THE POLY PODIES. 201 
on the rachis, forming a lobed border along it, but the 
lower pinnz are separate. The lowest pair are lanceolate 
instead of linear and are brought forward and downward 
ina striking and characteristic manner. In herbarium 
specimens, owing to the flattening of the frond, much of 
this appearance is lost, but when the plant is fresh this 
feature may almost serve to identify it. The fronds are 
thin, glandular beneath, and slightly scaly on the rachis 
and ribs. Sometimes both surfaces are pubescent. The 
fronds are not evergreen and wither early in autumn. 
The sori begin to appearin June. They are borne on 
both edges of the segments of ordinary fronds and are 
without indusia as inthe true Polypodies. They are 
quite small and rarely extend to the tips of the seg- 
ments. 
The name of beech fern is said to have been given to 
this species from a supposition that it is partial to the 
shade of the beech tree, but a wet rock would seem to be 
nearer its first requisite, at least with us. It isalso called 
sun fern, perhaps from its growing in exposed places. 
Many botanists call this Phegopteris Phegopterts. When 
Linneus named it, he thought it was a Polypodium and 
called it Polypodium phegopteris. Later it was taken out 
of this genus, and placed in a new one created to re- 
ceive it, and christened Phegopteris polypodioides. The 
question as to which specific name it shall bear depends 
entirely upon whether or not we should allow it a new 
specific name when the original one has been taken as 
the name of the genus. Botanists, generally, dislike the 
practice of making generic and specific names the same. 
This species is found from Virginia, lowa, and Wash- 
ington to the far North but is seldom found except in 
the vicinity of rocks. It also grows in northern Europe 
