





102 THE BRITISH FERNS. 
Indusium none, but the margins of the pinnulets, somewhat pallid 
but not altered in texture, are incurved over the sori. Spore-cases 
small, elliptic-obovate, stalked. Spores smooth, roundish, oblong, 
or bluntly triangular. 
Duration. The caudex is perennial; the fronds are annual, 
springing up in May and June, and perishing in the course of the 
autumn. - 
The Mountain Parsley Fern is readily known by its dwarf tufted 
parsley-like appearance, coupled with the dissimilarity between its 
much-divided sterile and fertile fronds, of which the former have 
the segments broad, flat, and leaf-like, and the latter have them 
involute at the margin, so that they become contracted and some- 
what pod-like or siliculiform. These features distinguish it from 
all others of our native Ferns. 
This Fern is met with rather plentifully, though locally, on the 
mountains of Scotland and those of the northern parts of England, 
and occurs sparingly in a few scattered stations, in Devonshire, and 
the districts of the Mersey, the Trent, and the Severn. In Wales 
it occurs, though not abundantly, in several counties in the north, 
including the Snowdon district; in South Wales it is more rare. In 
Treland it is.also rare, being recorded only from three or four 
counties. It is a mountain plant, preferring rocky situations, and 
delighting to grow among boulders and loose stones, or on stone 
walls, where it is protected from excess of moisture. Mr. Watson 
calls it rupestral and pascual in its habits. It occurs nearly at the 
sea level in the moors of Lancashire, and in North Wales descends 
to about 450 feet; while in the West Highlands it ascends to an 
elevation of upwards of 3000 feet—1150 yards according to Mr. 
Watson. The following are the recorded habitats :— 
Peninsula.—Devonshire: Exmoor near Challacombe, N. Ward. 
Somersetshire: Simmonsbath. These descriptions perhaps refer to 
one locality. : 
Severn.— Shropshire: Titterstone Clee Hill Worcestershire : 
Herefordshire Beacon, Malvern Hills. ? Staffordshire ; Stowe. 

