the involucre consists almost entirely of the recurved herbaceous
margin, the proper whitish and delicately membranous
involucre being nearly suppressed.
The spores are sub-globose, amber-colored, faintly trivittate,
and have a finely pustulated or granular surface.
In respect to the narrow herbaceous involucre this fern
comes nearest to Cheilanthes lanuginosa, of Nuttall, figured
at Plate’ V I of this work. It has, however, much larger
fronds; and the copious, though narrow scales of the stalk,
as well as the scales of the rachises, will readily distinguish it.
It is among the Ferns which have been cultivated by
Hon. J. Warren Merrill, though I am not informed what are
its special needs in the way of soil, moisture, etc.
Plate X L V .— Fig. 6 -12 . Cheilanthes Eatoni from one of Mr.
Brandegce’s Colorado specimens. Fig. 7 is an enlarged secondary
pinna. Fig. 8, a segment still more enlarged. Fig . 9, a part of the
rachis, enlarged, and showing the scales. Fig. 10. a scale from the
rachis, magnified. Fig. 1 1 , some of the tomentum magnified. Fig. 12,
a spore.
A