ETYMOLOGY. 



299 



Phlebodium, plilebes, veins, odous, a tooth ; the joining of the 



veins, in the areoles being like teeth. 

 Phymatodes, plvymata, tubercles ; the impressed sori having 



the appearance of tubercles on the upper side of the 



frond. 



Pilularia, pilula, a pill ; the form of the spore-cases. 

 Platycerium, platys, broad, keras, horn ; the fronds divided in 



broad segments like stags' horns. (The stags' -horn 



fern.) 

 Platyloma, platys, broad, loma, border ; having broad son ( 



to the margin. 



Pleocnemia, pleos, full, Jcnemia, rays ; full of rays ; the vena- 

 tion. 1 J -JV 



Pleopeltis, pleos full, peltis, shield ; the sori being furnished witi 



numerous round scales. 

 Pleuridium, pleura, side (ribs) ; the primary veins being costse- 



form, like ribs. 



Poecilopteris, pcelcilos, spotted, pteris ; the appearance oi 1 

 venation. . 



Polybotrya, polys, many, lotrys, bunch ; the fructification being 



in bunch-like racemes. 



Polypodium, polys, many, pous, foot; polypus; the rhizome, 

 when destitute of the fronds, having the appearance ot 

 some kind of sea-polypus. 

 Polystichum, polys, many, stichos, order ; not specially 



applicable to the genus Polystichum, as now defined. 

 Psilotum, psilos, naked ; destitute of leaves. 

 Psomiocarpa, psomion, a small pellet, karpa, fruit ; the 



sporangia being in small round patches, in spikes. 

 Pteris, pteryx, wing; the scientific name given to the plant 

 known by the names of Brake, Bracken, and Fern; 

 on account of the supposed likeness of the branching 

 of its fronds to wings. This, being the commonest 

 of all Ferns, has become the type of the whole race ; 

 hence Pteris means Fern, all generic names of ferns 

 ending in pteris; such as Ceratopteris means horned 

 Fern, Dictyopteris netted Fern ; also, if at the beginning 

 of a word, as Pteridography, a book or writing on Ferns ; 

 Pteridologist, a studier and writer on Ferns ; PteridopJnhst, 

 a lover of Ferns. 



Khipidopteris, rUpis, fan; shape of the fronds like a fan. 



