101 



pinnae are beautifully heart-shaped at base, and attached 

 to the rachis by a delicate but distinct stipe. There seems 

 to be considerable difference in the texture of the fronds, 

 some being very pellucid so as to show the venation with 

 perfect clearness, while others are nearly opaque and so 

 covered with fruit that it is. difficult to see the venation 

 distinctly. But so far as I have been able to examine 

 them, I can find no traces of anastomosing, such as Dr. 

 Waters describes in some of his specimens. All the 

 veins seem to be perfectly free, and they all stop short 

 of the edges of the pinnae. 



Dicksoxia pilosiuscula f. xaxa. f.x. This species 

 belongs solely to North America east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. Although it was first named by Michaux in 1803, 

 it must have been well known to the earlier botanists, as 

 it is not only common but grows, as none of our other 

 ferns do, in masses covering- considerable areas of 

 ground. Yet nothing was ever heard of any pronounced 

 variation in the species until W. R. Maxon published the 

 variety, cristata in The Ferx Rulletix for July, 1899. 

 Three years later, in July, 1902. \Y. X. Clute published 

 his form schizophylla, discovered by A. \ "incent Osmun 

 at Andover. Connecticut. To these another is now to be 

 added, the form nana, discovered by Dr. C. E. Waters 

 among rocks mixed with micaceous soil at the foot of a 

 steep slope near Lock Raven, Maryland. It resembles 

 schizopliylla in two respects: the pinnules are similarly 

 incised, and the specimens so far as known are barren 

 of fruit. It differs from that and from the normal form 

 by having the pinnae round and full-foliaged at the ends, 

 while in most cases as they approach the rachis the pin- 

 nules stand farther and farther apart and dwindle to 

 mere green points just above their bases, although the 

 basal pinnules, or one of them, are again somewhat en- 

 larged. The size of the five fronds sent to me varies 

 from 13 to 27 centimeters in length. They arc broadest 

 at the base, ranging from 4 to 7 centimeters. The form 

 is rare and pretty. 



Athvrium filix-fcemixa var. pectixatum. Wal- 



