A SYNOPSIS OF THE FERNS AND FERN ALLIES OF NEBRASKA, WITH MAPS OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION

An annotated list and county-by-county distribution maps are presented for the 32 species of ferns and fern allies native to Nebraska, based upon field and herbarium studies and critical evaluation of the literature. Native to the state are Isoetes melanopoda, Selaginella rupestris, five species of Equisetum, and 25 species in 18 genera of ferns. Three native species are here verified for the first time, based upon recent collections: Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica, Ophioglossumengelmannii, and Pellaeaglabella ssp glabella.Isoetes melanopoda was rediscovered in 2000, the first record since 1941. Rejected are published reports of Lycopodiumannotinum, Selaginella densa, Equisetum xlitorale, E. palustre, E. pratense, E. variegatum, Asplenium trichomanes, Azolla caroliniana, Botrychium dissectum, B. matricariiJolium, B. multiJidum, B. neglectum, Cryptogramma acrostichoides, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Osmunda cinnamomea, 0. claytoniana, 0. regalis,and Woodsia scopulina. Some erroneous reports have been published repeatedly for more than a century, but others are recent.