8 POLYPOBIFM PTIEOOPTKRIR. 



of water: hence its other EngUsh name, "Mountain Polypody." 

 Pohjiiodium phegopteris is a most beautiful species, and delights 

 to creep with its rhizoma amongst wet moss, rooting into 

 decayed vegetable matter. 



In England the Beech Fern is to be found in Cheshire, 

 Cornwall, Cumberland, Derbyshire, Devonshire, Durham, 

 Herefordshire, Lancashire, Northumberland, Shropshire, Staf- 

 fordshire, Sussex, Westmoreland, and Yorkshire. In Scotland 

 it is much more generally distributed. In Ireland the Beech 

 Fern is uncommon and very local; it has been found in 

 Antrim, Down, Donegal, Kerry, Louth, Londonderry, and 

 Wicklow. In Wales it is common in Brecknockshire, Caer- 

 marthenshire, Caernarvonshire, Cardiganshire, Glamorganshire, 

 Merionethshire, and Montgomeryshire. Also a native of the 

 Isle of Man and Shetland Islands. 



The Beech Fern is not only found throughout Europe from 

 Italy to Iceland, but it is widely spread in North America. 

 It occurs at Kamtschatka and along the Altai Mountains. 



This lovely species is easily cultivated in our Ferneries, if 

 planted in a moist shady situation in rich vegetable mould, 

 and especially when amongst rock-work, and where the 

 moisture in the soil is not stagnant. If water is introduced 

 into the Fernery, this plant should be within reach of the 

 spray of a waterfall, as it is in the highest degree luxuriant 

 when planted under such circumstances. 



The form of the frond is ovate-triangular, acuminate, and 

 tapering to a point; pinnate below and pinnatifid above. 

 PinnsD pinnatifid, the basal pinna; profoundly pinnatifid; mostly 

 opposite, occasionally alternate; the basal pair of pinnre 

 lanceolate in form, deflexed, and curving downwards away 

 from the other pinnae; the next pair nearly straight, and the 

 rest curving upwards more or less. The attachment to the 

 rachis is sessile with the basal pair, the second pair somewhat 

 adnate, the remainder being attached throughout their whole 

 width. The upper pinna have their bases decurrent, being 

 continuous on the rachis. Lobes blunt. 



Stipes usually more than half the length of the frond, 

 upright, having a few thin scales at the base and minute hairs 

 above. The entire length of the frond, including the stipes, 

 varies from four to twenty inches. Colour pale green. 



