PLANTS OF DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA 
15 
crowns of palmettos, and is very abund¬ 
ant in many places. 
A rarer species is Nephrolepis biser- 
rata, which grows in damp ground with 
fronds reaching sometimes a length of 
ten feet. It is often found on palmettos. 
A lovely fern that grows on palmettos 
might be taken for a tuft of grass, hence 
its name, Grass Fern. Its fronds are 
linear, leathery, and glossy above, with 
edges slightly revolute. It is Vittaria 
lineata. 
The Adiantums are all exquisitely 
beautiful, but A. tenerum is especially 
delicate. It is found in hammocks in the 
Homestead region and does well in cul¬ 
tivation if kept damp and shaded. 
At the head of the Miami River is 
found a large, bold fern (Meniscium 
reticulatum) which at first glance might 
be taken for an Acrostichum. It is a 
West Indian species, and I have a fine 
specimen in my hammock which was 
brought by Mr. John Soar from the Isle 
of Pines. The late Mr. A. A. Eaton was 
very much interested in my plant, but 
later, when he discovered the same thing 
growing in quantities near the Miami 
pumping station, remarked that he 
thought Mr. Soar had been “carrying 
coals to Newcastle.” 
There are several fine Dryopteris 
growing wild in Dade County, D. patens 
being abundant on the banks of ditches. 
D. thelypteris in mucky, fresh-water 
swamps, and a grand species D. ampla, 
found in the hammocks in the Home¬ 
stead Country, has an erect rootstalk and 
is in reality a tree fern. 
There are many other species here 
which are well worthy of cultivation, but 
I cannot mention them on account of 
lack of space. 
Two species of fine epiphytal orchids 
grow in the neighborhood of Miami; 
Epidendrum tampaense, which in early 
summer has airy panicles of very pretty 
brownish flowers that are variegated 
with white and purple and Cyrtopodium 
punctatum, which is not so common. 
The former has thick linear leaves, 
while those of the latter are broader and 
thin. The matted roots turn upwards, 
forming a sort of basin which catches 
falling leaves, insects and the like, and 
no doubt thus fertilizes the plant. It has 
tall, branching flower stems and green¬ 
ish-yellow, brown-spotted flowers and 
bracts in great abundance. On Paradise 
Key and near Flamingo in Monroe 
County a variety of Oncidium luridum, 
which has heavy, thick leaves and flow¬ 
ers that superficially resemble those of 
Cyrtopodium, is found on trees, and in 
the Homestead hammocks O. sphacela- 
tum is almost terrestrial. 
A lovely Peperomia, P. magnolisefolia, 
with very thick, obovate leaves and rat- 
tail spikes of greenish flowers, is epiphy¬ 
tic on the live oaks. 
One of our Tillandsias, T. fasciculata 
is a splendid ornament of the hammocks 
in spring. Like other species, its seeds 
are furnished with cottony tails with 
which they are carried by the wind and 
by means of which the seed attaches it¬ 
self wherever it strikes and germinates. 
This species has flattened heads of bril¬ 
liant red bracts, out of which come slen¬ 
der, deep blue flowers, and when in 
bloom they gleam like spurts of fire 
among the trees. 
Guzmannia monostacha is a handsome 
epiphyte, excessively abundant on trees 
in the Homestead hammocks. It is a 
relative of the Tillandsias and bears 
heads of brown, white and rich red 
flowers. A variety has elegantly striped 
leaves. They sometimes grow so abun¬ 
dantly as to break the limbs to which 
they are attached. 
Three species at least of century plants 
grow wild in Dade County, Agave sisa- 
lana, A. rigida and A. neglecta. All are 
striking, tropical looking plants and are 
often cultivated. 
In fresh water and slightly brackish 
swamps Crinum americanum lights up 
the dreary wastes with its splendid 
starry white flowers. Associated with 
it are several species of Hymenocallis, 
with broad, soft leaves and heads of 
spider-like satiny flowers, the stamens 
being connected by a thin, gauzy cup. 
They will flourish if planted in dryer 
land. 
Another beautiful swamp plant is 
Hibiscus grandiflorus, with velvety lobed 
