14 



THE FERN BULLETIN 



the sterile segment is borne farther above the base — a 

 very small difference to found a variety upon, we are 

 inclined to think even in this day of species-making. 

 Angitstum is a small narrow form and simplicissimum 

 is, as its name indicates, a poorly nourished form with 

 a very small, entire sterile segment and less than half 

 a dozen spore-cases in the fertile spike. We illustrate 

 three of the more prominent forms taken from Mr. 

 Woynar's prints. 



THE FERNS OF NORTHWESTERN MISSOURI. 



BY F. C. GREENE. 



The following rather incomplete notes are offered 

 as a preliminary list of the ferns of northwestern Mis- 

 souri. The country adjoining the Missouri river 

 proved to be a surprise for with its bluffs of limestone, 

 sandstone and shale it promised to yield many species. 

 The total noted was eight. Many of the old familiar 

 friends of the East were either wanting or rare, not- 

 ably the Christmas fern which, however, appears to 

 be very abundant in the country bordering the Chari- 

 ton river to the east. 



The one most abundant fern is Cystopteris fragilis 

 with the maidenhair a close second, both being noted in 

 practically every county. Camptosorus rhizophyllus, 

 Woodsia obtusa, Pellaea atropurpurea and Botry- 

 chium Virginiamim were seen in many counties and 

 Onoclea sensibilis was found in the bottoms of the 

 Nodaway river in Andrew County and to the east in 

 Clinton and Mercer counties. Asplenium angustifol- 

 ium appears to be rather rare along the Missouri river. 



The most interesting fern of the region is Notho- 

 JaciHi dealbata found growing exclusively in lime- 

 stone bluffs wher local semi-arid conditions prevail. 



