PURPLE CLIFF BRAKE 



i^ellaea atro^urpurea (L.) Link 



T EAVES narrow, nearly twice compound; pinnae widely 

 -^— ' separated, variable in number, oval or elliptical, one or 

 more or the lower pairs snort-stalked and usually divided 

 into from two to rive pinnae. Son orignt brown, margfinal, 

 covered by the entire rerlexed edge or tne blades. Sterile 

 rronds rare, small, witn broader pinnae. Stems wiry, smooth, 

 purplish, irom a short rootstock covered with bright hair-like 

 scales. Blades bluish, leathery, evergreen, rinally dropping 

 away to leave the bare stems among the clumps or young 

 leaves. Entire lengtK not often exceeds eight mcbes. 



One occasionaly finds clumps of the purple cliff brake 

 m the Lower Dells, bigh up in the crevices of the dry ex- 

 posed rocks. It is a fern more at Kome on limestone cliffs. 



Page Nineteen 



