FILICES. 45 



On rocks and walls, and among loose stones and on hillsides. 

 Local and principally found in mountainous districts. Challi- 

 comb, near Simmonsbath, Somerset; it also occurs in Shropshire, 

 Worcestershire, Derbyshire, Glamorganshire and Cardiganshire. In 

 North Wales it becomes abundant, and still more so in the Lake 

 district. In Scotland it is much more generally distributed, extend- 

 ing north to Caithness, Sutherland and the Hebrides, but it is not 

 recorded from Orkney or Shetland. In Ireland it is very rare, and 

 confined to the east and north-east. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer, Autumn. 



Caudex dividing into a great number of small crowns massed 

 closely together, so that though each crown produces but few fronds, 

 the plant grows in large tufts. Stipes of fertile fronds, 3 to 10 inches 

 high, slender, wiry, brown at the base, then yellowish-green. Lamina 

 1 J to 4 inches long ; ultimate segments £ to f inch long, bearing a 

 superficial resemblance to a pod of a Draba. Stipes of sterile frond 

 li to 5 inches long ; lamina 1 J to 4 inches ; ultimate segments 

 variable in the shape of and in the degree in which they are incised, 

 varying from -|- to ^ inch long. 



Occasionally barren fronds are found with the ultimate segments, 

 but slightly sinuated at the edges and not cut. These appear to be 

 transition forms between the barren and the fertile fronds. It is 

 certainly not a variety, for I have a specimen in which, from the 

 same caudex, one of these fronds is produced along with the ordinary 

 barren fronds with deeply cut pinnules, and fertile fronds of the 

 usual form. 



The fronds are produced in May or the beginning of June, and 

 are killed by the first severe frost of autumn. It cannot be mistaken 

 for any other British Fern, on account of its dimorphous decompound 

 bright green crisped fronds. 



The name of Parsley-fern is given on account of the barren fronds 

 having some resemblance to those of garden Parsley (Petroselinum 

 sativum). They are, however, more like those of Fool's Parsley 

 (JEthusa Cynapium). 



Parsley-fern, or Rock-brakes. 



Tribe III.— ASPIDIE.E. 



Caudex or rootstock not growing in advance of the fronds, the 

 stipes of which is not articulated to the rootstock, and does not separate 

 from it. Sori punctiform, round, very rarely elongated, attached to 

 the back of the veins, generally furnished with an indusium which 

 assumes various forms, but is never attached to the veins longi- 

 tudinally ; rarely the indusium is absent. 



