[NOTE]

The student should have some idea of the terms genus, species and variety, although they are not capable of exact definition.

A species, or kind, is in botany the unit of classification. It embraces all such individuals as may have originated in a common stock. Such individuals bear an essential resemblance to each other, as well as to their common parent in all their parts. E.g., the Cinnamon fern is a kind or species of fern with the fronds evidently of one kind, and of a common origin, and all producing individuals of their own kind by their spores or rootstocks. When such individuals differ perceptibly from the type in the shape of the pinnæ, or the cutting of the fronds, we have varieties as frondòsum, incìsum, etc. Or if the difference is less striking the word form is used instead of variety, but in any given case opinions may differ in respect to the more fitting term.

A genus is an assemblage of species closely related to each other, and having more points of resemblance than of difference; e.g., the royal fern, the cinnamon fern, and the interrupted fern are alike in having similar spore cases borne in a somewhat similar manner on the fronds, and forming the genus Osmunda. In like manner certain members of the clover group--red, white, yellow, etc., make up the genus Trifolium.

Thus individuals are grouped into species and species are associated into genera, and the two groups are united to give each fern or plant its true name, the generic name being qualified by that of the species; as in the cinnamon fern Osmúnda (genus), cinnamòmea (species).

[CHECK LIST OF THE FERNS OF NORTHEASTERN AMERICA]

In the following list the first name is usually the one adopted in the text, and those that follow are synonyms.

Names printed in small capitals are those of the newer nomenclature, now adopted at the Gray Herbarium but not in the Manual.

ADIANTUM L.
1. Adiantum Capillus-Veneris L.
2. Adiantum pedatum L.
Var. ALEUTICUM RUPR.
ASPIDIUM SW.
3. Aspidium Boottii. Tuckerm.
Dryopteris Boottii. (Tuckerm.) Underw.
THELYPTERIS BOOTTII. (Tuckerm.) Nieuwl.
4. Aspidium cristatum. (L.) Sw.
Dryopteris cristata. (L.) A. Gray.
THELYPTERIS CRISTATA. (L.) Nieuwl.
5. Aspidium cristatum var. Clintonianum. D.C. Eaton.
Dryopteris cristata var. Clintoniana. (D.C. Eaton.) Underw.
THELYPTERIS CRISTATA var. CLINTONIANA. (D.C. Eaton.) Weatherby.
6. Aspidium cristatum × marginale. Davenp.
7. Aspidium Filix-mas. (L.) Sw.
Dryopteris Filix-mas. (L.) Sw.
THELYPTERIS FILIX-MAS. (L.) Nieuwl.
8. Aspidium fragrans. (L.) Sw.
Dryopteris fragrans. (L.) Schott.
THELYPTERIS FRAGRANS. (L.) Nieuwl.
9. Aspidium Goldianum. Hook.
Dryopteris Goldiana. (Hook.) A. Gray.
THELYPTERIS GOLDIANA. (Hook.) Nieuwl.
10. Aspidium marginale. (L.) Sw.
Dryopteris marginalis. (L.) A. Gray.
THELYPTERIS MARGINALIS. (L.) Nieuwl.
11. Aspidium noveboracense. (L.) Sw.
Dryopteris noveboracensis. (L.) A. Gray.
THELYPTERIS NOVEBORACENSIS. (L.) Nieuwl.
12. Aspidium simulatum. Davenp.
Dryopteris simulata. Davenp.
THELYPTERIS SIMULATA. (Davenp.) Nieuwl.
13. Aspidium spinulosum. (O.F. Muell.) Sw.
Dryopteris spinulosa. (O.F. Muell.) Kuntze.
THELYPTERIS SPINULOSA. (O.F. Muell.) Nieuwl.
14. Aspidium spinulosum var. intermedium. (Muhl.) D.C. Eaton.
Dryopteris spinulosa var. intermedia. (Muhl.) Underw.
THELYPTERIS SPINULOSA var. INTERMEDIA. (Muhl.) Nieuwl.
15. Aspidium spinulosum var. concordianum. (Davenp.) Eastman.
THELYPTERIS SPINULOSA var. CONCORDIANA. (Davenp.) Weatherby.
16. Aspidium spinulosum var. dilatatum. (Hoff.) Gray.
Dryopteris spinulosa var. dilatata. (Hoff.) Underw.
THELYPTERIS SPINULOSA var. AMERICANA. (Fisch.) Weatherby.
17. Aspidium thelypteris. (L.) Sw.
Dryopteris thelypteris. (L.) A. Gray.
THELYPTERIS PALUSTRIS. Schott.
ASPLENIUM L.
18. Asplenium Bradleyi. D.C. Eaton.
19. Asplenium platyneuron. (L.) Oakes.
Asplenium ebeneum. Ait.
20. Asplenium ebenoides. R.R. Scott.
21. Asplenium montanum. Willd.
22. Asplenium parvulum. Mart, and Gal.
Asplenium resiliens. Kze.
23. Asplenium pinnatifidum. Nutt.
24. Asplenium Ruta-muraria. L.
25. Asplenium Trichomanes. L.
26. Asplenium viride. Huds.
ATHYRIUM. ROTH
27. ATHYRIUM ACROSTICHOIDES. (Sw.) Diels.
Asplenium acrostichoides. Sw.
Asplenium thelypteroides. Michx.
28. ATHYRIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM. (Michx.) Milde.
Asplenium angustifolium. Michx.
Asplenium pycnocarpon. Spreng.
29. ATHYRIUM ANGUSTUM. (Willd.) Presl.
Athyrium filix-femina. American Authors not Roth.
Asplenium filix-femina. American Authors not Bernh.
30. ATHYRIUM ASPLENIOIDES. (Michx.) Desv.
BOTRYCHIUM. SW.
31. Botrychium lanceolatum. (Gmel.) Angstroem.
BOTRYCHIUM ANGUSTISEGMENTUM. (Pease and Moore.) Fernald.
32. BOTRYCHIUM DISSECTUM. Spreng.
Botrychium obliquum var. dissectum. (Spreng.) Clute.
33. Botrychium obliquum. Muhl.
BOTRYCHIUM DISSECTUM var. OBLIQUUM. (Muhl.) Clute.
34. Botrychium lunaria. (L.) Sw.
35. Botrychium ramosum. (Roth.) Aschers.
Botrychium matricariæfolium. A. Br.
Botrychium neglectum. Wood.
36. Botrychium simplex. E. Hitchcock.
37. Botrychium ternatum. (Thunb.) Sw. Var. intermedium. D.C. Eaton.
Botrychium obliquum var. intermedium. (D.C. Eaton.) Underw.
38. Botrychium virginianum. (L.) Sw.
CAMPTOSORUS. LINK
39. Camptosorus rhizophyllus. (L.) Link.
CHEILANTHES. SW.
40. Cheilanthes alabamensis. (Buckley.) Kunze.
41. Cheilanthes Féei. Moore.
Cheilanthes lanuginosa. Nutt.
42. Cheilanthes lanosa. (Michx.) Watt.
Cheilanthes vestita. Sw.
43. Cheilanthes tomentosa. Link.
CRYPTOGRAMMA.R. BR.
44. Cryptogramma densa. (Brack.) Diels.
Pellæa densa. (Brack.) Hook.
45. Cryptogramma Stelleri. (Gmel.) Prantl.
Pellæa gracilis. (Michx.) Hook.
46. Cryptogramma acrostichoides. R. Br.
CYSTOPTERIS. BERNH.
47. Cystopteris bulbifera. (L.) Bernh.
Filix bulbifera. (L.) Underw.
48. Cystopteris fragilis. (L.) Bernh.
Filix fragilis. (L.) Underw.
DENNSTÆDTIA L'HER.
49. DENNSTÆDTIA PUNCTILOBULA. (Michx.) Moore.
Dicksonia pilosiuscula. Willd.
LYGODIUM SW.
50. Lygodium palmatum. (Bernh.) Sw.
NOTHOLÆNA.R. BR.
51. Notholæna dealbata. (Pursh.) Kunze.
Notholæna nivea var. dealbata. (Pursh.) Davenp.
ONOCLEA L.
52. Onoclea sensibilis. L.
53. Onoclea Struthiopteris. (L.) Hoff.
Struthiopteris Germanica. Willd.
Matteuccia Struthiopteris. (L.) Todaro.
PTERETIS NODULOSA. (Michx.) Nieuwl.
OPHIOGLOSSUM. (TOURN.) L.
54. Ophioglossum vulgatum. L.
Ophioglossum vulgatum var. minus. Moore.
55. Ophioglossum Engelmanni. Prantl.
OSMUNDA.L.
56. Osmunda cinnamomea. L.
57. Osmunda Claytoniana. L.
58. Osmunda regalis. L.
OSMUNDA REGALIS var. SPECTABILIS. (Willd.) Gray.
PELLÆA. LINK
59. Pellæa atropurpurea. (L.) Link.
60. Pellæa glabella. Mett.
PHEGOPTERIS FÉE
61. Phegopteris Dryopteris. (L.) Fée.
THELYPTERIS DRYOPTERIS. (L.) Slosson.
62. Phegopteris hexagonoptera. (Michx.) Fée.
THELYPTERIS HEXAGONOPTERA. (Michx.) Weatherby.
63. Phegopteris polypodioides Fée.
THELYPTERIS PHEGOPTERIS. (L.) Slosson.
Phegopteris Phegopteris. (L.) Underw.
64. Phegopteris Robertiana. (Hoff.) A. Br.
Phegopteris calcarea. Fée.
THELYPTERIS ROBERTIANA. (Hoff.) Slosson.
POLYPODIUM.L.
65. Polypodium vulgare. L.
66. Polypodium polypodioides. (L.) Watt.
Polypodium incanum. Sw.
POLYSTICHUM. ROTH
67. Polystichum acrostichoides. (Michx.) Schott.
Aspidium acrostichoides. Sw.
Dryopteris acrostichoides. (Michx.) Kuntze.
68. Polystichum Braunii. (Spenner.) Fée.
Dryopteris Braunii. (Spenner.) Underw.
Aspidium aculeatum var. Braunii. Doel.
69. Polystichum Lonchitis. (L.) Roth.
Aspidium Lonchitis. Sw.
Dryopteris Lonchitis. Kuntze.
PTERIS.L.
70. Pteris aquilina. L.
Pteridium aquilinum. (L.) Kuhn.
PTERIDIUM LATIUSCULUM. (Desv.) Maxon.
PTERIDIUM LATIUSCULUM var. PSEUDOCAUDATUM. (Clute.) Maxon.
SCHIZÆA.J.E. SMITH
71. Schizæa pusilla. Pursh.
72. Scolopendrium vulgare. J.E. Smith.
PHYLLITIS SCOLOPENDRIUM. (L.) Newman.
TRICHOMANES.L.
73. Trichomanes radicans. Sw.
Trichomanes Boschianum. Sturm.
WOODSIA.R. BY.
74. Woodsia glabella. R. Br.
75. Woodsia alpina. (Bolton.) S.F. Gray.
Woodsia hyperborea. R. Br.
76. Woodsia ilvensis. (L.) R. Br.
77. Woodsia Cathcartiana. B.L. Robinson.
78. Woodsia obtusa. (Spreng.) Torr.
79. Woodsia oregana. D.C. Eaton.
80. Woodsia scopulina. D.C. Eaton.
WOODWARDIA.J.E. SMITH
81. Woodwardia virginica. Sm.
82. Woodwardia areolata. (L.) Moore.
Woodwardia angustifolia. Sm.
THE PETRIFIED FERN
In a valley, centuries ago,
Grew a little fern-leaf green and slender,
Veining delicate and fibers tender,
Waving when the wind crept down so low;
Rushes tall and moss and grass grew round it,
Playful sunbeams darted in and found it,
Drops of dew stole down by night and crowned it.
But no foot of man e'er came that way--
Earth was young and keeping holiday.
Monster fishes swam the silent main,
Stately forests waved their giant branches,
Mountains hurled their snowy avalanches,
Mammoth creatures stalked across the plain,
Nature reveled in grand mysteries;
But the little fern was not of these,
Did not slumber with the hills and trees,
Only grew and waved its wild, sweet way;
No one came to note it day by day.
Earth, one time, put on a frolic mood,
Heaved the rocks and changed the mighty motion
Of the deep, strong currents of the ocean;
Moved the plain and shook the haughty wood,
Crushed the little fern in soft, moist clay,
Covered it and hid it safe away.
Oh, the long, long centuries since that day!
Oh, the changes! Oh, life's bitter cost!
Since the useless little fern was lost.
Useless? Lost? There came a thoughtful man
Searching Nature's secrets far and deep;
From a fissure in a rocky steep
He withdrew a stone o'er which there ran
Fairy pencilings, a quaint design,
Leafage, veining, fibers clear and fine,
And the fern's life lay in every line!
So, I think, God hides some souls away,
Sweetly to surprise us the last day!--M.B. BRANCH.