_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.=
[Sidenote: =Phegopteris alpestris= (Hoppe) Mett. _Western Beech Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Phegopteris Phegopteris= (L.) Underw. _Long Beech Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Phegopteris Dryopteris= (L.) Fée. _Oak Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Adiantum pedatum= L. _Maidenhair Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Pteridium aquilinum pubescens= Underw. _Bracken._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Cryptogramma acrostichoides= R. Br. _American Rock-brake._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Cryptogramma Stelleri= (S. G. Gmel.) Prantl. _Slender
Cliff-brake_.]
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.
[Sidenote: =Cheilanthes Féei= Moore. _Hairy Lip Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Asplenium viride= Huds. _Green Spleenwort._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Asplenium Filix-fœmina= (L.) Bernh. _Lady Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Polystichum Lonchitis= (L.) Roth. _Holly Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Dryopteris Filix-mas= (L.) Schott. _Male Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Dryopteris spinulosa dilatata= (Hoffm.) Underw. _Spinulose
Shield Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Dryopteris oreopteris= (Sw.) Maxon.]
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.
[Sidenote: =Woodsia scopulina= D. C. Eaton. _Rocky Mountain Woodsia._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Woodsia oregana= D. C. Eaton. _Oregon Woodsia._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Filix fragilis= (L.) Underw. _Brittle Fern._]
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.
[Sidenote: =Filix montana= (Lam.) Underw.]
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.