The Fern Lover's Companiox 71 



5. Cloak Fern. Notholaena 



Small ferns with fruit-dots borne beneath the reA'ohite 

 margin of the pinnules, at first roimdish, but soon confluent 

 into a narrow band without indusium. Veins free. 

 Fronds one to several times pinnate, the lower surface 

 hairy, or tomentose or jiowdery. Includes about forty 

 species, mostly American, but only one within our limits. 

 (Greek name means spurious cloak, alluding to the rudi- 

 mentary or counterfeit indusium.) 



(1) Powdery Cloak Fern. Nofholaena dcalhata 



Fronds two to six inches long, triangular-o^•ate, acute, 

 broadest at the base, tripinnate. Stalks tufted, wiry, 

 shining, dark brown. Upper surface of the \-ery small seg- 

 ments green, smooth, the lower densely coated with a pure, 

 white powder; hence, the specific name dealbata, which 

 means whitened. Sori brown at length; veins free. 



There are several species of cloak ferns, but only one 

 within our limits. The dry, white powder which covers 

 them doubtless is designed to protect them from too rapid 

 e^^aporation of moisture, as they all inhabit dry and sunny 

 places. This delicate rock-loving fern is found in the 

 clefts of dry limestone rocks in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, 

 and southwestward. 



The Chain Fern.s. Woodwardia 



Large and somewhat coarse ferns of swampy woods 

 with pinnate or nearly two-])innate fronds, and oblong or 

 linear fruit-dots, arranged in one or more chain-like rows, 



