Sor REaAcTIONS OF FERNS 7 
FEATURES OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES.! 
The soils of the curly grass fern, Schizaea pusilla, have 
been tested at three localities in the New Jersey Pine 
Barrens, at all of which it grows in damp sand together 
with a short stemmed sphagnum. The reaction proved 
to be mediacid in all cases, and it is to be classed as a 
typical intensely-acid soil plant. Its relative the climb- 
ing fern, Lygodium palmatum, has been similarly studied 
in New Jersey and in Maryland just east of the District 
of Columbia, the same reaction being found. This 
plant is much more widespread than the curly grass, 
and may be tolerant of a somewhat less degree of acid- 
ity; but for the present both are placed in the same 
class. 
The American royal fern, Osmunda regalis variety 
spectabilis, and the cinnamon fern, 0. cumnamomea, are 
apparently identical in occurrence and soil requirements. 
They thrive best in sphagnum swamps, and tests of 
their soils there have shown, of course, high degrees of 
acidity. They also grow in damp woods where more or 
less leaf mold has accumulated, and tests of such local- 
ities in Pennsylvania and adjoining states have shown 
reactions ranging down to minimacidity. They are 
therefore classed as acid soil species. The interrupted 
fern, Osmunda Claytoniana, while found in the same 
general places as the two preceding, grows best in the 
leaf mold and is only exceptionally found in sphagnum. 
It is, moreover, abundant in calcareous glacial drift 
soils in northern New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the 
reaction has been found to reach a slight degree of alkal- 
inity. It is accordingly classed as relatively indifferent. 
1The nomenclature used here follows the 7th edition of Gray’s Manual, 
with most of the changes urged by Mr. Weatherby (Rhodora, 21: 173- 
179, 1919; also 22: 80, 1920). In order to aid readers who do not have 
the literature at hand, and who of course will not find the ne 
any previous text-book or other compilation on 
less well-known synonyms are added in many ca 
