THE CLIFF BRAKES. 



HE bracken is now considered to 

 be the sole representative of its 

 genus in northeastern America. 

 Time was, however, when other 

 species were classed with it, but 

 owing to some slight differences 

 in the manner of fruiting, these 

 latter are now placed in the genus 

 Pellcea. Superficially examined, 

 the fruiting seems to be identical, 

 but there is this difference : in 

 Pteris the sporangia are borne on 

 a continuous receptacle connect- 

 ing the ends of the veins, on the 

 margin of the pinnules ; in Pellcea 

 the sporangia are borne in dot- 

 like masses at the ends of free 

 veins, inside the margins. 

 The indusia are similar 

 and when the spore-cases 

 of Pellcza are ripe, they 

 frequently appear to form 

 a continuous line, 

 as in Pteris. 



WINTER BRAKE. Pella>a atrofurpurea. 



