114 



THE FERN BULLETIN 



and have wintered it in a cool cellar. Each spring it 

 comes up true in color but the fronds are long and 

 drooping, covering the side of the pot and lying on the 

 table. — Mrs. A. E. Scoullar, Sebago Lake, Maine. 



Shelter Island Ferns. — Shelter Island is a small 

 island at the east end of Long Island, New York. The 

 country is not one particularly favorable for ferns, but 

 no less than sixteen species are known to grow there. 

 The following list has been sent us by Miss Lavinia E. 

 Chester: Pteris aquilina, Aspleninm ebeneum, A. Mix- 

 foemina, Nephrodium thelypteris, N. noveboracense, 

 N. cristatnm, N. marginale, N. spinulosnm, Polysti- 

 chum acrostichoides, Dicksonia pilosiuscula, Onoclea 

 sensibilis, Osmunda cinnamomea, 0. re gaits, 0. clay- 

 to niana, Woodwardia Virginica and Botrychium ter- 

 natum. Doubtless several others will be found when 

 every nook has been searched. 



The Fertile Spike of Ophioglossum. — After a 

 study of the vascular system of the sporophyte of the 

 Ophioglossaceae M. A. Chrysler supports the view 

 that the fertile spike is to be regarded as consisting of 

 two fused pinnae. This is true of the species of Bo- 

 try chin in in which the fertile spike has a double vascu- 

 lar supply. The allied genus Aneimia is remarkable 

 for always having two fertile spikes on each frond, both 

 springing from the base of the frond and very evidently 

 transformed pinnae. In view of this the double vascu- 

 lar supply to the Botrychium spike is quite according 

 to nature. The Ophioglossaceae have always been 

 regarded as a very ancient and simple family of ferns, 

 but if the new view is correct, they may now be con- 

 sidered rather highly specialized. 



