THE CLIFF BRAKES. 



States. The most southern stations are in 

 Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa and Colorado, 

 mostly in cool and elevated regions. It is 

 quite remarkable that this thin-fronded 

 plant which seems so little adapted to ex- 

 tremes of temperature should be found only 

 in cold northern countries. It is plentiful on 

 the sides of many ravines in Central New 

 York especially in the habitats of the hart's 

 tongue. It grows in Northern Asia, also. 



The systematists have had much trouble 

 in placing this species satisfactorily. It was 

 long known to American botany as Pteris 

 gracilis. Later it was called Pellcza gracilis 

 and until recently was known by that name. 

 Then it was changed to P. Stelleri and still 

 later placed in another genus as Crypto- 

 gramma Stelleri. It is likely that the major- 

 ity of botantists will continue to call it 

 by the name we have given at the beginning 

 of this description. The plant figured was 

 collected near Binghamton, N. Y., at an 

 altitude of about 900 feet, 



The Dense Cliff Er ah. 



The dense cliff brake (Pellcea densa) prop- 

 erly belongs to the northwestern part of 

 North America, being found from California 

 and Colorado northward to Alaska, but it 

 also strays as far east as Mt. Albert in 

 Quebec. In this part of its range it is ex- 

 tremely rare. Only one other eastern local- 



* 



densa - Fertile 



Frond. 



