ADIANTUM MAIDENHAIR. 277 



CRYPTOGAMOUS OR FLOWERLESS PLANTS. 



Plants which produce directly without the intervention of flowers, in- 

 stead of seeds, minute bodies of homogeneous structure, termed sijores, 

 whi(di do not contain an embryo or plantlet previous to germination. 



Cryptogams are divided into two great classes, Thallogens and Acho- 

 GENS, the latter comprising those liaving a distinct axis, that is, a stem or 

 stem and branches, growing froni the apex only, containing woody fibre 

 and vessels, and commonly with some sort of foliage. To this class be- 

 long the few cryptogams described in this work. 



FILICES-FERNS. 



Character of the Order. — Plants with leaves, called fronds, all j'adieal, 

 on stalks, called stii^es, rising from a root or roostock, circinate in the bud, 

 and bearing the fruit variously arranged in 1-celled spore-cases on their 

 un'^er surface. The North American si^eciesare all herbaceous perennials. 

 Few of them are medicinally important. 



POLYPODIUM— Poi.vi'ODT. 



Polypodium vulgare Linm'. — Common Poli/pofh/. 



Description, — Fruit-dots round, comparatively hu'ge, naked, placed 

 half-way bet'veen the midrib and margin, commonly in a row, but some- 

 times scattered. Eoot-stock creeping, branched, often forming a tangled 

 mass, covered with brownish chaffy scales. Fronds evergreen, oblong or 

 lanceolate in general outline, smooth both sides, 4 to 10 inches high, sim- 

 ply and deeply pinnatifid ; the lobes linear-oblong, obtuse, entire or ob- 

 scurely toothed. 



Habitat, — On rocks and fallen trees ; common both here and in Europe. 



Parts L'sed. — '2he rhizome and rootlets — not official. 



Constituents. — Unknown. 



Preparations, — Commonly used in decoction. 



Medical Properties and Uses, — Common polypody has a sweetish, some- 

 what nauseous taste. In the recent state, large doses produce mild pur- 

 gation. Highly esteemed by the ancients, it has fallen into entire disuse. 

 Owing to the ease with which it may be administered in milk, it has been 

 recently recommended as a purgative for young childrea. 



ADIANTUM. — Maiuknii AIK. 



Adiantum pedatum Linne. — Maidenhair. 



Description. — Fi-uit>-dots marginal, short, slightly crescentic, covered 

 by an indusium formed of the reflected border of the lobe. Fronds erect 



