THE PTERIDOPHYTES OF GEORGIA. 



By Roland M. Harper. 



GEORGIA is not so rich in species of Pteridophytes as most 

 regions are, but it contains some very interesting plants 

 of this class, some of them not known to occur elsewhere. 

 The State has a wonderful variety of soil and climate. The 

 mountains of the Alleghany system, in the northwestern corner, 

 in which the limestones and sandstones of the Palaeozoic era 

 abound, the lofty peaks of the Blue Ridge (some of them reaching 

 an elevation of 5,000 ft. )in the northeastern part, belonging to the 

 Archaean period, the shady woods and rocky hillsides of Middle 

 Georgia, which is also Archaean, and the swamps and pine-bar- 

 rens of South Georgia, which is mostly Tertiary, all have their 

 characteristic species of ferns. 



Asplenium, with eight or ten species, is the genus of ferns 

 most largely represented. Dryopteris acrostichoides is the com- 

 monest fern in Middle Georgia, and Pteris aquilina the common- 

 est in South Georgia. Two Osmundas, O. regalis and O. cinna- 

 momea, are also very common in South Georgia, but less so in 

 other parts. Onoclea sensibilis is not as common as it is 

 farther north, but the reverse is true of Woodwardia areolaia, 

 which resembles it considerably in its contracted fertile fronds 

 and its foliaceous pinnatifid sterile ones, and is found in similar 

 situations. Woodwardia Virginica, which occurs sparingly in 

 the swamps of South Georgia, bears a striking resemblance to 

 Osmunda eintiamomea, and is almost indistinguishable from that 

 species at a little distance, even when growing with it, as it gen- 

 erally does. 



Asplenium piatyneuron is a common and graceful evergreen 

 fern in the rocky woods of Middle Georgia. I have also found it 

 once or twice in damp sandy places in South Georgia. A. Filix- 

 f&mina is found in damp woods throughout the State. In dry 

 rocky places in Middle Georgia is found Cheihmthes lanosa, a 

 small dark-colored, woolly, evergreen fern. Woodsia obtusa is 

 found in similar places, but both are ratner rare in the State. 

 Like most rock-loving ferns, Woodsia is evergreen, though one 

 would hardly think so from the thin texture and pale green color 

 of its fronds. 



Two species of Adiantum are found, but they are rare. 1 

 know only one station in the State for each. A. Capillus- Veneris 

 hangs its delicate fronds over the mouth of a cave in the lime- 



