Steve, Just guessing, but I'd say it's more likely that the epiphytic ferns you were seeing are in the genus Polypodium, known locally as rock-cap fern. It is not uncommon to see yellow birch draped with mats of rock- cap fern at upper elevations in the Southern Appallachians.
Josh -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected]
