14 NOVA SCOTIAN FERNS—BALL. 
ASPIDIUM SPINULOSUM (Gray). 
Though in our Nova Scotian plants the scales cannot be said 
to be deciduous (for they are retained by the fronds even when 
past maturity), yet this fact will scarcely perhaps warrant my 
calling the indigenous plant a variety—obliquum, and, as the 
plant in all other respects answers to Gray’s description, if I were 
to revise my paper, I should drop the idea of the variety and 
give it as Gray does. 
A. spin. var. intermedium. Early in the Spring I noticed 
many plants of spinulosum so completely covered with glands 
as to render them, from this fact, markedly conspicuous to the 
naked eye even, and very distinct from other plants of same 
species, growing side by side with them in some instances, so 
that from a distance of 20 feet the unrolled glandulous fronds 
could be distinguished from the shining smooth ones. Marking 
several of these as yet undeveloped fronds, I find that the glan- 
dulous are intermedium and the smooth Gray’s N. American 
typical Aspid. spinulosum. I had not noticed this to be the case 
before. 
A. spin. var. dilatatum. This is a very distinctly marked 
variety. The fronds, by their broader growth, the pinnze wider in 
the centre than at their bases, and at this season of the year, 
both in young and old plants, mottled with decay spots. But 
the most singular distinction is the long creeping rhizome, 
with the stumps of old fronds very stout, shorter than in var. 
intermedium and not overlapping so much. Intermedium has a 
more or less assurgent rhizome. The same characteristics mark 
both young and old plants, nor are these peculiarities owing to 
different habitats, for 1 find specimens of these two varieties 
most markedly distinct and yet with their rhizomes in contact 
with each other. 
I have sent specimens of the three to the Halifax Nursery, 
and have asked Mr. Harris (the younger J. H.) to keep one of 
the roots of dilatata for you. 
If you should deem this worthy of bringing to the notice of 
the Institute, with the rhizome and frond (from Minudie, Cum- 
berland Co.) to illustrate, it is respectfully submitted. 
