558 THE FERN FAMILY. [ Allosorus. 
V. ALLOSORUS. ALLOSORUS. 
Delicate Ferns, with tufted, much divided fronds ; the central ones erect — 
and fruiting ; the outer ones barren, with broader segments. Sori circular, 
but so close as to form compact lines along the margins, covered over when 
young by the thin edge of the frond itself. 
A small genus, confined to the mountainous or northern districts-of the 
northern hemisphere. 
1. 4. crispus, Bornh. (fig. 1280). Curled Allosorus, Rock Braken, 
Parsley Fern.—Stock densely tufted with brown scarious scales, Fronds 
2 or 3 times pinnate, ovate or oblong in their general outline, on slender 
stalks almost without scarious scales ; the outer barren ones about 5 or 6 
inches high, somewhat resembling Parsley-leaves, with. numerous small, 
obovate or wedge-shaped and deeply-toothed segments. Fruiting fronds 
2 to 1 foot high, with equally numerous oblong or linear segments, the 
thin membranous edges turned down over the sori. Cryptogramme 
crispa, Br. 
In the mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees and Apennines to the 
Arctic regions, usually local, but often very abundant in particular spots. 
In Britain, chiefly in Scotland and northern England, but occurs also in 
central and western England; very rare in Ireland. Fr. summer. 
ne 
VI. GRAMMITIS. GRAMMITIS. 
Fronds much divided. Sori linear or oblong, simple or forked, not 
marginal, and without any indusium. 
A considerable genus, chiefly tropical, including many of those elegant 
Ferns often seen in our hothouses, with a golden or silvery dust on the 
under side of the fronds. The generic name Grammitis, Swartz, adopted 
by many Continental botanists, has been shown to have the right of 
priority over that of Gymnogramma, Desv., more generally used in this 
country. 
1. G. leptophylla, Swartz (fig. 1281). Small Grammitis.—A deli- 
cate little Fern, resembling at first sight very small specimens of Allosorus 
crispus. Fronds in little tufts, although the whole plant is usually annual; 
the outer fronds short, with few broadly obovate or fan-shaped segments, 
often barren; the others erect, 2 to 6 inches high, with slender black — 
stalks, twice pinnate, with numerous small, thin, obovate, deeply-toothed 
or lobed segments. Sori oblong, at length nearly covering the under 
surface of the segments. Gymnogramma leptophylla, Desv. | 
On moist shady banks, in the Mediterranean region and western Europe, 
extending eastward into central India, and northward up western France 
to Jersey, the only station within our Flora, It reappears in the southern ~ 
hemisphere. fr. spring and summer. 
VII. ASPIDIUM. SHIELDFERN. 
Fronds (in the British species) once, twice, or thrice pinnate, with a stiff 
erect stalk, usually bearing, at least at the base, numerous brown scarious 
scales. Sori circular as in Polypodium, but covered when young by a 
membrane or indusium, attached by the centre or by a point near one side, 
