392 CRYPTOGAMIA FERNS. [CL. XXIV. 



1. B. boredle. Northern Hard-fern. Fronds smooth, pinnate, 



pectinate ; leaflets linear, entire, dilated at the base. Fronds 



about a foot high, some bearing fruit, others none ; the latter nar- 

 row lance-shaped, tapering at the base, with hardly any stalk, 

 their alternate leaflets slightly curved upwards : the former with 

 much narrower leaflets, more dilated at the base, curved down- 

 wards, the stalk long and dark-brown. Perennial : bears fruit in 

 July : grows in woods and heathy places : common. Eng. Bot. 

 vol. xvii. pi. 1159. Eng. Fl. vol. iv. p. 317. 1492. 



9. PTE'KIS. BRAKE. 



Sori linear, continuous, close to the margin, at the back of 

 each segment of the fertile fronds. Cover membranous, con- 

 tinuous, formed by the inflected margin of the frond, opening 

 at its inner edge. Capsules numerous, stalked, globular, two- 

 valved, with a jointed ring. Seeds numerous, minute. Name, 

 pteris, in Greek, a fern. 468. 



1. P. aquilina. Common Brake. Frond thrice divided ; divi- 

 sions lance-shaped, their leaflets alternate, narrow lance-shaped, 

 pinnate, the uppermost entire ; segments somewhat lance-shaped, 



obtuse. Fronds from two to four feet high. It is used for 



thatching cottages, for which purpose it is better adapted than 

 almost any of our native plants, excepting ling and broom. The 

 ashes afford a pretty good alkali. Perennial : bears fruit in July 

 and August : grows on heaths, and in pastures and woods : com- 

 mon. Eng. Bot. vol. xxiv. pi. 1679. Eng. Fl. vol. iv. p. 318. 1493. 



2. P. crtepa. Curled Brake. Barren frond alternately twice 

 pinnate, with inversely egg-shaped, cut, or deeply crenate seg- 

 ments ; fertile fronds thrice pinnate, with narrow oblong segments. 



Fronds from six to twelve inches high, with long slender 



stalks. Perennial : bears fruit from June to October : grows in 

 stony mountainous places in Scotland, the north of England and 

 Wales. Eng. Bot. vol. xvii. pL 1160. Eng. Fl. vol.iv. p. 319. 1494. 



10. ADIA'NTUM. MAIDEN-HAIR. 



Sori roundish, marginal, distinct, at the back of the frond, 

 each attached to the centre of the under side of its cover, which 

 is formed by the inflected margin of the frond. Capsules seve- 

 ral, stalked, globular, two-valved, with a jointed ring. Seeds 

 minute. Name from adiantos, that which is of a dry nature. 



469. 



1. A. Capillis-Veneris. True Maiden-hair . Frond twice com- 

 pound; leaflets alternate, wedge-shaped, lobed on hair-like stalks. 

 Fronds from six to twelve inches high, with slender dark- 

 purplish stalks. Perennial -. bears fruit from May to September : 

 grows on rocks and walls : rare. Eng. Bot. vol. xxii. pi. 1564. 

 Eng. Fl. vol. iv. p. 320. 1495. 



11. TRICHO'MANES. BRISTLE-FERN. 

 Sori oblong or roundish, terminal, imbedded in the margin, 

 or segment of the frond. Cover pitcher- shaped, of the same 

 texture as the frond, and continuous with it, of one leaf opening 

 outwards, permanent. Capsules sessile, roundish, two-valved, 

 with a jointed ring, crowded at the base of a cylindrical common 



