FERN FAMILY. 29 
14. PELLAEA Link, Fil. Hort. Berol. 59. 1841. 
Rock-loving small or medium-sized ferns with pinnate or pinnatifid leaves and intra- 
marginal sori borne on the ends of unconnected veins, at length confluent and forming a 
marginal line. Indusium commonly broad and membranous, formed of the reflexed mar- 
gins of fertile segments which are more or less modified and membranous. Fertile and 
sterile leaves similar. Stipes usually dark-colored. Sporanges provided with a vertical 
ring which bursts transversely, pedicelled, copious, usually dark brown. [Greek, in allusion 
to the dark-colored stipes. ] 
About 55 species, of wide geographic distribution. Besides the following, some 12 others oc- 
cur in the western and southwestern parts of North America. 
Texture of the leaves thin; veins plainly visible. Tana LCLLER Ts 
‘Texture coriaceous ; leaves evergreen; veins obscure. 
Leaves pinnate or 2-pinnate with large pinnules. 2. P. atropurpurea. 
Leaves small, 3-pinnate, the pinnules narrow. 3. P. densa. 
1. Pellaea Stélleri (S. G. Gmel.) Watt. Slender Cliff-brake. (Fig. 63.) 
Pleris Stellert S. G. Gmel. Noy. Com. Acad. 
Petrop. 12: 519. fl. 72. fi. 7. 1768. 
ee gracilis Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 262. 
Pellac gracilis Hook. Sp. Fil. 2: 138. 1858. 
Pellaea Stellert Watt, Can. Fil. No. 2. 1869-70. 
Rootstock slender, creeping, thread-like, 
somewhat scaly. Stipes scattered, 2/-3/ 
long, straw-colored or pale brown, slightly 
chaffy below ; leaves thin-membranous, ovate 
in outline, 2’-5’ long, 1’—2’ wide, 2-3-pinnate 
or pinnatifid above, the fertile taller than the 
sterile and with narrower pinnules and seg- 
ments ; pinnae lanceolate-deltoid, cut to the 
rachis into a few blunt or subacute slightly 
lobed or entire segments; indusium broad, 
continuous ; veins of the fertile leaves mostly 
only one-forked, everywhere apparent and 
conspicuous. 
On rocks, preferring limestone, Labrador to 
British Columbia, south to Massachusetts, Penn- 
sylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin and in the Rocky 
Mountains to Colorado. Ascends to 2500 ft. in 
Vermont. Alsoin Asia. Aug.—Sept. 
2. Pellaea atropurptrea (J,.) Link. 
Purple-stemmed Cliff-brake. 
(Fig. 64.) 
Pteris atropurpurea V,. Sp. Pl. 1076. 1753. 
Pellaea atropurpurea Vink, Fil. Hort. Berol. 
59. 1841. 
Rootstock short, densely clothed with 
rusty slender hair-like scales. Stipes tufted, 
2’-6’ long, dark purple or nearly black; 
leaves coriaceous, lanceolate or ovate-lanceo- 
late in outline, 4/-12’ long, 2/-6’ wide, 
simply pinnate or 2-pinnate below; rachis 
dark-brown or purple, glabrous or pubes- 
cent; pinnules and upper pinnae 1/—2’ long, 
glabrous, 3’ or less wide, short-stalked or 
sessile ; indusium formed of the slightly al- 
tered incurved margin of the pinnules ; veins 
obscure, commonly twice forked. 
On rocks, preferring limestone, Ontario to 
the Northwest Territory and British Columbia, 
south to New Jersey, Georgia, the Indian Terri- 
tory, Arizona and northern Mexico. Ascends to 
2200 ft. in Virginia. June-Sept. 
