68 WHERE TO FIND FERNS. 



surface of the rock or soil upon which the plant is grow- 

 ing the roots underneath holding it in position. Fronds 

 triangular, numerous, evergreen, delicate, usually tripin- 

 nate, but sometimes only bipinnate. In the tripinnate 

 fronds the pinnae are mostly triangular, but are some- 

 times variously shaped, and are divided into pinnules, 

 which, near the bases of the pinnae, are again divided 

 into distinctly-stalked, fan-shaped, more or less cleft or 

 indented, lobes. Towards the apices of such divided 

 pinnae the pinnules are not again divided, but are simply 

 stalked and indented. In all compound ferns there is 

 always less division, both of fronds, pinnae, and pinnules, 

 towards the apex of each frond, pinna and pinnule. 

 Stipes, usually about the same length as the leafy part, 

 purplish black, smooth, and shining. Rachis and 

 secondary rachides purplish black, shining, and hairlike. 

 Fructification marginal, produced at the outer and upper 

 edges of the under sides of the fertile lobes, and consist- 

 ing of oblong sori, covered by indusia formed by the 

 reflexed and blanched margins of the lobes. 



HABITATS. Cliffs at or near the sea-coast seldom 

 inland. The moist hollows and crannies of limestone 

 rocks are the favourite habitats of this species. It 

 should be looked for in sea-caverns; under rocky ledges 

 or spurs ; in semi-dark crevices, and behind or under 

 the shadow of cliffside bushes or scrub. Very often it 

 is completely hidden by a screen of bushes or other 

 vegetation on the face of rocks in such positions 

 growing almost in darkness. Frequently it grows on 

 inaccessible parts of steep cliffs ; but whenever rocks 

 are searched for specimens, those especial nooks 

 moistened by oozing or trickling streams of water, flow- 

 ing down or along the rocky surface, should be carefully 

 examined. 



WHERE FOUND. In England, in the counties of 

 Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Salop, and Somerset only ; 

 the particular localities in those counties being the fol- 



