THE BLADDER FERNS. 213 
bulbifera). In such places it grows in great luxuriance 
and is a singularly decorative species, with long narrow 
fronds hanging downward over the face of the rock in 
such profusion as to cover it like a curtain. 
Full grown fronds are frequently four feet long. They 
are on short stipes and twice pinnate, the oblong pinnules 
toothed, or the lowest deeply lobed. In cutting, the pin- 
nz have considerable resemblance to those of C. fragz/is, 
but the frond as a whole is very different, being widest 
across the basal pinne and tapering outward with regular 
gradations to the long slender apex. The blades are 
finely glandular underneath and very fragrant specimens 
are occasionally reported, the fragrance being doubtless 
due to these glands. 
In appearance the fertile and sterile fronds do not differ 
materially. The sori are borne in what approximates a 
double row on each pinnule, a sorus near the base of each 
tooth. The indusium is not quite so evanescent in this 
species asin C. fragilis though it usually withers when 
the spores are ripe. In young fruiting fronds it may be 
very clearly seen. Its apex is truncate. 
Although this species produces spores as freely as any, 
its principal means of propagation is probably by the 
bulblets which nearly every mature frond bears upon its 
under surface. These are about the size ofa grain of 
pepper and are borne on one or several of the pinne 
usually in the apical half of the frond. They are in the 
nature of adventitious buds and consist of two or three 
cotyledon-like masses enclosing one or more rudimentary 
fronds. When these come in contact with the soil, they 
put forth roots and are ready to begin life for themselves. 
They form new plants much sooner than spores could 
and the early fronds have less of the juvenile form. 
