FERNS. 



3 



POLYPODIUM. 



POLYPODIUM. 



Our first acquaintance with this group was made in 

 one of the beautiful " dales" of Yorkshire. The river 

 Swale winds serpent-like along the valley, and when we 

 began our exploration the morning sun was turning its 

 waters to gold. On the hill-sides on I 

 either hand are deep clefts, worn by 

 mountain streams, the steep banks 

 covered with Birch-wood. In these 

 wooded glades we began our eager 

 search for Ferns. For some time 

 each Fern that we gathered seemed 

 too complex in its structure for our 

 zeal to cut its teeth upon ; but presently we recognised 

 the common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare, Plate I., 

 Jig. 1), and some of our party seized it, exclaiming, 

 " The seeds here are of a sensible size ; one can discern 

 the little clusters of grains without a glass." "We were, 

 however, determined at once to accustom ourselves to 

 the use of the pocket-lens, and by its aid we saw that 

 Fanny's " grains x were cases of spores. The spores 

 themselves looked like fine dust. The entire absence of 

 covering (indusium), proved the right of the Fern to 

 stand in the Polypody group. This is one of the 

 commonest Ferns that grow. It is found on walls or old 

 stumps ; its branching rhizome matted with moss, 

 and its fronds assuming every graceful bend and 

 curve. 



There is a Welsh variety of this plant (P. cambricum), 



