GENERA AND SPECIES. 83 
PratTe XXVIII. 
PHEGOPTERIS HEXAGONOPTERA. Fée. 
The general appearance of this fern is very similar to 
the one last described, except that the triangular frond is 
broader than long, the two lower pinnez at right angles to 
the rachis, but not reflexed as in P. polypodioides. The 
main rachis is irregularly winged, as shown in the Plate. 
When fully grown the fronds are from seven to twelve 
inches broad. Is quite common in our Kentucky woods, 
and is often met with more frequently than the other spe- 
cies. Its general habitat is doubtless more southward, but 
it loves the same rich, open woods, and possesses all the 
characteristics of the Beech Fern. 
This is the Polypodium hexagonopterum of Michaux 
and Willdenow;* and, in the earlier editions of Gray’s 
Manual, it was included among the true Polypodys. It 
furnishes a beautiful object for the microscope. It is easily 
decolorized; and, the tissue of the leaf being very thin, its 
reticulated structure is readily seen. Plate XXVI, figure 
2 shows a small portion of the frond of this fern highly 
magnified, bringing out the fine, glandular hairs, with the 
sorus situated upon the back of the vein. It is a very 
good object for double-staining—a process well known to 
microscopists. 
* See Willd. Sp. Pl. V, p. 200, and Michx. Flor. Bor. Am. II, p. 271. 
