Dowell: Notes on Some Staten Island Ferns 167 



dusia had been recognized as a distinguishing mark between this 

 fern and the type specimens of D. pittsfordensis in the herbarium 

 of the New York Botanical Garden. 



The validity of this distinction was emphasized when I had the 

 opportunity of examining another specimen with glandular in- 

 dusia, similar to the New Springville plant. This specimen had 

 been collected by Air. R. C. Benedict near Solvay, N. Y., Aug. 9, 

 1905, sent by him to Professor L. M. Underwood, and by Pro- 

 fessor Underwood submitted to me for identification. In spite 

 of the recognized differences between the type specimens of D. 

 pittsfordensis and this specimen, it was then identified as D. pitts- 

 fordensis, in accordance with Professor Underwood's treatment 

 of our common American wood fern with glandular indusia as a 

 variety of D. spinulosa instead of as a recognized species, D. 

 intermedia (Muhl.) A. Gray. The validity of the distinction was 

 further established when I found, on Staten Island, Aug. 17, 1906 

 (4^/0), a live plant similar to the type specimens of D. pittsfor- 

 densis and differing from the New Springville plant in its general 

 appearance and smooth indusia. 



This was another link in the chain of associations that led to 

 the conviction that these ferns are the representatives of two 

 sets of hybrids, one with D. intermedia, and the other with D. 

 spinulosa. Moreover, it served to establish the conviction that 

 our common American evergreen wood fern with glandular in- 

 dusia is fully entitled to specific rank and that we should follow 

 Muhlenberg and Gray in recognizing it as such. 



*Dryopteris marginalis X spinulosa Slosson, Bull. Torrey 



Club 36 : 49. 29 Ja 1909. 



D. pittsfordensis Slosson, Rhodora 6 : 75. /. /. 6 Ap 1904. 



Woods east of Bradley Avenue, in a small wet depression, 

 Aug. 17, 1906 (4370). This is the plant referred to under D. 

 intermedia X marginalis. There were, in fact, two plants grow- 

 ing side by side, but one of them was small and undeveloped and 

 was not at that time identified with certainty. The older plant 

 was transplanted at Port Richmond on September 2 of the same 



