L POLY PODIUM. 47 
This plant is invested with an antiquated medicinal 
reputation. The caudex has a sweetish taste, which, by 
long boiling, is said to become bitter ; an infusion of 
the fresh caudex is considered as a mild laxative. A 
mucilaginous decoction of the fronds was formerly, and 
probably still is used in country places as a cure for colds 
and the hooping-cough, in children : for this purpose 
the matured fruitful fronds gathered in the autumn are 
dried, and when required for use are slowly boiled with 
coarse sugar. Polypody is still used as a demulcent by 
the Italians. The fronds yield a considerable quantity 
of carbonate of potass on being burnt ; the ashes are 
boiled in water, and the liquor strained and evaporated 
until the crystals are formed. 
This fern is well adapted for planting on artificial 
rockwork, and among rustic work formed of the stumps 
of old trees, especially delighting to extend its creeping 
caudex over a decaying mossy tree-stump. It will, how- 
ever, grow in almost any situation, provided there is free 
moisture about its roots, but is much finer in the shade 
than when exposed. When depending from the trunks 
and exposed roots of old trees, on deep shady banks, 
under which circumstances it is often seen naturally, it 
must be ranked as a decidedly ornamental'object. It is 
readily increased by dividing the branched caudex. 
2. Polypodium Phegopteris, Linneeus. Moun- 
tain Polypody, or Beech Fern. Fronds pinnate be- 
low ; pinnae narrow lanceolate, the lower pair deflexed 
standing forward, pinnatifid, with linear-oblong blunt 
lobes ; upper pinnae united at the base. 
POLYPODIUM PHEGOPTERIS, Linnaeus: En. Bot. 2224: Sm. 
En?. Fl. iv. 269: Hook and Arn. B. Fl. 566: Bab. Man. 408 : 
Florig. Brit. iv. 41: Newm 115: Franc. 23. LASTBEA 
PHEOOPTERIS, Newm. POLTSTICHOM PHEGOPTEBIS, Roth. 
GYMXOCAKPIUM PHEOOPTERIS, Newm. App. xxiii. 
