THE FERN BULLETIN 



83 



though a weed has been defined as "a plant out of 

 place" and these are certainly out of place, they can 

 only be called weeds by stretching the intent of the 

 definition. As for ferns invading new territory as 

 other weeds do, it may be doubted if such a case exists 

 in the temperate zone. 



Bermuda Ferns. — Although the climate of the Ber- 

 mudas verges on the tropical, its soil does not sup- 

 port a very luxuriant fern flora. What species there 

 are, however, are mostly common plants of the Ameri- 

 can tropics such as Acrostichum aureum, Poly podium 

 plumula J{ Pteris longifolia, P. caudata, Asplenium 

 dentatum, A. myriophyllnm, Nephr odium patens, 

 Nephrolepis exaltata, and Polystichum adiantiforme. 

 A few species have been derived from North America, 

 among which may be mentioned, Osmunda cinna- 

 momea and O. regalis, Woodwardia Virginica, and 

 Nephr odium thely pteris. Four species are supposed 

 to be endemic, namely, Nephr odium Bermudianum, 

 Asplenium Laffanianum y< Adiantum helium and .Ne- 

 phr odium speiuncae. Other species reported are 

 Asplenium muticum^ Ano pteris hexagona, Psilotum 

 nudum and a Salvinia. In addition to these, collectors 

 find Adiantum capillus-veneris, A. cuneatuni and var- 

 ious other species commonly cultivated but the latter 

 are believed to be escapes and not native. It is prob- 

 able that the entire fern flora of Bermuda does not 

 contain twenty-five different species. Very little at- 

 tention has been paid to Bermuda ferns in American 

 publications. The only list with notes seems to be 

 that of B. D. Gilbert, published in Torrey Bulletin 

 fifteen or more years ago. 



