— ()t- 



Fern Bulletin, has been proven to be of by no means rare occur- 

 rence, even common in several species, and to which probably no es- 

 pecial significance need be attached. The accompanying illustra- 

 tion (Fig. b) shows the form of the spike fairly well, however, and 

 may be of interest. Both figures represent natural size. 

 Washington, D. C. 



DRYOPTERIS SIMULATA IN NEW YORK STATE. 



By Willard N. Clute. 



O FAR as I am aware, there was no known station for Dry- 



op ten's simulata in New York, until I discovered it at 



Babylon, Long Island, in 1898. This, however, appears not 

 to be the earliest record of it from the State, since Miss Nellie 

 Mirick sent Mr. Davenport a frond collected near Oneida, which 

 he identified as this species, but unfortunately the exact locality 

 in which the frond was found is unknown. Considerable interest, 

 therefore, has attached to the Babylon locality. There it grows 

 in a boggy stretch of ground in company with the cinnamon fern, 

 the narrow-leaved chain fern and the marsh fern, in the shade of 

 maples, black gums, Viburnums and the poison sumac. 



On July 2istlast, while returning from the Babylon locality 

 by wheel, I found a second station about fifteen miles further west, 

 in which the fern grows in such luxuriance and profusion that it 

 may be doubted "whether any other locality can surpass it in this 

 respect. The station is along a little stream which divides the 

 towns of Merrick and Bellmore. A dense growth of very tall and 

 slender cedars here make a cool, semi-twilight even on the bright- 

 est days. In this dense shade representatives of the summer flora 

 are rare, although the occurrence of such species as the violet, ~ 

 Solomon's seal and chickweed-wintergreen indicate that earlier 

 in the year, flowers are more abundant. The ground is carpeted in 

 many places with sphagnum moss, in which Woodwardia angusti- 

 folia and Osmunda cinnamomea abound ; but the most prom- 

 inent feature of the underwood is Dryoptcris simulata, great 

 banks of which are scattered among the shallow thickets of moun- 

 tain laurel, at a short distance resembling similar banks of the 

 New York fern, except that the latter is scarcely ever so luxu- 

 riant. Fronds three feet in length were common. 



Simulata s two nearest of kin, although not common, were to 

 be found and gave an excellent chance for comparison. After 



