THE SPECIES-CONCEPTION AMONG THE TERNATE 

 BOTR YCHIU MS. 



By Willard N. Cujte. 



Living as I do in the midst of a region rich in specimens of 

 the ternate Botrychiums, I have taken more than ordinary in- 

 terest in the discussion of the relative rank to which the various 

 forms should be assigned. After considerable study of the sub- 

 ject which has consisted of a careful balancing of the degree of 

 differentiation in each form, as well as an examination of much 

 material both in the herbarium and in the field, I have come to 

 certain conclusions which I purpose to set down here. 



Before the separate forms are discussed it may be well to say 

 a few words on the variations of Botrychium tcrnatum in general. 

 It is a noticable fact that all the so-called new species of this 

 section of the genus, have been based primarily upon the cutting 

 of the sterile part of the frond. This is all the more remarkable 

 since there are probably no other genera in which species are 

 founded on the minor outlines of a mere leaf. One has but to 

 turn to nature in any clime to see that leaves are not invariably 

 of the same shape. Note the wide variation in the moonseed, the 

 hollyhock, the sassafras, and some of the buttercups among 

 flowering plants, and if it be contended that the cases are not 

 parallel, take as further illustration the blood-root, which, like 

 the Botrychium, produces but one leaf a year, and note the cut- 

 ting of its single leaf. If all these forms of Botrychium are 

 species, why have not the forms of the bloodroot been segregated ? 

 Moreover, if we are to recognize these forms of Botrychium as 

 species, why should we not also recognize as such the three 

 hundred forms of Athyrium Ulix-focmina, or the hundred or 

 more forms of Scolopcndrium? It is unavailing to say that these 

 latter are mere gardeners' varieties, for we have it on the 

 authority of Mr. Druery, who is familiar with them all, that a 

 large number come true from spores. 



Experiments with flowering plants have shown that the 

 thickness of leaves and the amount of cutting of their edges, 

 may be altered by different degrees of moisture, sunshine, etc.. to 

 which they are exposed, and we may infer as much for the ferns. 



