ETYMOLOGY. 



333 



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



veins in the areoles being like teeth. 

 Phymatodes, pliymata, 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, heras, horn ; the fronds divided in 



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



fern.) 

 Platyloma, platys, broad, loma, border ; having broad sori close 



to the margin. 

 Pleocnemia, plcos, full, inemia, rays ; full of rays ; the vena- 

 tion. 

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



numerous round scales. 

 Pleuridium, plewa, side (ribs); the primary veins being costas- 



form, like ribs. 

 Pcecilopteris, pcelcilos, spotted, pteris ; the appearance of the 



venation. 

 . Polybotrya, polys, many, botrys, bunch ; the fructification being 



in bunch-like racemes. 

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



when destitute of the fronds, having the appearance of 



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, harpa, 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 Bralce, Bracken, and Fern; 



on account of the supposed likeness of the branching 



of its fronds to wings. This, 'being the commonest 



of all Perns, 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 Pteridograpliy, a book or writing on Ferns ; 



Pteridologist, a studier and writer on Perns ; Pteridophilist, 



a lover of Ferns. 



Ehipidopteris, rhipis, fan ; shape of the fronds like a fin. 



