Ferns and Fern Allies of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas : Texas Tech University Press : 9780896724761 : 089672476X : 30 Jun 2002 : Ferns are usually thought of as plants of moist, humid regions, and at first glance the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, a rugged portion of the arid Chihuahuan Desert, does not appear to be a likely location for ferns and their relatives. Yet in many seemingly unsuitable dry habitats, on shadowed slopes, in canyons, and near springs, seeps, and streams can be found sixty-four species of ferns and fourteen species of fern allies. This book is a complete review of the true ferns as well as the related spikemosses and scouring rushes of the Trans-Pecos. In a concise, readable introduction, the authors describe the region, which ranges in topography from desert floors to mountain peaks of over eight thousand feet, and the variations in climate and soils that allow ferns to survive in specific habitats. In clear language they describe the morphology, reproduc