110 ; FILICES 
bitter. Michael Drayton, who calls it the “jagged polypodium,” elsewhere 
describes it as the “rheum-purging polypody.” In Paris this and the mucil- 
age obtained from the leaves of the lime-tree are deemed, and not without 
reason, very useful in colds; but, except in villages, the plant is scarcely 
used in this country. Mr. Newman remarks that he has seen women col- 
lecting it in Herefordshire as a specific against hooping-cough. He says that 
it is gathered in October and November when in fruit, the barren fronds 
being rejected. It is hung up in the cottage to dry, and, when required for 
use, is slowly boiled with raw sugar. The people who were gathering it 
called it by its old names of Golden-locks and Maiden’s-hair. We have known 
it to be gathered for a similar purpose in Kent, where it is called Golden 
Polypody and Golden Maiden-hair, doubtless from its bright orange-coloured 
masses of fructification. In this case, however, it was deemed of great 
importance that the plant should be gathered from the oak, and not from 
the shady hedge-bank or other tree. Several species of Polypody are used 
for medicines in other countries. The various species, of which there are 
nearly 400, adorn the tropical lands of the Western Hemisphere, where they 
attain great luxuriance ; and our Common Polypody, which is found all over 
Europe, grows in many parts of Asia and America, either this or a very 
similar species being one of the commonest ferns in many of the woods and 
hedges of North America. Sir Joseph Hooker says that in Calcutta the 
Hindoos boil the young tops of a Polypodium with their shrimp-curries. 
Mr. Bennet, in his account of the South Sea Islands, mentions a species of 
Polypody which he found at Mahiatea, growing in abundance on a high 
mound built of coral stones. He says that the natives call it 4tuva-buua, or 
Pig’s-god, and believe it exercises a watchful care over the well-being of these 
animals. 
Several little variations occur in the form of our Common Polypody, the 
lobes being more or less cleft, or acute, or serrated. One of the most im- 
portant is that termed cambricum, the Welsh Polypody, in which the lobes 
become broader, and are again irregularly lobed and toothed. This is always 
barren. It is an exceedingly handsome form of the fern, The French call 
this fern Le Polypode ; the Germans Der Tipfelfarren. It is the Boomvaren ot 
the Dutch, the Polepodio of the Spaniard and Italian, and is known in Russia 
by the name of Osokor. 
2. Beech Fern (P. phegépteris).—Fronds pinnate, the pinne united at 
the base and pinnatifid, the lowest pair turned downwards, and all the rest 
upwards ; fructification marginal. This very beautiful plant is called also, 
Sun Fern and Mountain Fern. It has a preference for mountainous localities, 
where it often occurs at a great elevation, and it grows also in shady, rocky 
woods. Though a local plant, it is often abundant on particular spots. It 
is more frequent in Scotland than in England, and is of only local occurrence 
in Ireland. It is found in the northern and western counties of England, 
but is unknown in those counties that are at once south of Derbyshire and 
east of Gloucestershire. It flourishes particularly.near waterfalls; by the 
Falls of Lodore, celebrated both for their picturesque beauty, and for the 
singular rhymes which Southey composed on their rushing waters, this fern 
is one of the most graceful and lovely objects, springing up from among the 
