-6 3 - 



The fragrant Shield-fern {D. fragrans) is a rare little in- 

 habitant of the exposed cliffs in northern New York, New Eng- 

 land and Canada. Its strong fragrance "like sweet violets," and 

 its habitat, always on the rocks, are enough to mark it. 



In many situations with the Marsh fern may be found the 

 Crest fern {D. cristata). Its sterile fronds are rather short and 

 inclined to spread about, but the fertile stand erect. The latter 

 are tall and narrow, the pinnae tapering outward from broad 

 bases. The pinnae are cut into broad and deep lobes. The low- 

 est pair of pinnae are especially broad, almost triangular, and 

 this maybe considered a good distinguishing characteristic. The 

 sori are above medium size, and quite conspicuous. 



Dryopteris Boot Hi grows in wet woodlands, and to the ordi- 

 nary observer seems too much like cristata to make its separa- 

 tion from the other worth while. It will be noted upon compar- 

 ing the two, however, that the pinnae of Boottii are cut entirely 

 to the midrib, at least near their bases, and that the pinnules are 

 themselves toothed and the teeth tipped with bristles. The 

 fronds of Boottii are certain to be broader than those of cristata, 

 and not so erect. The sori are alsD smaller and more crowded. 



There now remains only the Spinulose Shield- fern (D. spinu- 

 losa) and its varieties. Of all the wood ferns, its fronds are the 

 most numerously divided. They are often three times pinnate 

 with narrow pinnules and bristle-tipped teeth. They are among 

 the most common and graceful of our ferns and delight in the 

 borders of shady swamps and the banks of woodland streams, 

 where all who will may find them. — W. N. C. 



A VARIETY OF DICKSONIA. 



By William R. Maxon. 



IN December last. Mr. F. G. Floyd, of West Roxbury, Mass.. 

 sent me a specimen of Dennst&dtia punctilobula which he had 

 collected in Massachusetts, in which the apex and the ends of the 

 pinnae were much crested. The general appearance of the frond 

 is similar to the crested forms so often named in England, and 

 seems to me to deserve a varietal name. So far as I have been 

 able to discover, no variety of this strictly North American fern 

 has ever been named. Our specimen may be characterized thus: 

 Dennst.ldtia punctilobula cristata n. var. Rootstock and 

 stipe as in normal punctilobula ; fronds one to two feet long, very 



