PTERIDOGRAPHIA. 



Forked Liquorice Fern. — The natural venation 

 of ferns follows a forking pattern and it is not sur- 

 prising that forking fronds now and then appear; in 

 fact we may safely predicate forking fronds in any 

 species. As further evidence of this fact, we have re- 

 cently received from Mr. Wilhelm Suksdorf fine speci- 

 mens of forking liquorice fern (Polypodium falca- 

 tum) which were collected near Bingen, Washington. 

 Five forked fronds were found at one time. During 

 the previous year a single frond was found at the same 

 place which inspired the search the following year. 

 With the polypody Mr. Suksdorf included specimens 

 of the matricary grape fern (Botrychium matricariae- 

 folium) collected in the state an interesting reminder 

 of the existence of this small member of the Eastern 

 flora in the Northwest. 



Sex in the Ostrich Fern. — Writers on the pro- 

 thallia of ferns when addressing audiences of sys- 

 tematic botanists are inclined to pass over the sub- 

 ject of the sex-organs with the statement that the 

 heart-shaped prothallus bears the antheridia and arche- 

 gonia, but while this is true for some ferns it is by no 

 means the rule in the fernworts. Some species prac- 

 itcally always have dioecious prothallia the archegonia 

 being borne on one kind and the antheridia on another. 

 Since the young fern is likely to need considerable 

 food before becoming established, it is quite appro- 

 priate that the archegonia are always borne on the best 

 nourished plants. So closely connected are sex and 

 food that it is possible to turn potentially male pro- 

 thallia into female by proper feeding. The ostrich 

 fern (Stnithioptcris Germanica) is one of the species 



