Part 7

Rootstock creeping, rather slender for the size of the plant; stems tufted, 6—10 inches long; straw-colored, brownish or reddish, with scattered brown scales which are large and numerous at the broadened base; leaves broadly oblong-lanceolate, pinnæ lanceolate, acuminate, 4—8 inches long; pinnules lanceolate, incised or serrate, sori short, the indusia straight or variously curved.

In moist woods and thickets throughout the region but especially in the Selkirks, being a common fern in the woods in the vicinity of Glacier.

Rootstock short, stout, and densely chaffy; stems 1—5 inches long, bearing large dark brown scales, with some smaller ones; leaves rigid, leathery, and evergreen, narrowly lanceolate in outline, once pinnate; pinnæ broadly lanceolate, scythe-shaped, 1—2 inches long, acute or acuminate at the apex, with an ear-like projection on the upper side at the base, and with a nearly straight edge on the lower, densely spiny-toothed; sori large, nearer the margin than the midrib.

In large tufts among rocks throughout the region.

Rootstock stout, ascending, or erect, chaffy; stems 4—6 inches long, very chaffy below; leaves broadly lanceolate, acute or acuminate at the apex, slightly narrowed at the base, 1—3 feet long, rather firm, half evergreen, pinnate or partly 2-pinnate; pinnæ lanceolate, broadest at the base, gradually acuminate, 3—6 inches long, pinnatifid almost to the rachis, or pinnately divided into oblong, smooth lobes; sori large, borne near the margin, more numerous on the lower halves of the segments.

In rocky woods in the Selkirks on the lower slopes of Mt. Macdonald.

Rootstock stout, chaffy; stems 6—18 inches long, bearing large brown scales with dark centres; leaves broadly ovate or triangular-ovate, commonly 3-pinnate; pinnules lanceolate oblong, the lowest often much elongated; sori medium size; indusium smooth.

In moist woods through the Selkirks, probably the most abundant fern in the vicinity of Glacier.

Rootstock short, erect or decumbent, scaly; stems light straw-colored, 2—6 inches long, tufted, copiously scaly throughout, with light brown scales; leaves 1½—2 feet long, rather firm, broadly lanceolate, gradually tapering from near the middle to both ends; pinnæ 2—3 inches long, deeply pinnatifid, gradually shorter to the lowest which are more distant, broadly triangular, and less than an inch long; segments flat, oblong, and nearly entire; rachis straw-colored, densely scaly with light brown scales, nearly to the apex.

In the Selkirks on the moist mountain slopes and rocky ravines at Glacier.

Rootstock short, creeping, and densely chaffy; stems brown, darker at the base, 2—4 inches long, glandular-hairy; leaves mostly glandular-hairy throughout, lanceolate, 6—12 inches long, tapering from about the middle to both ends; pinnæ numerous, oblong-ovate, pinnatifid into oblong-toothed segments; sori nearly marginal.

In crevices in the rocks and among broken stones on slides, throughout the Rockies, up to an elevation of 7000 feet; frequent.

Rootstock short; stems smooth, brownish below. Leaves smooth, 2—10 inches long, lanceolate; pinnæ triangular, oblong, obtuse, pinnatifid, lower ones rounded and somewhat remote from the others; rachis straw-colored; pinnules oblong-ovate, dentate or crenate, the teeth often turned back and covering the submarginal sori.

Among broken stones on the slides near the base of Mt. Stephen in the Rockies.

Rootstock short; stems 4—8 inches long, leaves thin, smooth throughout, oblong-lanceolate, only slightly tapering below, 4—10 inches long; pinnate or 2—3 pinnatifid; pinnæ lanceolate-ovate, irregularly pinnatifid with a broad central space, and bluntly or sharply toothed segments, decurrent along the margined or winged rachis; sori small, half way between the margin and the midrib; indusium narrow, soon withering.

In crevices in rocks and among broken stones throughout the Rockies.

Rootstock slender, widely creeping; stipes 6—9 inches long, slender; leaves deltoid-ovate, 3—4 pinnate, 3—6 inches broad, the lowest pinnæ triangular-lanceolate and much larger, their inferior pinnules 1—1½ inches long, deeply divided into oblong lobes, deeply toothed; sori numerous; indusium acute, soon withering.

On damp mossy banks and rocks throughout the Rockies; not common.

EQUISETACEÆ

Horsetail Family

Green, rush-like plants with usually hollow, jointed, simple or often much branched stems, rising from subterranean rootstocks; the branches verticillate.

Leaves reduced to toothed sheaths; sporanges clustered beneath the scales of terminal, cone-like spikes.

Stems annual, the fertile appearing in early spring before the sterile; fertile stems 4—10 inches high, soon withering, light brown, their loose sheaths mostly distant, whitish, ending in about 12 brown acuminate teeth; sterile stems green, much branched and slender, 2 inches to 2 feet high with numerous, mostly simple, 4-angled solid branches with 4-toothed sheaths.

In moist sandy soil throughout the region, frequent in wet woods and swampy places.

Stems annual, the fertile appearing in early spring before the sterile, at first simple, at length much branched, resembling the sterile except in the withered apex; stems 8—20 inches high, producing verticillate compound branches which are curved downward; sheaths loose and cylindric, those of the stem whitish, with 8—14 rather blunt brown teeth.

In moist sandy woods and thickets in the Selkirks, not common.

Stems annual, all alike, 2—4 feet high, bluish-green, smooth, usually producing upright branches after the spores are formed; sheaths appressed with about 18 dark brown or nearly black, short acute teeth.

In sloughs and shallow ponds throughout the region, frequent.