Polypodium . ] 
FERNS. 
17 
appearance of the plant, and the dilation of its lobes, a too great expansion of 
leaf being here as elsewhere detrimental to the production of fruit. 
Vir. — A lthough still retained in the Pharmacopeias, it is scarcely, if at all 
used in medicine at the present day. It is feebly astringent, of a bitter and 
nauseous taste, and has been considered efficacious in catarrhal disorders, and 
against worms, in doses of from one to two drams of the dried root. 
Hab. — The common states of the plant (os and /3) are generally distributed 
over the United Kingdom, on trees, walls, banks, and rocks. — y. Woods at 
Dulwich (1835), Mr. Saunders and Mr. W. Pamplin. At Chepstow, Monm., 
Sir J. E. Smith. Braid Hall, near Edinburgh, Mr. Brown. South Isles of 
Arran (1806), Mr. Mackay. In the Dargle, county of Wicklow, Miss Fitton. 
Innisfallen Island, Killarney, Mr. Kelly.— S. On the rocks in some parts of 
North Wales, but without fruit. — e. Rocks in North Wales, With. South side 
of King’s Park, Edinburgh, Mr. Brown. Meadows near Maldon, aud other 
meadows near Ewell, Surrey, Mr. J. Beevis. Cobham Park, Kent. 
Geo. — Found in most of the middle parts of Europe and North America. 
2.— POLYPODIUM PHEGOPTERIS. 
BEECH FERN. WOOD POLYPODY. SUN FERN. 
(Plate 1, fig. 4.) 
Cha. — Frond bipinnatifid. Lower pinnae deflexed. Lobes obtuse, 
entire, hairy. 
Syn. — Polypodium Phegopteris of Linn., Willd., Sws., Spreng., Huds., 
Lightf., Bolt, With., Smith, Hook., Mack. — Polystichum Phegopteris, 
Roth. — Polypodium latebrosum, Gray, Salisb. 
Fig. — E.B. 2224. — Bolt., 20 (not good.) — Flo. Dan. 1241. 
Des. — Root perennial, hairy, slender, creeping horizontally. 
Frond triangular, herbaceous, erect, hairy, 6 to 12 inches high. 
Pinnae opposite, very acute, adnate, the lower pair bent forwards, 
pendulous, and distant from the pair next above them. The lobes 
of all are obtuse, entire, and directed towards the point of the 
pinna, particularly the two lowest, which with those on the opposite 
pinna form a cross. The Rachis is smooth, and without pinnae on 
the lower half. Sori round, distinct, very small, brown, and seated 
around the margin of the lobes. 
The pendulous character of the lower pinna?, and the cruciform direction of 
their bases are most apparent in vigorous plants, and serve as characters which 
immediately distinguish this plant from its congeners. 
Sit. — In moist woods and rocky dells, chiefly in mountainous countries. 
Hab. — Eng. — Rocks at the foot of Cheviot above Langley Ford, Mr. Winch. 
W ensley-dale, Yorks., Mr. J. Ward. Around Keswick, Cumb., Mr. H. C. 
Watson. Common about Settle, Yorks., Mr. J. Tatharn. Cawsey Dean, 
Durham, Mr. R. B. Bowman. Rocks at the Bello Hag, 1 mile from Sheffield, 
G.F. Prestwich Clough & Boghart Clough, Lancaster, Mr. Merrick. Egerton 
Moss, near Bolton, Mr. W. Christy. Lidford Fall, Beekey Fall, Dartmoor, 
Devon, Mr. Jones. Norwood, 3 miles from Brentford, Middx., Mr. J. Beevis. 
Isle of Man, Mr. C. Forbes. — Wal. :-rLlanbcrris, first and second field towards 
