46 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 
respects to that of the serpentine barrens of Pennsyl- 
vania and Maryland. One of the most interesting 
plants is Selenia aurea, a southwestern crucifer of ex- 
tremely local occurence. The sandstone deposits here are 
of comparatively recent formation, marking the course 
of a large river long since extinct. In the sandstone 
along the old river-bed one finds many impressions left 
by trunks and branches of trees, as well as other rem- 
nants of vegetation. 
In 1904 Mr. 8. F. Prince published! a list of 17 species 
of ferns from the vicinity of Marble Cave, Stone County, . 
south of Greene County. All of the species listed except : 
one, Asplenium Ruta-muraria, occur in the area here 
treated. 2 
1. NorHoLAENA DEALBATA (Pursh) Kunze. This is a : 
southwestern species which reaches the northeastern limit 
of its range in southern Missouri. It is said to occur in 
Greene County at several places along Sac Creek, but | 
the writer has found it but once, at the Matherly Bluffs | 
along the Sac near the northern edge of the county. . 
Here it grows in a most arid environment, in pockets in : 
the face of magnesian limestone cliffs, exposed to the | 
direct rays of the sun. In very dry weather the fronds 
shrivel, to expand again when moisture is abundant, 
much like the resurrection plant of the Southwest. The 
writer has seen Notholaena dealbata growing abundantly 
in a similar situation in southern New Mexico upon s 
rocks of almost exactly the same appearance. It seems : 
to be confined naturally to clefts of limestone rocks; 
but in spite of this, one instance in Missouri is known to 
the writer in which plants were transplanted to ordinary 
garden soil, on the north side of a house, and continued 
to thrive for several years. 
_ 2. ADIANTUM PEDaTUM L. Common in many places 
in damp woods, either along small streams or on north- 
ward slopes. — 
bpesorsneeneun gs etc rence ’ 
1 Fern Bulletin 12: 42-77, 
