—44— 



of the little Adders-tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulga- 

 tum ). If it was on the stipe of the plant it was too small 

 to see with my pocket glass. There are, I should say. as 

 many sterile plants as fruited ones where I studied them. 



St. Johnsbury, Vt. 



THE FORMS OF THE CINNAMON FERN. 



By Willard N. Clute. 



The forms of the cinnamon fern have never struck me 

 as being important enough to merit much attention, al- 

 though it seems reasonable that form names should be 

 given to such variations as are fairly constant and dis- 

 tinct enough to be visible. Such variations as have been 

 named glandulosa by Mr. Waters, and incisa by Mr. 

 Huntington belong. I am sure, to this category. Gray's 

 frondosa may also be retained for this peculiar form, al- 

 though we now know it to be due to some injury to the 

 plant and quite comparable to the obtusilobata forms of 

 the sensitive and ostrich ferns. 



For some years I have been cognizant of a very dis- 

 tinct form of the cinnamon fern which I had supposed 

 was to be referred to Mr. Huntington's incisum, but re- 

 cently in looking up the description of that fern I find 

 that he says his specimens are incised. In my specimens, 

 however, the half dozen pairs of pinnules nearest the 

 rachis in each pinna are regularly and deeply lobed. mak- 

 ing such fronds nearly tripinnate and forming an exceed- 

 ingly graceful plant. It is noticeable that the variation 

 is basal ; the deepest lobes are at the base of the pinnules, 

 the deepest lobed pinnules at the base of the pinnae and 

 the greatest amount of lobing is at the base of the frond. 

 I have seen specimens from both Illinois and Pennsyl- 

 vania and in each case the plants grew in deep, rich 

 woods where the soil was wet. The form appears to be 

 produced by an abundance of shade and plant food and 

 would no doubt revert to the type in sun or poor soil. I 



