— 86— 



be a hybrid, have given it a name that by right belongs only to 

 a distinct species. If distinct enough from N. spinulosum to be 

 considered a separate form — which does not seem to be the case 

 judging from the drawings— it should undoubtedly be called 

 Nephrodium spinulosum x marginalc. If this form is entitled 

 to a binomial, what rank can we possibly "give to Nephrodium 

 spinulosum var intermedium? In no other branch of botany, 

 so far as I am aware, has it been considered proper to give hy- 

 brids a binomial, and the sooner fern students cease the practice 

 the better. Indeed, it may be question whether Asplenium 

 cbenoides, now that it is known to be a hybrid, should not be 

 written Asplenium ebeneum x Camptosorus rhizophyllus. 



The mania for making new species that has at last got New 

 England under its spell is likely to result in a large number of 

 new combinations. Nephrodium Pitts for dense and N. Concor- 

 dianum are very apparently not distinct species in the sense that 

 N. Marginale, N. goldieana and N. Ulix-mas are, but belong to 

 the category that includes the famous Boston fern "Nephrolepis 

 Bostonensis" which certain people still regard as a species sep- 

 arate from the plant of which it is a form. If there are any 

 other towns in New England that desire a fern named for them, 

 any woodland in which Nephrodium spinulosum grows will fur- 

 nish the necessary form. 



CURRENT LITERAURE RELATING TO EUROPEAN 

 FERNS. 



Contributed by Aug. H. Hahne. 



BaeseckE, G. Beitraege zur Kcnntnis der Pteridophyten des 

 Rhein—u. Nahetales. Deutsche bot. Monatschr. Vol. 21, Nr. 4-6. 



Bornmuller. Ergebnisse zweier botan, Reisen nach Madeira 

 u. d. Canar Jnseln. Engler's bot. Jahrbuecher. Vol. 33, p. 393- 



Christ, H. Monographic der Gattung Blaphoglossum. 

 Denkschriften d. Schweiz, naturf, Gesellsch. 



Christ, H. Die FarnHora der ocstlichen Riviera. Allg. bot. 

 Zeitschr. Vol. 8, Nr. 9-10. 



Christ, H. Die Farnkraeuter der Schweiz. Beitraege sur 

 Kryptog.-Flora der Schweiz. Vol. 1, Heft 2. 



