Fernsareusuallythoughtofasplantsofmoist,humidregions,andatfirstglancetheTrans-PecosregionofTexas,aruggedportionofthearidChihuahuanDesert,doesnotappeartobealikelylocationforfernsandtheirrelatives.Yetinmanyseeminglyunsuitabledryhabitats,onshadowedslopes,incanyons,andnearsprings,seeps,andstreamscanbefoundsixty-fourspeciesoffernsandfourteenspeciesoffernallies.ThisbookisacompletereviewofthetruefernsaswellastherelatedspikemossesandscouringrushesoftheTrans-Pecos.Inaconcise,readableintroduction,theauthorsdescribetheregion,whichrangesintopographyfromdesertfloorstomountainpeaksofovereightthousandfeet,andthevariationsinclimateandsoilsthatallowfernstosurviveinspecifichabitats.Inclearlanguagetheydescribethemorphology,reproduction,andadaptabilityoffernsandfernallies.DetailedkeystotheTrans-Pecosfamilies,genera,andspeciesallowanyonetoidentifyanunknownfernfromtheregion.Thespeciesdescriptionsgivefullscientificnames,commonnames,synonyms,anddescriptionsoflocationswheretheferncanbefound,includingspecificinformationontheiroccurrenceinBigBendandGuadalupeMountainsNationalParks.Wherevernecessary,thespeciesdescriptionsprovideinformationonspeciesthatmaybeconfused.Otherfeaturesofthebookareaquickidentificationguide,achecklistofthefernsandfernalliesoftheregion,aglossaryofterms,andalistofreferences.Thebookisillustratedwithdetailedlinedrawingsofthehabitanddetailsoftheplants,anddistributionmapswitheachfern’sdescriptionshowwherethespeciescanbelocatedintheregion.ThisbookwillbeavaluableguideforanyoneinterestedintheplantlifeoffarwesternTexasandadjacentareasintheChihuahuanDesert.
