- 
1917] Butters,— Studies in Ferns — Athyrium 179 
pean plant, but, in some cases, differ from the common European forms 
of A. Filix-femina in certain minor points, and are then best regarded 
as a geographical variety of that species. 
3. That the lady ferns of California, and the southern Rocky 
Mountains differ more markedly from the European plant, but are 
not clearly distinct from the more northern form, and therefore are 
best considered as a second, and much more aberrant geographical 
variety of A. Filix-femina. 
4. That a boreal and high alpine fern found in eastern Quebec and 
in the alpine areas of western North America, is a clearly distinct 
geographical variety of the old world A. alpestre. 
2. AtTHyrium Finrx-remrna (L.) Roth.! 
Since the conception of this species among American botanists seems 
to have become considerably confused by the failure to distinguish it 
from the related forms of eastern America, a brief account of its chief 
characteristics seems desirable. The following description has been 
drawn up mainly from the specimens of the European plant in the 
Gray Herbarium (about twenty-five in number), together with a careful 
comparison with the standard works on British and continental ferns. 
The rhizome is generally described as erect, sometimes as erect or 
ascending, rarely as decumbent. Even in cases where it is not 
entirely erect, there appears to be always, a distinct upright crown of 
fronds, with the young growth in their midst.” 
! Polpodium Filiz femina L. Sp. Pl. ii. 1090 (1753). Athyrium Filix Foemina Roth ex Mertens, 
Archiv fiir die Botanik, ii. pt. 1, 106 (1799). Athyrium Filiz femina Roth, Tent. Flor. 
iii. se fa BO 
l. In the Gray 
Herta only ve European nts oh pc sre the crown of the rhizome. One of 
t 70° , the other, from bends 
at an angle of about 45°. An Algerian speci has t 1g 
li th th th i d d by the bases 







In this connecti the testimony of certain European writers is interesting. Thos Newsies, 
Hist. of Brit. Ferns, ed. I. 62 (1840), says ‘ tically elong 
several inches above the surface of the ground: i instance I h it th foot 
in height, thus evincing a considerable ixoniae, and other tree ferns,”’ and 
History of British Ferns, ed. I. 87 (1851), seh “The habit of the plant is 
tufted, the caudex of larger varieties of ith acquiring some length, and elevating 
the circlet of f: on a low, rude pedestal; this stem, however, never than 
pings or elevated a few inches above the surface, is occupied by a mass of incipient fronds, 
while Milde, Die Gafass-Crypt. 
Schles. 570 (1858), speaks of the ‘ ‘said aaiilahhaa adie wale: cileiciguadens Dhue 

