for the use of the photograph which we have pleasure in pro- 

 ducing elsewhere in this number. — W. X. C. 



A NEW FORM OF OSMUND A CINNAMOMEA. 



By C. E. Waters. 



About the middle of July, while collecting Woodwardias and 

 Dryoptcris simulata, my attention was attracted by the rusty ap- 

 pearance of a plant of Osmunda cinnamomca. Investigation 

 showed that this was not due, as at first supposed, to a parasitic 

 fungus, but to a rather dense glandular pubescence. Later, on 

 the 28th and 31st of August, further search was made and plants 

 having this pecularity were found in abundance. Both the 

 variety and the typical form of the species grow in large numbers 

 in low sphagnum woods near Glen Burnie, in Anne Arundel 

 county, Maryland. It cannot be said that the variation is due to 

 peculiarities of soil or to varying amounts of sunlight (which ex- 

 planation suggested itself at first), for the two forms grow side 

 by side all through the woods. It is my opinion that we have a 

 distinct variety, which it is proposed to name variety glandulosa. 



The pubescence is not of the ordinary form, that is, composed 

 of simple hairs, but is distinctly glandular, the hairs being en- 

 larged at the tips and covered with a sticky substance. The 

 pubescence of early summer is of an entirely different character. 

 In some of our specimens the latter was still adherent to the 

 stems and along the midribs of the pinnae as late as August 31. 

 but I think it was held in place by the sticky secretion of the 

 glandular hairs. It was noticed that many of the fronds ad- 

 hered to the driers in much the same way that Dicksonia does 

 when pressed. 



In Osmunda cinnamomca forma glandulosa the outlines of the 

 fronds and pinnae, stem characters, and vernal pubescence are 

 as in type. The pinnae are more or less densely glandular-pubes- 

 cent below, especially along the midribs and veins and smooth or 

 glandular-pubescent along the veins above. The rachis and upper 

 part of the stipe is also glandular-pubescent. 



Fronds from two to five feet tall were found, and in some in- 

 stances the stems and pinnae appeared rusty from the glandular 

 hairs. The variety can often be distinguished by touch. The 

 specimens in the Gray and the New England Botanical Club 



