PARSLEY FERN. 



CURLED ALLOSORUS, OR PARSLEY 

 FERN. 



ALLOSORUS CRISPUS. 



\Berrihardi, Babington, Moore, Newman, Bentham^ 

 (Fig. 24.) 



SYNONYMS. 



PTERIS CRISPA. Linnceus, Smith (Rock Brakes). 

 CRYPTOGRAMMA CRISPA. Brown, Hooker, Arnott. 

 OSMUND A CRISPA. LinnoBus. 



THIS elegant little fern might at first sight be 

 mistaken for a tuft of parsley : it is as bright and 

 green as that herb in the early summer. The fronds 

 average about six inches in height, and are of two 

 kinds. The barren fronds have broad, flat, and leaf- 

 like segments, and are two or three times pinnate. 

 The fertile fronds are known by their oblong or linear 

 segments. They are nearly triangular, and the indu- 

 sium is covered by the reflexed edge of the frond. 

 The veins are alternate, often forked, and each branch 

 ending in a cluster, having no indusium, but concealed 

 by the reflexed edge of the leaflet. The stem is 

 slender and very brittle. The duration of this most 

 beautiful little fern is very short ; it does not reach 



