—28— 



segment never opens out, but keeps the form assumed in the bud. 



The time of fruiting is about the same as with lanceolatum. I 

 have found a few ready to disseminate spores the first of July, 

 but most are ripe about the 20th, and it is well into August before 

 the last attain maturity. The largest specimens resemble ?natri- 

 caricefolium in the position of the sterile frond, three-quarters the 

 way up the stem, but this is always simply pinnate and that is 

 incised and lobed, even in small plants. The smaller specimens 

 remind one of lanceolatum from the position of the sterile frond 

 being sessile at the top of the stem ; but its simple character again 

 distinguishes it, as does the simple spike. Botrychium lunar ia 

 is the only species having a similar arrangement of the sterile 

 segments, and, strangely enough, the vernation agrees also. A 

 glance at the two will convince one that they are distinct. The 

 fact that lunaria is so rare and grows on dry knolls, besides hav- 

 ing the sterile segment sessile, is enough to cause one to hesitate 

 long before ascribing to that species a plant of so different aspect 

 and habitat, and which is so common, because of the vernation 

 and other minor similarities. The vernation may be diagnostic 

 for the species now known, but that is no argument that other 

 species of precisely the same vernation may not exist. 



A prominent pteridologist to whom some of this was sent 

 called it simplex, "but unsatisfactory, as simplex always is when 

 growing in the shade." In view of this I have tabulated the dif- 

 ferences between them as observed in four years' study. 



Simplex has, to my knowledge, been found but once east of 

 the Connecticut river in Massachusetts, Mr. Sears having found 

 a few at Salem. Last June I found four specimens on a gravelly 

 hill of 150 feet elevation in full sun, among Antennaria plan- 

 tagincefolia, as directed by Mr. Eggleston, of Rutland, Vt. This 

 is the only New Hampshire station I am aware of. The species 

 under discussion is apparently very common, but overlooked be- 

 cause so small. 



Simplex has the sterile frond from base or below the middle, 

 is very fleshy throughout, and in the fresh state has a bluish cast 

 similar to matricaricrfolium. This plant has the sterile frond 

 above the middle, the texture is not much fleshy, the color is 

 yellowish. (The variety fall ax of simplex has the frond above 

 the middle, but it appears to be accidental, occurring amongst 

 the true form. I have seen only very small plants so constructed, 

 and the appearance is doubtless abnormal.) 



