ALLOSORUS CRISPUS 



67 



ALLOSORUS CRISPUS (The Parsley Fern). 



(Plate III) 



The Parsley Fern is popularly so called from its resemblance, 

 to some extent, to the familiar parsley of our kitchen gardens, a 

 resemblance accentuated by its growing in dense patches of similar 

 size. In its mountain habitats, for it is truly a mountain Fern, 

 it is found in great profusion, mainly on the loose debris weathered 

 down from above on the talus of steep gradients, whence, by virtue 

 of scattered spores, it will also invade the chinks and crevices of 

 the loose stone dykes common to such localities, and practically 

 monopolize them. Its somewhat triangular fronds, which may 

 reach nearly a foot in length, are three or 

 four times divided, and vary in form accord- 

 ing as they are barren or fertile. Fig. 21 

 shows a portion of a fertile frond of natural 

 size, and Fig. 22 shows the diversity of form 

 which the barren fronds are capable of dis- 

 playing even in one and the same plant. 

 As regards culture, ordinary pot or pan 

 culture, or simply planting in the open on 

 the flat, is little likely to succeed. Anyone 

 collecting the Fern in its native habitat, on 

 the slopes of loose, stony material, weathered 

 down from above, will note that season after 

 season the plant is apt to be buried by the *^k !| 

 sliding debris, and, in fact, has been so re- ^4 

 peatedly, and that season after season the 

 new fronds have pushed their way to the 

 light, and rooted higher up to fit. Soil 

 proper there is hardly any under such con- 

 ditions, and however moist the rubble may 

 be it is well drained. Studying these pecu- 

 liarities, we have succeeded in maintaining the Parsley Fern in 

 good condition for years, in a London garden, in this way. Digging 

 a hole about a foot deep in a suitable position, we have filled this 

 with rough brown peat and loam in equal parts, and well mixed 

 with coarse sand and gravel. Upon this we have spread the matted 

 root mass of the Fern, with its growing end towards the north ; 

 we have then buried it bodily with a spadeful of gravel, so that it 

 was entirely covered to the depth of a couple of inches. Over the 

 root mass, i.e. on the south side, we have then dumped a large 

 brick burr, about two feet high, and nearly as wide, thus leaving 

 the growing end of the Fern free, save of the gravel. Drenching 

 the whole with water, we have then left the plant to its own 



Fig. 21. A. o-ispus (pinna). 



