Part 6

Plant 2—6 inches high, slender and very variable. Leaf ovate, obovate or oblong, entire, lobed or pinnately parted, borne near the base of the stem; spore-bearing portion a simple or slightly compound spike, sometimes reduced to only a few sporanges; apex of the leaf and spore-bearing portion erect in fruit.

In alpine meadows or grassy slopes, frequently through the Rockies but very inconspicuous; during summer.

Stem slender, 4 inches to 2 feet high. Leaf thin, ternately divided and spreading 3—12 inches across, pinnately much divided into oblong-toothed segments; spore-bearing portion long-stalked, much above the leaf 2—3 pinnate, cinnamon brown, when ripe.

In rich moist woods, sparingly throughout the region during the summer.

POLYPODIACEÆ

Fern Family

Ferns of various habits, the rootstocks horizontal, often elongated or short and erect; the leaves simple, pinnate, pinnatifid or decompound, coiled at the ends when young. Sporanges borne in clusters (sori) on the lower side or margins of the leaves or their segments, with or without a membranous covering (indusium).

Represented in the region by the following 10 genera.

Sori without indusia, leaves 2—3 pinnate or ternate. =Phegopteris.= Sori with marginal indusia formed by the more or less altered edge of the leaf. Sporanges at the ends of the veins, borne on a reflexed portion of the leaf. =Adiantum.= Sporanges on a continuous vein-like receptacle which connects the apices of the veins. =Pteridium.=

Sporanges at or near the ends of the unconnected veins. Leaves of two kinds, the spore-bearing ones contracted and more or less pod-like. =Cryptogramma.= Leaves uniform; sori minute, indusium usually interrupted. =Cheilanthes.= Sori not marginal, provided with spinal indusia. Sori oblong on oblique veins; leaves pinnate. =Asplenium.= Sori round. Indusium conspicuous. Leaves firm; indusium peltate. =Polystichum.= Leaves membranous; indusium reniform. =Dryopteris.= Indusium inconspicuous. Indusium under the sorus, stellately divided. =Woodsia.= Indusium hooded, fixed by a broad base. =Filix.=

Rootstock short, thick, erect or oblique; stems 4—10 inches long with a few brown spreading scales near the base; leaves 1—2 feet long, oblong-lanceolate, thrice pinnate, the pinnæ deltoid-lanceolate, the lower ones distant and smaller, pinnules oblong-lanceolate, finely cut-toothed; sori small, rounded and nearly marginal.

On moist banks in the Selkirks, frequent especially in the vicinity of Glacier, where it forms clumps of considerable diameter, up to 7000 feet elevation.

Rootstock slender and creeping; stems 6—9 inches long; leaves triangular, thin, usually longer than broad, 6—9 inches long, 4—6 inches broad, hairy on the veins, especially beneath; pinnæ linear-lanceolate, the lowest pair deflexed and standing forward, segments oblong, obtuse, entire, the basal ones joined to the main rachis; sori small, near the margin.

In moist woods in the Selkirks at the lower elevations, not common.

Rootstock slender, extensively creeping; leaves or short black stipes, broadly triangular 4—8 inches wide, the three primary divisions 1—2 pinnate, segments oblong, obtuse, entire or toothed; sori near the margin.

In moist woods and thickets throughout the region at the lower altitudes, frequently forming beds of considerable size.

Rootstock slender, creeping; stems 9—18 inches long, dark chestnut brown or nearly black, shining, forked into nearly equal branches at the summit; leaves obliquely orbicular in outline, 8—18 inches broad, thin, the pinnæ arising from the branches of the stem, somewhat radiately arranged, the larger ones 6—10 inches long, 1—2 inches broad, pinnules triangular-oblong, or the terminal one fan-shaped, the lower margin entire and slightly curved, the upper cut, bearing the linear-oblong sori.

Sparingly throughout the region in woods or moist shaded situations, among rocks.

Rootstock stout, widely creeping, subterranean; stems hairy, 1—2 feet high, erect, straw-colored or brownish, leaves soft-hairy, especially on the under surface, 2—4 feet long, 1—3 feet wide, ternate, the three branches each bipinnate, the upper pinnules undivided, the lower more or less pinnatifid.

In dry woods, thickets, and open hillsides, throughout the region.

Rootstock stout, short, and chaffy; stems densely tufted, straw-colored, 2—6 inches long, very slender, chaffy below; leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate in outline, thin, smooth, 2—3 pinnate, the sterile shorter than the fertile, their segments and pinnules crowded, ovate-oblong or obovate, crenate or slightly sharply cut; fertile leaves with linear or linear-oblong segments half an inch long, the margins at first rolled back to the midrib, at maturity expanded and exposing the light brown sporanges.

Forming tufts among rocks throughout the region but most frequent in the Selkirks.

Rootstock slender, creeping, thread-like; stems slender, scattered 2—3 inches long, dark brown; leaves thin, ovate in outline 2—5 inches long, 1—2 inches wide, 2—3 pinnate or pinnatifid above, the fertile taller, with narrower pinnules and segments, pinnæ lanceolate-deltoid, cut to the rachis, in few lobed or entire segments; indusium broad; veins conspicuous.

In crevices of damp or dripping rocks, preferably limestone, in the Rockies up to 7000 feet elevation; not common.

Rootstock creeping, covered with pale rusty-brown scales; stems tufted, wiry, chestnut brown, 2—4 inches long, hairy; leaves oblong-lanceolate in outline 4—9 inches long, gradually attenuate to the apex, twice pinnate; pinnules somewhat distant, lanceolate-deltoid, acute, deeply pinnatifid or incised, more or less covered with stiff hairs and usually somewhat glandular; sori numerous, covered by the infolded ends of the rounded oblong lobes.

On rocks and among broken stones at the lower altitudes of the eastern Rockies; growing in matted masses.

Rootstock stout, creeping, chaffy with brown scales; stems numerous, densely tufted, brownish below, green above; leaves linear-lanceolate, 2—8 inches long, once pinnate, pale green, with 12—20 pairs of ovate or rhomboid, crenate; obtuse, unequal-sided pinnules; sori oblong, numerous, or scattered.

On dry rocks and slides, frequent through the Rockies.