An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



195 



Folypodlnm — continued. 



P, venosnin (veined). A synonjnu of P. tycopodioide^. 



P. vennstum (charming). A synonym of P. Iiimalanense. 



P. verrucosum (warteil).* ».(?. firm, erect, lift, to 2ft. long, 

 terete, naked, fnunls 3ft. to 4ft. long, 1ft. broad ; pinnie 6in. to 

 8in. long, iin. to Jin. broad, entire ; rachis and both surfaces 

 sometimes slightly hairy, sori confined to the inner row of 

 areolfe, firm, immersed, forming very distinct papilla on the 

 upper side. Philippines and Malaccas. (H. G. F. 41.) 8yn. 

 Schellohpifi verntcosa. 



FlG. 246. POLYPODii'M vi'LGARE, showing: Habit and Under 

 Surface of Portion of detached Frond. 



p, vnlgaJC (common). Adder's Fern ; Brake-root ; Golden 

 Maidenhair ; Wall Fern; Wood Fern. rhiz. stout, with bright 

 ferruginous scales. 8(i. firm, erect, 2in. to 4in. long, stramineous. 

 fronds 6in. to 12in. long, Sin. to bin. broad, cut nearly or quite to 

 the rachis ; pinnpe Jin. to ^in. broad, close, entire or slightly 

 toothed, usually blunt, sort large, uniseriate. Temperate regions 

 (Britain, Ac). See Fig. 246. Of this species, there are many 

 varieties. The following are the most desirable. 



P. V, auritum (eared). This differs from the type in being 

 auriculate at the base of the pinna% on the upper, the lower, or 

 both, margins. The fronds are lOin. to 15in. long, and over 2in. 

 wide. 



P, V. bifldum (twice-cut). A variety with fronds lOin. to 151n. 

 high and 3in. wide, with the lobes forked, or sometimes bi- 

 furcate. 



Fig. 247. Frond of Polypodiim vulgare cambricim. 



Polypodinm. — continue d . 



P. V. cambricum (Welsh).* fronds 12in. to 20in. long. 4in. to 

 Sin. wide, broadly ovate, bipinnatifid ; pinnae ovate-lanceolate ; 

 pinnules imbricated, and serrated on the margins. One of the 

 earliest-known, best, and most distinct, forms. See Fig. 247. 



P. y. compositum (compound), frofuls Ift. to l^ft. long, about 

 4in. wide; some of them furcate on the points of the pinnae, 

 others partly forked and partly serrate, others much enlarged, 

 and sometimes eared. 



P. V. cristatum (crested). fronds about 15in. long. Sin. to 

 4in. wide, the apex tiitid, eacli branch again forking, and often 

 becoming crested ; points of all the pinnie crested and curled. A 

 handsome and very distinct variety. 



Fig. 248. Polypodium vulgare elegantissimum, 



P. V. elegantissimum (most elegant).* A form with very tinely- 

 divided fronds. See Fig. 248. 



P. V. marginatum (margined), frondji about 1ft. long, linear- 

 lanceolate ; ])innii' unequally, sometimes deeply, serrate. 



P. V, multifido-cristatum (multifid-crested). A form with 

 fronds 6in. to lOin. long, 3in. of which have only a narrow wing on 

 each side of the stipes, but they are much forked upwards, and 

 produced in a dense, multifid crest. 



P, V, omnilacerum (wholly-torn). fi-oiid>< pinnatitid ; pinnte 

 deeply lobed, similar to cauibricnin, hut the lobes are not im- 

 bricated, and the tip of each pinna is more lengthened out. A 

 handsome and rare variety. 



P. V. pulcherrimum (very beautiful), fronds lit. or more long, 

 about 6in. wide, very similar to those of cambricum, the apex 

 deeply seri-ated. A grand variety. 



P. V. semilacernm (half-torn), fronds 1ft. to IJft. long. 5in. to 

 6in. wide, below deeply bipinnatifid, pinnate towards the apex ; 

 pinna? irregularly toothed. Ireland. A handsome form. 



P. V, suprasoriferum (sori-bearing above), fronds lOin. to 

 12in. long, narrow, aori frequently produced at the margins of 

 the upper surface. South of England. A very singular and rare 

 plant. 



P. V. variegatum (variegated). A pretty, but somewhat uncer- 

 tain, form, di.-^tinctly spotted and striped with whitish-yellow. 



P. Wlldenovii (Wildenow'.sX A synnnym of /'. projiintjuuin. 

 POLYPODY. See Polypodium. 



POLYPORTTS (from the Greek polyporus, having 

 many outlets ; in allusion to the many openings or pores 

 on the lower surface of the pilous). A genus of Fungi, 

 belonging to the Hi/menomiicefen, or those in which the 

 spores are formed on the tips of small projections from 

 larger cells (of which each gives off four spores) on the 

 surface (hymenium) of a definite part of the Fungus. See 

 Mushrooms. The species of Pohjporus differ from the 

 true Mushrooms in that, while the latter bear the hyme- 

 nium on the gills, the former bear it in a number of small 

 tubes packed together to form a layer of peculiar aspect 

 and texture on the lower surface of the cap, or pileus. 

 They are usually dry and hard in texture, after a short 

 time, and are rather long lived. They, at first, emit an 

 acid smell, but afterwards are nearly without smell. 

 They vary in form, and grow indefinitely. Those para- 

 sitic on trees usually have the pileus sessile, and fixed 



