TORREYA 



^£W YCRK 

 BOTANICAL 



Vol. 41 



May- June, 1941 



No. 3 



Rhode Island Ferns 



Kenneth E. Wright and Dorothy L. Craxdall 



The most recent contribution to the literature on the ferns of 

 Rhode Island that the authors were able to find was that of George 

 Noble (3) published in 1920. This is a revision of the first fifty-eight 

 pages of James L. Bennett (2) book, which appeared in 1888. The 

 only other publication found containing any sizeable list of ferns 

 was that of William Bailey (1) published in 1895. Since many 

 changes have occurred in the nomenclature of these ferns, and sev- 

 eral species and forms have subsequently been found in Rhode 

 Island, it was felt that a recent list would be a worthwhile contribu- 

 tion to our knowledge of Rhode Island flora. Nomenclature con- 

 forms with that of C. A. Weatherby's (4) article in the American 

 Fern Journal. Most of the ferns listed below were collected and filed 

 in Rhode Island State College Herbarium by the authors. For 

 additional specimens the authors are indebted to Dr. Walter H. 

 Snell for access to the herbaria of Brown University and of Pro- 

 fessor J. Franklin Collins, and to Mr. Albert Lownes for the use of 

 his private herbarium. 



Ferxs of Rhode Island 



Polypodiaceae 



Poly podium virgimamim L . 

 Adiantnm pedatum L. 

 Pteridium lathisculiini (Desv.) Hieron 

 PeUca atro purpurea (L.) Link 

 Woodivavdia virginica (L.) Sm. 

 Woodivardia arcolata (L.) Moore 

 Asplcnium Trichoinanes L. 

 Asplcnium platyncuron (L.) Oakes 

 Athyriuni asplenioidcs (Michx.) Desv. 



Common Polypody 

 Maiden-hair Fern 

 Brake or Bracken 

 Purple-stemmed Cliff-brake 

 Virginia Chain-fern 

 Net-veined Chain-fern 

 Maiden-hair Spleenwort 

 Ebony Spleenwort 

 Lady-fern 



ToRREYA for May-June (Vol. 41: 73-104) was issued June 19, 1941. 



73 



