THE WOODSIAS. 99 
round sori as in W. //vensis. The stipe is brown and 
jointed near the rootstock. 
Many botanists have considered this species but a 
smooth form of W. Jivensis. Except for its size and lack 
of scales there is very little to distinguish it from its 
larger relative. Its habitat is reported to be on moist 
rocks. North of the United States, it is found sparingly 
from Ontario to Labrador and Alaska. The plant was 
for a long time known among botanists as Woodsia alpina. 
The Smooth Woodsia. 
The smooth Woodsia (IVoodsia glabella) is nearly 
allied to the alpine Woodsia and is found in the same 
places. It may be distinguished by its shorter fronds, 
fan-shaped, often three-parted, pinnules with toothed 
margins and by the straw-coloured stipes. 
Like IV. hyperborea it is also found in Europe 
and although probably more plentiful than its 
ally,is nowhere common. Mr. W. W. Eggles- 
ton, who has had abundant opportunities for 
studying these rare ferns in the field, writes 
of them in the Fern Bulletin as follows: ‘‘ Many 
of our best botanists collect both, thinking 
they have nothing but this species [Ayperborea 
(alpina)|. Alpina, however, has a black or 
brownish rachis with scattered palaceous hairs, 
while that of g/adela is entirely smooth and 
green. A/pina, also, has alarger, coarser ap- 
pearance in the field... . Weare more often 
deceived, now, by smooth forms of Jlvensis 
than by gladella; in fact, some smooth forms of 
the former require an expert to separate.” 
FERTILE FROND. 
