FILICALES. 



on the upper side of the rhizoma, lanceolate, plane, slightly undulated, 

 thick, stiff, brittle, shining, from 9 inches to 3 feet long, covered on the 

 upper surface with fine pellucid dots; stalk long, semicylindrical, naked; 

 veins horizontal. Sori round, in transverse simple lines. Called 

 Puntu-puntu in Peru. The rhizoma in infusion and decoction is em- 

 ployed as a sudorific. The samples should be compact, heavy, difficult 

 to cut, of even fracture, red within, rusty or chesnut-coloured without. 

 Ruiz. 



ADIANTUM. 



Thecse placed on the distinct points of the veins, in a linear 

 or point-like receptacle, arranged in marginal sori. Indusia 

 continuous with the edge of the leaf, united to the receptacle, 

 opening inwards. 



1315. A. Capillus Veneris Linn, sp.pl 1558. E.Bot. t. 1564. 

 Smith Eng. Fl. iv. 320. South of Europe common ; more 

 rare in the North. (Maidenhair.) 



Rhizoma creeping, blackish, shaggy. Leaves 6-12 inches high, or 

 much more, erect or drooping, alternately and doubly pinnate ; their 

 stalks slender, purplish-black, smooth and polished ; the alternate ones 

 quite capillary. Leaflets wedge or fan-shaped, entire at the base, the 

 upper or outer margin variously jagged and lobed; when barren sharply 

 serrated, when fertile with each segment terminated by a roundish, flat, 

 brown, thin indusium. The rhizoma, which is slightly astringent and 

 aromatic, is considered pectoral ; but the decoction if very strong is 

 reported to be emetic. Mixed with syrup it forms Capillaire. 



1316. A. pedatum Linn, sp.pl 1557. Schkuhr. crypt. 107. 

 t. 115. Willd. sp.pl. v. 438 North America. 



Leaves pedate; divisions pinnate; pinnae halved, oblong, lunate, 

 incised at the upper edge ; the sterile segments toothed. Sori linear. 

 Petiole smooth. According to Smith it is this species that is used 

 in the manufacture of Capillaire, and not the last; but as it does not 

 grow in the South of Europe I do not see how this statement can be 

 correct. 



PTERIS. 



Thecae arising from the points of veins, placed on a nerve-like 

 receptacle running along the edge of the leaf, forming an unin- 

 terrupted marginal sorus. Involucres continuous with the edge 

 of the leaf, scarious, opening inwards. 



1317. P. aquilina ZzVm. sp.pl. 1533. E.Bot. t. 1679. Smith 

 Eng. Fl. iv. 318. Heaths, thickets, woods, &c. in Europe. 

 (Brake.) 



Rhizoma long, tapering, creeping ; externally black. Leaves erect, 

 from 1 to 6 feet high, repeatedly compound, with horizontally spreading 

 divisions, whose ribs are smooth ; the primary ones nearly opposite^ 

 the next more alternate, deeply pinnatifid, with crowded, lanceolate, 

 bluntish, convex, parallel segments ; the odd one generally much the 

 largest; lateral ones sometimes greatly diminished; all of a light bright 



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