86 



THE CLIFF BRAKES. 



its natural place of growth. It is a frail and delicate 

 species, little fitted to battle with wind and weather. It 

 therefore seeks the shelter of shady dripping ledges and 

 spreads its thin veiny fronds in the dim light, covering 

 the shelving crags with graceful drapery. ' ; 



The fertile fronds are taller than the sterile and more 

 erect. Occasionally they may reach a length of nine 

 inches although usually not more than half so long. The 

 blade is lanceolate, and, in heavily fruited fronds, twice 

 pinnate with linear pinnules. 

 When less fruitful the frond is 

 usually simply pinnate with ovate 

 pinnae cut into oval or lanceolate 

 segments, the terminal one longer 

 and narrower than the rest. The 

 sori are close to the margin and 

 covered with a broad and con- 

 spicuous indusium usually extend- 

 ing entirely around the pinnule. 

 The sterile fronds are generally 

 simply pinnate with pinnatifid 

 pinnae and broad, obtuse seg- 

 ments which are entire or irregu- 

 larly notched. The stipes are as 

 ^ on S or longer than the blades 

 and are straw-coloured. There 

 seems to be a complete gradation from wholly sterile 

 fronds to those most heavily fruited. 



This is one of our most delicate species and is able to 

 live only in deep shade and moisture. It withers at the 

 first sign of dryness, often disappearing by the first of 

 August in situations subject to summer drouths. The 

 greater part of its range appears to be north of the United 



TIP OF FERTILE FROND 

 ENLARGED. 



