FERN 



127 



FIBRO 



regarded as the decomposition of sugar by 

 the action of yeast-cells. Varieties offer- 

 mentation are: Acetous F,, Alcoholic R, 

 Butyric F., Lactous F.=Lactic F., Mucous 

 F., Saccharous F., Vinous P., &c., named 

 from the more important products. Physical 

 theory of F.=Liebig's theory ; that fermen- 

 tation is purely chemical. Vital theory ofF. 

 =Pasteur's theory : that life is essential to 

 fermentation. 



Fern, (fern). [Fearn, the A.-S. name.] An 

 herb, sometimes a shrub or tree, with fibrous 

 root or rootstock ; with frond-like leaves : 

 reproduced by means of minute spores, v. 

 Ferns. F. royal=Osmuj\<ia.. Bladder F.= 

 Cystopteris. Bristle F. =Trichomanes. Fil- 

 my F.=Hymenophyllum. Flowering F.= 

 Osmunda. Hard F.= Lorn aria. Maiden- 

 hair f.=Adiantum. Male F. =Nephrodium 

 filix-mas. Parsley F. Cryptogramme. 

 Shield F. = Aspidium. Tree F. 

 =Cyathea. 



Ferns, (fernz). [Fern, q.v.]= 

 Filices = Polypodiaceae ; a 

 primary division pf Vascular 

 Cryptogams. 



Ferrates, (fertats). [Ferric, 

 q.v.] Salts of ferric acid. 



Ferrein. Pyramids of F. : in 

 the kidneys, formed by the 

 tubes entering Malphigiau Fern. 



Ferret 

 of iron = Red 



Ferret, (fer'ret). [Furet, the French name.]= 



Mustela furo: a small 



weasel-like quadru- 



ped, belonging to 



Mustelidffi. 

 Ferric, (fertile). [Fer- 



rum, q.v.] Contain- 



ing iron as an import- 



ant constituent. An- 



hydrous F. acid=FOz- 



F. acid=H^O^: an 



unstable acid, known 



only in combination. 



F. oa:id6=Fe20 



oxide of iron ; also called Colcothar, Rouge, 



and by other names. F. satts=Persalts of 



iron. 

 Ferricum, (ferti-knm). [Ferrum, q.v.]=$ Fe; 



an hy pothetical combining equivale nt of iron . 

 Ferricyanide, (fer-ri-si'a-nid). [Ferrum and 



Cyanogen.] A compound of a metal and 



ferri-cyanogen. Potassic .F.=Red prussiate 



of potash KgFe2Cyj2. 

 Ferricyanides, (fer-ri-sl'a-nidz). [Ferrum and 



Cyanide, g.v.]=Ferridcyanides. Compounds 



of metals and the radicle ferri-cyanogen. 

 Ferricyanogen, (fer-ri-si-an'o-jen). [Ferrum 



and Cyanogen, g-.v.] = Fe 1 2 Cyi2 = Cfdy : an 



hypothetical radicle of ferri-cyanides. 

 Ferro, (ferto). [Ferrum, q.v.] A prefix de- 



noting the presence of iron. F. calcite: a 



variety of calcite. F. cobaltite: a variety of 



cobaltite. F. tantalite=Tauta.]ite. F. titanite 



=Schorlomite. 

 Ferrocyanide, (fer-ro-si'a-nid). [Ferrum and 



Cyanogen, q.v.] Potassic .F.=Yello\v prus- 



siate of potash=K4FeCye. 



Ferrocyanides, (fer-ro-si'a-nldz). Compc-unds 

 containing a metal and the radicle ferro- 

 cyanogen. 



Ferrocyanogen, (fer-ro-si-an'o-jen). [Ferrnm 

 and Cyanogen, $.v.]=FeC 6 N 6 =FeCy 6 =Cfy; 

 an hypothetical radicle of ferro-cyanides. 



Ferrous, (fer'rus). [Ferrum, q.v.] A prefix 

 denoting the presence of iron. F. sulphate 

 = FeSO4'7H 2 O = Protosulphate of iron = 

 Green vitriol = Copperas. A dark green 

 cystalline substance, much used as an in- 

 gredient in black dyes. F. oxo,late=YLu.m- 

 boldtite=Iron-resin: 2FeC 2 O4'3H 2 O. 



Ferrum, (fertum). [The Latin word.]=Fe" 

 =Iron, q.v. ; an elementary metallic sub- 

 stance. 



Fertile nurse forms, in plants and animals: 

 organisms which become fertile without ever 

 becoming perfect, v. Nurse forms. E.g., 

 Aphides, echinus, prothallium, &c. 



Fertilization=Making fruitful. F. of flowers: 

 of those with bright, odorous , honeyed flowers, 

 usually by insects; of those with inconspicu- 

 ous flowers, usually by wind. 



Ferula, (fer'u-la). [L.fero, I strike.] A plant 

 belonging to Apiaceaa. F. asaJ'cetida=A&a,- 

 foetida. 



Ferulic acid, (ferVlik). [Ferula, q.v.] 

 CioHjoO,!; a monobasic acid substance found 

 in ferula. 



Festuca, (fes-tuTca). [Celt, fest, pasture or 

 food.] = Fescue grass; a plant belonging to 

 Graminacese. 



Fettbol, (fet'bol). [Ger. fett, fat; bol, bole.]= 

 Chlorophal: a mineral, chiefly hydrous silicate 

 of iron. 



Fettstein, (fet'stin). [Ger. fett, fat; stein, 

 stone. ]=Nephelite: a mineral, also called 

 Oilstone, q,v. 



Feuerblende, [Ger. feuer, fire; and Blende, 

 fl.v.]=Pyrostilpnite, q.o. 



Feverfew, (fe'ver-fu). [L. febris, fever; fugo, 

 I drive away. ]=Pyrethr urn parthenium= 

 Matricaria partheniuin: a plant belonging to 

 Asteraceae. 



Fiber, (fi'ber). [The Latin narne.]=Castor 

 fiber =Beaver, q.v. 



Fibre, (fi'ber). [L. fibra, thread.] Usedgene- 

 ra).ly for any thread-like substance. 



Fibres of Corti. Minute rods or fibres in the 

 scala- media of the ear, which, being set in 

 vibration by sound, act on the auditory nerve 

 by means of the scala media, and distinguish 

 the quality of the sound; each fibre vibrating 

 to a certain note only. 



Fibrin, (f i'brin). One of the constituents of 

 blood, which unites with the corpuscles when 

 the blood coagulates; it is also the principal 

 component of muscular tissue; resembles 

 albumin in composition : probably=oxidised 

 albumin. v. Proteids and Albuminoid 

 principles. 



Fibrinogen, (fi-brin'o-gen). [Fibrin, q.v.; and 

 Gk. gennao, I produce.]=:Incipient albumin: 

 a modification of globulin, found in the 

 plasma of the blood, causing the production 

 of fibrin. 



Fibro-vascular tissue = Phloem and Xylem, 

 q.v. A compound found in plants. 



