American Fern Journal 
Vol. 10 JULY-SEPTEMBER, 1920 No. 3. 
The Fern Flora of Alabama 
E. W. Graves 
Atabama lies principally between latitude 30° 31’ on 
the Gulf of Mexico, and 35° under the rim of the Tenn- 
essee highlands, presenting two well-marked divisions. 
The upper or northern half, lying in the rugged moun- 
tains of the southern Alleghanies, offers great complex- 
ity in its geological formation, almost every stratum 
of various epochs being represented here. This gives 
rise to greater diversity of topography and soil than 
exists in any other of the Gulf States, thus producing 
that variety of flora seen in few of her sister States. 
The lower or southern division can be considered as 
a vast plain of great uniformity in its general features; 
gently undulating where the loose sedimentary strata 
of the: Post-tertiary formation prevail, and broken 
where the cherty ridges of the Tertiary and Cretaceious 
rocks offer greater resistance to erosion by water. 
The altitude of the State begins at sea level in the 
extreme south and rises gradually until more than 
2000 ft. is reached in the northern part of the State. 
The flora of Alabama is unsurpassed by any of the 
surrounding states, with the possible exception of North 
Carolina, having about 5000 species and varieties re- 
corded to its credit. Forty different species of orchids 
have been found growing in the State, possibly a 
larger number than could be found in any neighboring 
state except Florida. Some of the rarer orchids of the 
eastern United States I have found plentiful in Ala- 
[Vol. 10, No. 2 of the Journat, pages 33-64, was issued June 29, 1920.] 
