34 fBRNS OE GREAT BRITAIN. 



Both the barren and fertile fronds of the Rock Parsley 

 are twice or thrice pinnate, but the neatly wedge-shaped 

 segments of the barren frond are often cleft at the end. 

 These fronds are more numerous than the fertile ones, 

 and generally of a much lower growth, and of a brighter, 

 more yellowish green. The fertile frond is nearly tri- 

 angular, from six to twelve inches high, and the seg- 

 ments are oblong, oval, or linear in form. The divisions 

 of this frond have a winding mid-vein, producing lateral 

 ones either forked or simple, which extend nearly to the 

 margin, and bear at their extremities the round clusters 

 of seed-cases. These are destitute of a true indusium, 

 but are concealed by the margins of the leaflet, which 

 are rolled under, and which become quite thin and 

 white. In the early stage of their growth we may see 

 the circular form of the clusters, as they are then 

 distinct ; but they afterwards mingle into two continuous 

 lines of bright-brown fructification. 



The stalk of the frond is smooth, pale green, slender, 

 very brittle, and usually longer than the leafy part ; and 

 the delicate green fronds rise in great number from the 

 horizontal stem, forming a dense mass, and holding very 

 fast to their rocky soils by their black, tough, numerous 

 fibres. They rise in May and June ; but he who should 

 visit their locaUties during winter, would see no remains 

 of the verdant hue with which they clothed the rocks in 

 spring. This Rock-brake is termed by some botanists 

 €ryptagromma crispa, or Pteris erispa, and is the 

 Osmunda crispa of Linnaeus. It gj-ows freely in culti- 

 vation, but requires sha^ie, as too much sunshine renders 

 its green hue less vivid. 



