ROCK BRAKES. 
109 
the margin. The little leaves are frequently auricled near the 
footstalk on one side only ; this is shown in figures d and e : 
c represents the margins as flattened, and the clusters of cap- 
sules consequently uncovered ; at d the margin is flattened on 
one side only ; at e both margins are flattened, the capsules re- 
moved, and only the points of their attachments indicated, to- 
gether with the veins on which they are placed. The character 
of the barren frond is very various : its appearance is generally 
crowded and crisped like the leaves of parsley, but its ultimate 
divisions are much the same with those of the fertile frond. 
Three forms of the barren frond are represented at f, g and h ; 
all these are of common occurrence : in f the ultimate divi- 
sions are formed like little oak leaves ; the venation of one of 
these magnified is shown at figure ^ ; g represents a frond in 
which the ultimate divisions are nearly linear : I have frequently 
received this as Cystopteris alpina ; indeed from what I have 
seen in various herbaria, I am inclined to think it is the usual 
representative of that plant : A is a form of less common occur- 
rence, yet rarely absent where the plant is growing in consi- 
derable quantities. 
I was not aware, when publishing my first edition, that I had 
been so completely forestalled by Roth in my view of the fruc- 
tification of this plant.'^' He has described it under the name of 
Onoclea crispa^ and has defined, with his usual clearness and 
accuracy, the peculiarities of its fructification; still I cannot 
but regard his making it an Onoclea as somewhat of an error in 
judgment, though perhaps pardonable, when we reflect that it 
originated more in his invincible dislike to encumber the science 
with new names, than from a conviction that our plant is at all 
nearly related to the giant Struthiopteris. It appears, however, 
from an observation following his description, that he felt con- 
siderable inclination to refer the plant to the genus Polypodium, 
* Propter fructificatioimm glomerulos ante maturitatem ad versum foliolo- 
rum marginem solitarios, Polypodii speciera refert primo intuitu haec planta, quae 
maturis et effusis capsulis demum confluentibus Pteridem mentitur. At si fo- 
liolorum crenulas revolutas et glomerulum suum capsularum tegentes respicias 
ad Onocleam potius pertinere videtur. — Roth, Flor. Germ. iii. 40. 
