FIG. 1. 



THE POLYPODIES. 27 



bling cambricum, but differing in yielding fertile fronds, 

 which is called omnilacerum. 



The plant varies in many ways. In some forms the lobes 

 are more or less regularly two-cleft at the apex ; in others 

 the margins are deeply saw-edged, or wavy or irregular; 

 in some the margin has rounded notches ; and the segments 

 are occasionally drawn out to a long narrow point. A com- 

 plete enumeration of the varieties of this and the other of our 

 native species of Ferris, which would occupy too much space 

 here, will be found in the new edition of our Handbook of 

 British Ferns. 



The species and its varieties grow readily under cultiva- 

 tion, either planted in pots, or on rockwork in a shady situ- 

 ation. They should have a light open soil. 



MOUNTAIN POLYPODY, OR BEECH-FERN. 



The proper name of this plant 

 is Polypodium Phegopteris. It . 

 has, however, been variously 

 called Lastrea Phegopteris, Po- 

 lystichum Pliegopteris, Gymno- 

 carpium Phegopteris, Phegopteris 

 polypodioides, and Phegopteris 

 vutgaris. 



The plant has a slender but 

 extensively creeping and slightly 

 scaly stem, producing black 

 fibrous roots. About May these 

 stems throw up delicate hairy 

 pale green fronds, which, when 

 full grown, measure from six 

 inches to a foot in height. The 

 stipes, which is fleshy and very 

 brittle, is generally twice as 

 long as the leafy part of the 

 frond. Near its base are a few 

 small almost colourless scales. 

 The fronds are triangular, ex- 

 tended into a long narrow point. 

 In the lower part they are pin- 

 nate ; but this distinction of the 

 parts is seldom carried beyond 

 the two lowest pairs of branches, 

 those of the upper portions of the frond being connected at 

 the base, in what is technically called a pinnatifid manner : 



