OKLAHOMA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 69 



Pecos river valley, with an up-stream excursion as far as Roswell, 

 New Mexico ; and to the Rio Grande, with a like excursion as far as 

 El Paso, and Sacorro. 



Pclyoodiiim Incanum CS^r) in Oklahoma 



Three instances of the finding of this fern in Oklahoma, are 

 cited in this paper. First: Bryan county, March. 1914, forming 

 an extensive growth on the north sides of a bur-oak tree. Second : 

 Pitt'-burg county, April 23, 1921, found perching on a huge granite 

 boulder, ("Bare Starr" Cave Expedition, Proceedings of the Okla- 

 homa Academy of Science. University of Oklahoma Bulletin, New 

 Series No. 247. University Studies. No. IS, October 1, 1922). Third: 

 McCurtain county, December, 1922, found extensively along the bot- 

 toms of Norwood creek, near its confluen'-e with Red river. 



The first instance, located by the writer, was subjected to care- 

 ful annual study for eight years, transported specimens being 

 studied under a variety of conditions established in the laboratory; 

 chief attention being given to the habit behavior of the field cul- 

 ture. In 1917, a dam.aging tornado visiting this region and playing 

 havoc in the timberlands along Blue river, swept away the crown 

 qC |-t^p hur-oak tree, the b'^le and lower branche-. dying completely 

 the following summer. The epiphytic fern escaped unscathed and 

 continued to flourish upon the dead oak, and sloughing bark. This 

 culture was visited December 2, 1922, by Prof. M. P. Hatchett, biol- 

 ogist. East Central State Teachers' College, and the writer, who 

 found it in a flourishing condition, comparable to its condition in 

 1914. Specimens of the culture were collected for presentation be- 

 fore the Academy of Science. February 10, 1923. A pen sketch of 

 a habit study is submitted herewith by the author. Figure No. 1. 



The second instance, located by the writer, afforded specimens 

 which were collected and vegetated under bell jars for comparison 

 with the Bryan county specimens. 



The third instance, was located by Dean L. A. Turley, of the 

 Medical School of the University, while on a hunting expedition 

 near Bokhoma, McCurtain county. Dr. Turley states that along 

 Norwood Creek the forest trees reach huge proportions, and that 

 he found this fern extensively mantling the trunks and branches of 

 the trees as high as sixty and seventy feet from the ground. 



These three locations of P. incanum (Sw.) in Oklahoma, 

 (Bryan county, 1914; Pittsburg county, 1921; McCurtain county, 

 1922; and the continuous study of the Bryan county culture from 

 1914 to 1922, indicate that this species should be listed in the Okla- 

 homa cryptogamic flora, and that its presence in Oklahoma is to 



