The Fern Lover's Companion 151 



to year, and no great harm seems to result. Canada to 

 Kentucky and westward. 



A tripinnate form of tin's variety discovered at Con- 

 cord, Mass., hy Henrj^ Purdie, has been named var. con- 

 coRDiANUAi. It has small, elliptical, denticulate pinnules 

 and a glandular-pubescent indusium. 



Var. A^IEEIf'AXU^^ ( = (lilalaitnn, syn.). Fronds broader, 

 o\-ate or triangular-ovate in outline. A more highly 

 developed form of the ty])ical plant, the lower pinna? being 

 often very broad, and the fronds tri])innate. Inferior 

 pinnules on the lower ])air of ])inn;e c(jns))icuously elon- 

 gated. A variety preferring upland woods; northern New 

 England, Crcenland to the mountains of North Caro- 

 lina, Pennsylvania, ^Michigan and northward. 



The Bladder Ferns. Cysioplcris 



"Mark ye the ferns that cluthe those <lri])piiig rocks, 

 Their hair-like stalks, tjioiigli trenililiiit^ ']icath tlie shock 

 Of falling s])ray(lrops, rooted firmly there." 



The bladder ferns arc a dainty, roek-loving family 

 partial to a limestone soil. (The Greek name cysfopteris 

 means bladder fern, so called in allusion to the hood- 

 shaped indusium.) 



(1) The ]?uLiii.ET He.vdder Fern 

 Cjj.sfopteris hiilhifcra. F)Ux biilbifera 



Fronds lanceolate, elongated, one to three feet long, 

 fwicepinnate. Pinna? lanceolate-oblong, jjointed, horizon- 

 tal, the lowest ])air longest. Rachis and ])inna; often bear- 

 ing bulblets beneath. Pimndes toothed or deeplj' lobed. 

 Indusium short, truncate on the free side. Stipe short. 



