1. C. Alabaménsis, Kunze. Fronds smooth, chartaceous (2–8´ long), ovate-lanceolate, bipinnate; pinnæ numerous, oblong-lanceolate; pinnules triangular-oblong, rather acute, often auriculate or lobed; indusium continuous, rather broad, pale, and of firm consistence.—On rocks, mountains of Va. to Ky., and southward.
2. C. vestìta, Swartz. ([Pl. 17], fig. 1, 2.) Fronds (6–15´ high), lanceolate-oblong, hirsute, as are the brown and shining stipes, with straightish prominently articulated rusty hairs, twice pinnate; pinnæ rather distant, triangular-ovate; pinnules oblong, crowded (2–4´´ long), more or less incised, the ends of the roundish or oblong lobes reflexed and forming separate herbaceous involucres, which are pushed back by the ripened sporangia.—Clefts of rocks, Manhattan Island (W. W. Denslow) and N. J. to Ill., and southward.
[*][*] Fronds woolly or tomentose.
3. C. tomentòsa, Link. Fronds (12–20´ high) lanceolate-oblong, densely tomentose with slender and entangled whitish obscurely articulated hairs, thrice pinnate; primary and secondary pinnæ oblong or ovate-oblong; pinnules distinct, minute (½–1´´ long), roundish-obovate, sessile or adnate-decurrent, the upper surface less woolly, the reflexed narrow margin forming a continuous somewhat membranaceous indusium.—Mountains of Va. and Ky.; thence west and southward.—Stipe and rhachis rather stout, brown, covered with narrow chaffy scales and whitish hairs.
4. C. lanuginòsa, Nutt. Stipes slender, at first hairy, black or brown, shining; fronds (3–6´ high) ovate-lanceolate, woolly with soft whitish distinctly articulated flattened hairs, becoming smoother above, twice or thrice pinnate; pinnæ (5–6´´ long) ovate, the lowest distant, the others contiguous; pinnules crenately pinnatifid, or mostly divided into minute and roundish densely crowded segments (½–1´´ long), the herbaceous margin recurved forming an almost continuous indusium.—In dense tufts, on dry rocks and cliffs, Ill. to Minn., thence west and southward.
6. PELLÆ̀A, Link. Cliff-Brake. ([Pl. 16.])
Sporangia in roundish or elongated clusters on the upper part of the free veins, distinct, or confluent laterally so as to imitate the marginal continuous line of fructification of Pteris, commonly covered by a broad membranaceous and continuous (rarely interrupted) general indusium, which consists of the reflexed and altered margin of the fertile pinnule or division. Small ferns, with 1–3-pinnate fronds, the fertile ones with narrower divisions than the sterile, but otherwise similar. Stipes generally dark-colored, smooth and shining. (Name from πελλός, dusky, alluding to the stipe.)
1. P. grácilis, Hook. ([Pl. 16.]) Fronds smooth (3–6´ high), delicately membranaceous and slender, of few pinnæ, the lower ones once or twice pinnately parted into 3–5 decurrent divisions, those of the fertile frond oblong or linear-oblong, entire or sparingly incised; of the sterile ovate or obovate, crenate or incised; veins of the fertile fronds mostly only once forked.—Shaded calcareous rocks, Mass. to Minn., and northward; rare. July.—Rootstock very slender, creeping; stipes polished, brownish, darker and sparingly chaffy at base.
2. P. atropurpùrea, Link. Smooth, except some bristly-chaffy hairs on the midribs and especially on the dark purple and polished stalk and rhachis, 6–15´ high; frond coriaceous, pale, once or below twice pinnate; the divisions broadly linear or oblong, or the sterile sometimes oval, chiefly entire, somewhat heart-shaped or else truncate at the stalked base; veins about twice forked.—Dry calcareous rocks; not common, but of wide range. July.—Rootstock short and stout; stipes clustered.
7. CRYPTOGRÁMME, R. Brown. Rock-Brake.