FERNS AND FERN ALLIES. 
119 
Ferns and Fern Allies. IV. 
BY FREDERICK W. BATCHELDER. 
There are ten or more species of grape fern (Botrychium) at 
present known. New England possesses a remarkably large 
representation of the genus, sis or more species being found 
within her boundaries. These six, i, B. simplex, 2, B. lunaria, 
3, B. matricariaefolium, 4, B. ternatum, 5, B. lanceolatum, and 6 
B. virginianum, are recognized by all botanists as good species. 
Specific rank is claimed by some authorities for that form of the 
ternate grape.fern which has finely dissected leaves, with the 
name “ B. dissectum, ” and as such it is described and figured 
in Britton and Brown’s Illustrated Flora, Vol. Ill, Appendix, p. 
494. But if “ dissectum ” is a good species, why not “ interme¬ 
dium ” and others which are as well distinguished from the rest 
and which are in fact less closely connected through intermedi¬ 
ate forms than are “ dissectum ” and “ obliquum ” ? If the 
species is to be subdividedt at all half a dozen new species may 
be created as well as one. Perhaps this may be the final out¬ 
come of long continued investigations and ecological studies of 
this polymorphous species. 
The second of the species named above, B lunaria, is the only 
one which can with propriety be called a moonwort, the lobes of 
the sterile portion being “ lunate”. This is also that one of the 
six which is least likely to be found in our special area. The 
first, B. simplex, is a possibility. The othor four may be called 
abundant. 
About five years ago a seventh species was discovered in our 
own state by Mr. Alvah A. Eaton, of Seabrook, now a pteridol- 
ogist of national reputation It was published as “ B. tenebro- 
sum ” and is generally acknowledged as a good species. It re¬ 
ceived its name frcm the habit of thriving only in shade. 
The ternate grape fern described in the last article is the only 
one which has persistent leaves lasting through the winter, and 
which fruits late in the season, being at its best in October and 
