424 THE ALPINE FLORA 



pushing up a single axis or stem, which carries two 

 fronds or leaves, one sterile and expanded half way up, 

 one fertile and forming an erect and composite raceme of 

 clustered sporangia (little yellowish granules) in which 

 the spores or reproductive organs are hidden. May-June. 

 The name, from the Greek for a cluster of grapes, is 

 most happy. 



Crypto gramma crispa* , formerly Jlllosurus crispus (PJ. 

 XCV1II), or Curled Rock-brake, is another true alpine 

 from granitic rocks of over 2000 m. The tufts sometimes 

 grow to considerable size and the effect of the clear green 

 foliage is altogether charming. The popular name, 

 Parsley Fern, is most descriptive of the fronds, which 

 take two forms; the sterile with oval, flat segments, 

 bipinnate with bi-tripinnate pinnules (to the right in the 

 illustration) ; the fertile with oblong, thick segments, as 

 a rule tripinnate below, bipinnate above. 



Cystopteris or Bladder Fern also is a mountaineer of 

 utmost grace. C. fragilis * (PJ. XC1X) has elegant, airy 

 fronds, of 10-20 in., extremely brittle, and oblong in 

 main outline, on a dark green, brownish axis, with ovate- 

 lanceolate, needle-pointed segments and pinnatifid leaflets. 

 No wall or rock fern is more charming or welcome to 

 similar spots in our gardens, where as a general rule it 

 does well. C. alpina* , from calcareous rocks, is dis- 

 tinguished by more closely bunched fronds, ovate in 

 outline with crowded, deeply cut leaflets, terminating in 

 a few teeth instead of a point. The rarest and most 

 delicate of all is C. montana* from pure chalk. Outline 

 triangular, almost as broad as long, on Jong, bright green 

 axis. No native fern is so finely divided and fretted. 

 Tripinnate. 



Woodsia hyperborea*, a delicious little fern, found here 

 and there among the granitic Alps and nowhere abundant. 



