 



The P. Plumula grows on living trees in deep forests about fourteen 

 miles west of St, Augustine. It may be common, but I have never 

 found it anywhere ejse, excepting one plant which I saw in the In- 



