THE FERN FLORA OF NEW YORK.

By B. D. Gilbert.

The State of New York has the largest area of any northern State east of Michigan. It also possesses a great diversity of surface, with its two mountain ranges, its numerous lakes, its interior salt basin, and its seashore confined entirely to the southern extremity. On its eastern side it stretches through more than four degrees of north latitude, and as these are the degrees just south of the 45th parallel, it is easy to understand that there is liable to be a greater intermixture of northern and southern forms of ferns than there would be in a State lying farther south. And the fact is that certain species from the north and others from the south do meet within its borders. This also accounts for the large number of species found in the State: California and Texas, the one State having four times the area of New York, and the other five times that area, being the only ones which contain as large or a larger number of species.

For the purpose of fern classification, the State may be divided into four distinct zones, as follows:

I. The Littoral.—This comprises Long Island and Staten Island. Only one fern is peculiar to this zone, viz. Woodwardia angustifolia; but there are two Lycopods, viz. L. alopecuroides and its variety adpressum.

II. The Catskill Mountain Region, extending down to Manhattan Island.—This being the southern mountain range of the State, it is here that three southern species find their northern limit, viz. Asplenium Bradleyi, A. montanum and Cheilanthes vestita. It may be a question whether the Connecticut stations for Asplenium montanum lie farther north than the New York stations, but it is certain that there can be but little difference between them in this respect.

III. The Adirondack Region, extending as far south as Little Falls.—Here there are a few of the northern species that descend to their southern limit in this country. Among them may 98 be mentioned Nephrodium fragrans, Polystichum Braunii, Woodsia glabella, and W. hyperborea. There are also two Lycopods to be included in this list, L. annotinum pungens and L. Sitchense.

IV. The Western Region, extending from the mountain regions to the State’s western boundary, the southern part drained by the Susquehanna and its tributaries, and the northern part containing (a) The Salt Basin of Syracuse and its vicinity, the home of Scolopendrium and Botrychium Onondagense, and (b) The Central Basin, extending from Little Falls to Oneida Lake, and drained by the Mohawk River, being famous for its large number of Botrychia, some of which seem to be almost, if not quite, peculiar to this region.

In the preparation of this list I have consulted various local floras and other reports of the State, especially Paine’s “Catalogue of Plants Found in Oneida County and Vicinity;” the Annual Reports of the State Botanist, “The Flora of the Upper Susquehanna,” and the files of the Fern Bulletin. I have also been favored with many notes from the State Herbarium sheets by Professor Peck himself; while my own herbarium and that of Dr. J. V. Haberer, of Utica, have been exceedingly useful in fixing definite localities.

The plan I have followed is to include along with the species only such varieties as seem to be most important and distinct.

Mr. Bush in The Torrey Bulletin for June, 1903, enumerates 59 species and varieties of ferns found in Texas. This compares well with our list of 64 species and varieties in New York State, of which only 18 of these are common to both States. Mr. Reverchon’s list for Texas, published in the Fern Bulletin, April, 1903, gives 51 ferns and 15 allies, or 66 in all. The present list includes 53 species and 12 varieties of ferns, and 23 species and 7 varieties of fern allies. If we take Bush’s ferns and Reverchon’s allies, there are 74 species and varieties known in Texas, or 20 less than I have enumerated in New York.

Ophioglossaceae.

Botrychium lanceolatum Angs. Open upland woods in the eastern part of State. Not reported from western part. Scarce.

Botrychium matricariaefolium A. Br. In same localities with B. lanceolatum, but more plentiful.

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Botrychium obliquum Muhl. Grape fern. Abundant in pastures and woodlands, especially in the central part of the State.

Botrychium obliquum dissectum Clute. In similar places with B. obliquum and always associated with it. Frequent.

Botrychium obliquum f. elongatum Gilbert & Haberer. Scarce in pastures, eastern New York.

Botrychium obliquum Habereri Gilbert. Scarce. Mohawk Valley, Catskill Mts., and probably occasional elsewhere.

Botrychium obliquum intermedium Clute. Pastures. Occasional in the eastern part of the State.

Botrychium obliquum matricarioides Gilbert. Beaver Lake. Lewis Co.; Whitestown: Gilbert. I have seen no other specimens from this State, but Dr. Underwood cites “Northern New England and New York.” (Osmunda matricariae Schrank.)

Botrychium obliquum Oneidense Clute. Pastures and open woods. Occasional.

Botrychium obliquum tenuifolium Gilbert. Field near top of mountain. Shandaken, Ulster Co., Mary F. Miller. As I possess tracings of Dr. Underwood’s type specimens of B. tenuifolium Und., I am able to say that these specimens from Shandaken match the tracings completely. (B. tenuifolium Und.)

Botrychium Onondagense Underwood. Within a radius of five miles from Syracuse. The stations there are the only ones known in the State.

Botrychium simplex E. Hitchcock. Damp meadows and sandy swamps in Central and Northern New York. Also Wading River. L. I., E. F. Miller.

Botrychium tenebrosum A. A. Eaton. Baldwinsville, L. M. Underwood; Deerfield and Cedar Lake. J. V. Haberer. Probably not rare, but escapes notice because of its minute size.

Botrychium Virginianum Sw. Rattlesnake fern. In rich woods. Common.

Ophioglossum vulgatum L. Frequent in damp ground throughout the State.

Osmundaceae.

Osmunda cinnamomea L. Cinnamon fern. Swamps. Common.

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Osmunda Claytoniana L. Interrupted fern. Along roadsides and in thickets.

Osmunda regalis L. Royal fern. Widely spread, but not so abundant as O. Cinnamomea.

Schizaeaceae.

Lygodium palmatum Swz. Climbing fern. Hunter, Green Co. and McDonough, Chenango Co., Professor Peck. The only localities known in the State.

Polypodiaceae.

Adiantum pedatum L. Maiden hair. Plentiful throughout the State.

Asplenium angustifolium Michx. Narrow-leaved Spleenwort. Damp, shady soil, common.

Asplenium Bradleyi D. C. Eaton. Near Newburg, D. C. Eaton; Shawangunk Mts., C. Lown in State Herbarium. Rare.

Asplenium ebeneum Ait. Ebony Spleenwort. Frequent on edges of woods or rocks throughout.

Asplenium ebenoides R. R. Scott. Near Saugerties, Ulster Co., C. Lown, in State Herbarium. Rare.

Asplenium montanum Willd. On rocks about Lakes Mahonk and Minnewaska, Prof. C. H. Peck. New Paltz, H. Denslow. Rare.

Asplenium ruta-muraria L. Wall Rue Spleenwort. Limestone cliffs. Helderberg Mts., Professor Peck. Spraker’s and Chittenango Creek, Paine. Little Falls, Gilbert. Not common.

Asplenium Trichomanes L. Maiden hair Spleenwort. On limestone rocks. Middle and eastern parts of the State. Localities comparatively few. Common in the southern part, Clute.

Athyrium filix-foemina Roth. Lady fern. Very common everywhere. About 15 varieties occur in State.

Athyrium Thelypteroides Desv. Silvery Spleenwort. Damp woods. Common.

Camptosorus rhizophyllus Link. Walking fern. On shaded rocks. Not common but widely scattered.

Cheilanthes vestita Swz. Rare. Washington Heights, Manhattan Island, W. W. Denslow in herb. Gilbert; Poughkeepsie, Professor Peck.

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Cystopteris bulbifera Bernh. Rocky banks and ravine sides near water. Common in the central, rare in the southern part of the State.

Cystopteris fragilis Bernh. Fragile Bladder fern. On gravelly hillsides and moist rocks. Common. Two varieties of this are occasionally met with, viz. dentata Hook, and magnasora Clute.

Dicksonia pilosiuscula Willd. Abundant. Growing in large beds along roadsides and in moist woodlands.

Nephrodium Boottii Davenp. Frequent in damp woods throughout the State.

Nephrodium cristatum Michx. Crested fern. Common in swampy grounds.

Nephrodium cristatum Clintonianum Gilbert. Growing generally with the type.

Nephrodium fragrans Rich. Fragrant Fern. Lake Avalanche and Cascadeville on cliffs. Professor Peck. Rare.

Nephrodium Goldienum Hook. Occasional in swampy ground throughout the State.

Nephrodium marginale Michx. Plentiful in rocky woods.

Nephrodium Noveboracense Desv. New York fern. Common in damp woods and thickets.

Nephrodium simulatum Davenp. Middle Village, L. I., Rev. G. D. Hulst; Babylon and Bellville, L. I., W. N. Clute; Oneida Lake, H. D. House. Rare.

Nephrodium spinulosum Desv. Probably rather common, but not recognized. Grows in damp woods throughout the State.

Nephrodium spinulosum dilatatum Baker. Infrequent. Catskill and Adirondack Mts., Professor Peck; Yates Co., Sartwell. In more elevated situations than the type.

Nephrodium spinulosum f. intermedium. Davenp. Our commonest woods fern.

Nephrodium theypteris Desv. Marsh fern. Abundant in wet ground, whether shaded or not.

Onoclea sensibilis L. Sensitive fern. Common in swampy ground.

Pellaea atropurpurea Link. On cliffs both in eastern and western New York. Scarce.

Pellaea gracilis Hook. Slender Cliff Brake. Not common, 102 but occurring in many localities through the State. Always on rocks or cliffs.

Phegopteris Dryopteris Fee. Common in rich, damp woods.

Phegopteris hexagonoptera Fee. Rather scarce, but more frequent in the southern and western parts of the State.

Phegopteris polypodioides Fee. Common on wet rocks and in damp woods.

Polypodium vulgare L. Common Polypody. Common on rocks.

Polypodium vulgare cristatum Lowe. Rock City, Dutchess Co., Charles A. Coons.

Polystichum acrostichoides Schott. Christmas fern. Common in woods. The variety incisum with the type.

Polystichum Braunii Lawson. Summit, Schoharie Co., Catskill and Adirondack Mts., Professor Peck; Ilion ravine, Rev. H. M. Simmons in herb. Gilbert.

Pteris aquilina L. Bracken. Common throughout the State.

Pteris aquilina pseudocaudata Clute. The common form on many parts of Long Island. Clute.

Scolopendrium vulgare J. E. Sm. Hart’s tongue. Rare. Only in ravine of Chittenango Creek, Green Lake, Jamesville and a few other stations in the vicinity of Syracuse.

Struthiopteris Germanica Willd. Ostrich fern. Frequent in the Valley of the Mohawk and its tributaries. Western part of the State, Torrey; Southern tier, Clute.

Woodsia glabella R. Br. Crevices of rocky ledges at Lake Avalanche and in the pass north of it, Professor Peck; Haines’ Falls, Catskill Mts., Professor Peck. The station at Little Falls has been destroyed by excavation.

Woodsia hyperborea R. Br. Rare. Adirondack Mts. Only three stations known—at Cascadeville, Lake Avalanche, and Ampersand Mt., Professor Peck.

Woodsia Ilvensis R. Br. Rusty Woodsia. On rocks and cliffs. Rather scarce.

Woodsia obtusa Torr. In rich woods and on rocks. Widely spread but not common.

Woodwardia angustifolia Sm. Flatbush and Middle Village, L. I., Professor Peck; Babylon and Bellville, L. I., Clute; Staten Island, Torrey.

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Woodwardia Virginica Sm. Chain fern. Frequent in swamps from Long Island to the western part of the State.

Equisetaceae.

Equisetum arvense L. Field Horsetail. Very common in either wet or dry soil. Mr. Eaton describes a dozen different forms.

Equisetum fluviatile L. Borders of lakes and ponds. Not uncommon.

Equisetum palustre L. Swamps near Buffalo, Clinton, according to Eaton. Rare.

Equisetum hiemale L. Scouring Rush. Very common in swampy and gravelly places. Eaton describes seven forms.

Equisetum hiemale intermedium A. A. Eaton. Oneida Lake, Dr. J. V. Haberer. Rare.

Equisetum scirpoides Michx. Shaded ravines and sphagnum marshes. Widely scattered but scarce.

Equisetum sylvaticum L. Wood Horsetail. Marshes and borders of woods. Not uncommon. Eaton enumerates seven forms.

Equisetum variegatum Schleich. Brisbin Swamp, Coville; Oriskany and shores of Lake Ontario, Paine; Owasco Lake, Prof. I. H. Hall; along W. Canada Creek, near Herkimer, J. V. Haberer.

Isoetaceae.

Isoetes Amesii A. A. Eaton, sp. n. (I. riparia Canadensis Engelm. Also I. Dodgei Eaton.) Peekskill is the only known locality in this State, but the species is very common in New England.

Isoetes echinospora Braunii Engelm. The common form in New York State.

Isoetes echinospora muricata Engelm. Lake Luzern, A. A. Eaton. Rare.

Isoetes Engelmanni A. Br. Abundant along the Susquehanna river in Broome and Tioga counties, Clute. New York City, Buchheister.

Isoetes macrospora Durien. Catskill Mts., Schweinitz, according to A. A. Eaton. (I. lacustris paupercula Engelm.) Rare.

Lycopodiaceae.

Lycopodium alopecuriodes L. Babylon, L. I., Clute. Rare.

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Lycopodium alopecuroides adpressum Chapm. Babylon, L. I., Clute; Forbell’s Landing, L. I., M. Zimmerman. Rare.

Lycopodium alopecuroides f. polyclavatum McDonald. Staten Island, Clute. Rare.

Lycopodium annotinum L. Damp woods. Rather scarce, especially in western part of State.

Lycopodium annotinum pungens Spring. Summits of Mt. Marcy and Mt. McIntyre, Professor Peck.

Lycopodium clavatum L. Common Club Moss. Abundant in open woods and thickets. The var. monastachyon Hook. was found on Bald Mt., Fulton Chain, by Dr. Haberer.

Lycopodium complanatum flabelliforme, Fernald. Common.

Lycopodium complanatum Wibbei var. n. J. V. Haberer. Scarce. Mohawk Valley. Haberer in herb. Gilbert and in herb. Gray, No. 1,953.

Lycopodium inundatum L. Bogs and borders of swamps. Frequent except in southern and western part where it is rare.

Lycopodium inundatum Bigelovii Tuckerm. Riverhead, L. I., Professor Peck.

Lycopodium lucidulum Michx. On damp grounds or rocks. Common.

Lycopodium obscurum L. Woods. Common.

Lycopodium Selago L. Summits of Mts. Marcy and McIntyre and in Indian Pass. Professor Peck. Alpine and rare.

Lycopodium Sitchense Rupr. In pass between Nipple Top and Mt. Colvin and on side of Mt. Marcy, Professor Peck. Alpine and rare.

Lycopodium tristachyum Pursh. Cold Spring Harbor, L. I., Prof. F. E. Lloyd; Ray Brook, Essex Co., Caroga, Fulton Co., Professor Peck. Alden Creek, Gilbert. Infrequent.

Salviniaceae.

Azolla caroliniana Willd. Floating on water. Frequent. Cayuga Lake, Black Creek, Professor Peck; in all side waters of Lake Ontario, Paine.

Selaginellaceae.

Selaginella apus Spring. Wet banks and pastures. Uncommon. Cedar Lake, Herk. Co., Paine; borders of Rome swamps, Kneiskern; head of Oneida Lake, Haberer; Unadilla, Brown.

Selaginella rupestris Spring. On dry open rocks. Rather 105 scarce. Little Falls, Paine; Adirondacks. Professor Peck; Washington Heights, W. W. Denslow. Plentiful in the extreme southeast, Clute.