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Nephrolepis exaltata was very abundant down the river, but 

 growing on the ground rather than on trees. On the South Fork 

 of the Miami were most luxuriant growths of N. acuta. It was 

 difficult to procure suitable specimens for the herbarium, so long 

 were the fronds, many measuring more than five feet in length. 

 They grew as thickly as it was possible for them to stand, under 

 the shade of low trees on the river bank. This fern has every 

 resemblance to that sold by the florists as the Boston sword- 

 Tern. On this trip, also, were procured fine specimens of Acros- 

 tichum aurcum. A. Iomarioidcs was abundant farther north, 

 particularly at Ormond where it lined the banks of the Halifax 

 river in great numbers. The largest specimen was found at a 

 point below Palm Beach, at the ostrich farm, where one fruiting 

 frond measured nine feet in length. A few starved plants were 

 found on the Tomoka river, a fresh water stream flowing into the 

 Halifax, showing that the plant needs the influence of the salt 

 water. The two species seemed to intermingle, or possibly not 

 enough study has been given to them. A good deal of time was 

 spent over them at Ormond, and they were found very puzzling. 

 The plants found on the Miami river answered very perfectly to 

 the description in Dr. Underwood's "Our Native Ferns." in the 

 solitary clusters, comparatively few pinnae, and sporangia con- 

 fined to the upper part of the frond ; in fact, in regard to every- 

 thing but the black spurs which were not very evident. On a 

 small creek flowing into the Miami river, on splendid specimens 

 of A. aurcum were w\hat might be undeveloped or abortive spurs. 



When we came to study them in Ormond. we found in the 

 same clump or closely adjoining, both kinds of stems, pinnae, and 

 fructification. The swampy shores of Silver Spring Run. and the 

 Ocklawaha. into which it empties, would seem to be an ideal 

 place for fern allies, but these were almost destitute of any- 

 thing of the kind. A few plants of Nephrodium patens, one or 

 two bunches of Vittaria, and a few of Polypodium aurcum. were 

 all that were seen in two trips of a dozen miles. In the vicinity 

 of St. Augustine and Jacksonville, in the wet pine barren were 

 great numbers of 0. cinnamomca. and Onoclea scnsibilis. and 

 the marshes were full of Woodwardia virginica, and W. angusti- 

 folia, but all sterile. 



Gouverneur, N. Y. 



