The Fern Lovek's Companion 65 



rocks and are from six to eight inches high. Stipes of the 

 fertile fronds are about twice as long as the sterile, making 

 two tiers of fronds. 



The parsley fern is the typical species of the genus 

 Crypfogrdmma. The indusium is formed of the altered 

 margin of the pinnule, at first reflexed to the midrib, giving 

 it a pod-like appearance, but at length opening out flat 

 and exposing the sporangia. Clute, speaking of this fern 

 as "the rock lirake," calls it a border species, as its home is 

 in the far north — Arctic America to Lake Huron, Lake 

 Superior, Colorado and California. 



i. Lip Ferns. i'heUdnthes 



Mostly small southern ferns growing on rocks, pubes- 

 cent or tomentose with much di^'ided lea^'es. Sori at the 

 end of the veins at first small and roundi.sh, but afterwards 

 more or less confluent. The indusium whitish and some- 

 times herbaceous, formed of the reflexed margin of the 

 lobes or of the whole pinnule. Veins free, but often 

 obscure. Most of the ferns of this genus grow in dry, 

 exposed situations, where rain is sometimes ab.sent for 

 weeks and months. For this reason they protect them- 

 selves by a co\'ering of hairs, .scales or wool, which hinders 

 the evaporation of water from the plant by holding a 

 layer of more or less saturated air near the surface of the 

 frond. fLi (ireek the word means Up fl<nrer, alluding to 

 the lii)-like indusia.) 



(1) Al.\b,\m.v Lip Fern. Cheikhdhes alahamensis 



Fronds smooth, two to ten inches long, lanceolate, 

 bipinnate. Pinna" numerous, oblong-lanceolate, the lower 



