CATALOGUE. 325 



States. In one form or another, the common Brake occurs in almost every region of the earth. In 

 Oregon and Northern California, it forms thickets as high or higher than a man's head, and many acres 

 in extent. The miners of California boil the young fronds, and eat ttem as a substitue for asparagus. 



VIII. ADIANTUM. Linn. 

 Adiantum pedatuni, Linn. 



In moist, rocky places, from Santa Cruz, California, to Oregon and Washington Territory, and 

 northward to Unalashka, Wahsatch Mts., Utah. Common in the Atlantic States from North Carolina to 

 Canada. It also occurs in Japan and Mautcbooria, but does not appear to have been found among the 

 mountains of Colorado, where it might reasonably have been expected. 



Adiantum Capillus- Veneris, Linn. 



Stalks and rachises very slender, nearly black, polished ; frond ovate- 

 lanceolate in outline, very delicate, smooth, bipinnate or sub-tripinnate, the 

 upper half or third simply pinnate ; pinnules and upper pinna? wedge-obo- 

 vate or somewhat rhomboid, rather long-stalked, the sides nearly straight 

 or moderately concave, the upper margin commonly rounded and more or 

 less incised, crenated, or [in the plant of our district] acutely dentato- 

 serrate, except where the margin is recurved to form the lunulate or trans- 

 versely oblong separated involucres.— Sp. PL p. 1558. Hook. Sp. Fil. ii, 

 p. 36; British Ferns, t. 41. D. (J. Eaton in Chapman's Flora, p. 591. 



About the mouth of springs and wells in Southern Utah; St. George (Drs. Palmer and Parry), 

 Kanab, Mrs. Thompson. New Mexico (C. Wright, No. 2123), Camp Bowie, Dr. Rothrock. Damp canons in 

 Southern California (G. TV. Dunn), near Santa Barbara (Mrs. Cooper), and at Cassitas Pass, Dr. Rothrock. 

 Also from North Carolina and Florida to the Hot Springs of the Arkansas and Texas. Its range extends 

 throughout a great portion of Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceanica. 



Plant with a short, creeping rootstock, the stalks very delicate, 4-8 or 10 inches long, sometimes 

 erect, but more frequently drooping or pendulous ; frond 8-10 inches long, but in favored stations occa- 

 sionally very much larger. The plant of the Gulf and Atlantic States is very similar to the European 

 form, having the pinnules mostly sharply cuneate, often deeply lobed, and the upper or outer margin of 

 the sterile pijnules creuated or obscurely toothed; but the plant of Utah, California, etc., differs in 

 having the pinnules broader, firmer, less incised, and the outer margin, if sterile, very acutely and finely 

 toothed, the veinlets even slightly produced into minute needle-points. In all these points it shows a 

 Blight approach to the following. 



Adiantum eniarginatuin, Hooker. 



Stalks and rachises rather stout, nearly black, polished ; frond broadly 

 ovate or deltoid-pyramidal, 2-3-pinnate, pinnules and upper pinna; of 

 ample size, rather long-petioled, smooth or nearly so, rounded or even 

 reniform, the very base sub-cuneate, lower edges commonly a little con- 

 cave, upper margin rounded, slightly incised ; if sterile, acutely dentate, 

 with the veins running to the points of the teeth ; but when fruiting, with 



