Howard Payne University will host the authors of “The Ferns and Lycophytes of Texas” in a book-signing event on Friday, June 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the university’s Walker Memorial Library.

Botanists George M. Diggs, Jr., and Barney L. Lipscomb conducted their research using, in part, a fern collection in HPU’s herbarium. Dr. Marilyn Mathis, associate professor of biology at HPU, serves as curator of the herbarium.

“My students this spring used the book for identifying the ferns they collected and we found it to be extremely useful,” she said.

A description of the book found on the Botanical Research Institute of Texas’ website (www.brit.org), states, “Texas has a surprising number of native ferns and lycophytes — 127 in all, the most of any state in the continental U.S.A.”

HPU’s collection provided valuable insight to the authors. Among other samples, HPU’s herbarium houses the only known Texas collection of the Pteris vittata fern, gathered from a stream-side boulder in San Saba County.

Dr. Jack Stanford, professor emeritus of biology at HPU who retired from the university in 1999 after 33 years of service, contributed to the book and received special recognition from the authors.

“The authors have provided us with a superb look at Texas plants,” said Dr. Stanford. “Anyone with an interest in plants – from botanists to home gardeners – will enjoy meeting them as well as reading their new and refreshing treatment of the ferns and their allies found throughout Texas.”

For more information or to order a copy of the book, visit http://www.brit.org/brit-press/books/texasferns. Books will also be available for purchase during the event. For more information about the book signing, contact the university’s Walker Memorial Library at (325) 649-8602.