-s 5 - 



mens were brought to the meeting by Mrs. C. S. Phelps, or Salis- 

 bury, Conn., in which the pinnules nearest the rachis are much en- 

 larged and nearly pinnate. Willard X. Clute next spoke of the 

 new form of Christmas fern and mentioned that it would be called 

 forma rceurvatum. Mr. A. A. Eaton was unable to attend the 

 meeting owing to an unexpected trip to Maine. He sent a paper 

 on his experiences with the Florida ferns which was read by 

 Willard X. Clute. who added various notes from his own obser- 

 vations on these species in the West Indies Mr. Bissell followed 

 with a fine series of speciments of rare Connecticut ferns, men- 

 tioning the localities in which they grew, and discussing the pos- 

 sibility of their being found elsewhere in the State. This feature 

 was of great interest, especially to all the Connecticut members 

 present. Mrs. Davenport also exhibited a number of most ex- 

 cellent fern photographs which, we understand, are to be in- 

 creased until all the ferns of Vermont are represented. After the 

 presentation of papers, the rest of the day was spent by the mem- 

 bers in comparing notes and getting acquainted with one another. 

 No doubt as the advantages of these meetings become better 

 known the attendance will increase until all fern students within 

 reach of the meeting will be present. It would be excellent 

 if a meeting of this kind could be held annually. — W. X'. C. 



CONCERNING FORMS AND HYBRIDS 



By Willard X. Clute. 



In Rhodora for April. 1904. there is described a fern from 

 Vermont which is regarded as a hybrid between Xcphr odium 

 spinulosum and .V. Marginale and named Dryoptcris Pittsford- 

 cnsis. With the exeception of the lady fern. Athyrium Ulix-foe- 

 mina, North America does not contain a more variable species 

 of fern than Xephrodium spinulosum. As has been shown in 

 The Fern Bulletin, the characters depended upon for separating 

 such marked forms as typical .V. spinulosum dilataum and N. s. 

 intermedium do not hold and it appears to me sheer nonsense to 

 make so much of a variant form. I am more moved to make these 

 remarks by the fact that the describers. although believing it to 



