Fern Notes 5 
Camptosorus, spleenworts, etc. They were so small and 
dry, their fronds all curled up (many were not half 
an inch long), they could searcely be distinguished from 
the lichens among which they grew. One plant was 
particularly interesting. It had the largest fronds (up 
to 414 inches long); its branching rhizomes had climbed 
spirally up the base of a small dead tree to the height 
of twelve or fourteen inches, appearing so much like 
a vine with dead-looking leaves, that it could easily 
have been overlooked. 
We have visited the locality several times since, and 
find that the polypody unfolds and flattens out its 
fronds during damp or rainy weather, appearing to 
80 on with its business of growing, only to curl up again 
when dry conditions return. 
We found Cheilanthes lanuginosa growing in the 
hollows and crevices of a low cliff in the greatest pro- 
fusion. It also presented a very dead and dried-up 
‘ppearance, except in moist weather when it would 
‘pread out flat in dense rosettes and become a thing 
of beauty - The habits of these two ferns would seem 
to indicate very dry conditions, but with them, on the 
‘ame rocks, grew also Cystopteris, Woodsia, and Camp- 
losorus! 
_ Pellaea atropurpurea is the common fern here, grow- 
ing everywhere, even sometimes in the ground, which 
* Very stony. The fertile fronds which were formed 
last summer and fall are mature, and the sterile fronds 
stowing lustily. There was one large colony, in all 
Stages from prothallia to bare stems of ancient plants, 
“owing in the hollow of an old log, which had a few 
Mehes of earth in it. ee 
The sterile fronds of Woodsia obtusa and Cystopteris 
irs mace patches of lively green in the cigars 
CAG 4mptosorus covered many of the boulders wit 
se mat of green. With it, as usual, were the two 
