6 



L. alopecuroides. — This species also was found in savannahs 

 near Biloxi. In the South the variation of the plant is quite small 

 in amount. The arching of the stem, its thickness (4-5 mm.) 

 and the leaf positions separate it very readily from L. pinnatum. 

 Recently we advanced the notion that the presence or absence of 

 reflexion of the sporophylls when ripe would serve to distinguish 

 the two plants, but our observations in the South do not strengthen 

 that view. The plants were, however, not ripe, and further ob- 

 servation is necessary. 



L. adpressum. — The validity of this species is still open to 

 some doubt. We found during July last, in bogs near Toms 

 River, N. J., many plants which show the same perplexing varia- 

 tion recently referred to by Clute in the Fern Bulletin (9 : 8. 

 1 901). No plant of the species was found in the South. As 

 the plants of Toms River were by no means mature we hesitate 

 to submit an opinion on them further than to say that forms 

 from New Jersey, hitherto regarded as L. alopecuroides and 

 L. adpressum are apparently the ends of a series of many inter- 

 gradations. One point we think settled, namely, that the denticu- 

 lations of the leaves are of no constant specific value in distin- 

 guishing species of this segregate. It is, however, worth while 

 to point out that the plants of the inundatum group, from that 

 species to L. alopecuroides, including the so-called adpressum, are 

 to be regarded as a series of forms in a plastic condition. They 

 seem also to be very susceptible to small changes or differences 

 in the environment. It becomes necessary, therefore, to study 

 them very carefully in the field, and full series of specimens 

 should be collected with differences in habitat carefully noted. 

 One way in which some useful work might be done by those 

 who are in favorable conditions would be to exchange growing 

 plants, say of L. inundatum and L. alopecuroides and to deter- 

 mine by cultivation in different environmental conditions whether 

 the}' vary toward each other. It is also of great interest to note 

 that the segregate has in the Old World, so far as known, only 

 one representative, L. inundatum. 



