Polypodium vulgare. Common Polypody. 
POUYPODIUM Limat Gen. Ph Cryptogamia Filices. 
Frudlifc. in pun&is fubrotundis fparfis per difcum frondi si 
Rail Syn. Herbje capillares et affines. 
■POLYPODIUM vulgare frondibus pinnatifidis t pinnis oblongis fubferratis obtufis. Linn. Syjl. Vegetal « 
p- 786. FI. Suecic. p. 373. 
POLYPODIUM 
POLYPODIUM 
POLYPODIUM 
POLYPODIUM 
POLYPODIUM 
foliis pinnatis, lanceolatis, radice fquamata. Haller hift. n. 1696. 
vulgare. Scopoli FI. Carniol. n. 1266. 
vulgare. Bauhin. pin. 359. 
vulgare. Parbinfon 1039. 
Gerard emac. 1138. Rail Syn. p. 117, Polypody. Hudfon FI. Angl. p. 387. 
RADIX oblique fub terrae fperficie reptat, fibras fuas 
ex tuberculis quibus plurimis fcatet demittens, 
ad craffitudinem fere minimi digiti accedens, 
fquamis fufcis tefta, colore foris buxea, intus 
fere herbacea, fapore dulci, tandem acerbo 
et adftringente. 
STIPITES laeves, interne fulcati. 
FRONDES femipedales aut pedales, pinnatifidze, pinnas 
oblonga, fubferratae, obtufte, inferne pallidiores. 
CAPSULAE in acervulis, magnis, flavis, rotundis, ner- 
vo utrinque feriatim locata, pedicellata, fub- 
rotunda, fuperficie granulata a feminibus pro- 
tuberantibus, annulo elaftico brevi inftrudbe, 
in valvulas duas dehifcentes, fg. 2, 3, 3, 5, 6. 
SEMINA plurima, ovata, aut fubreniformia flava, fg. 
7 > 8 - 
| ROOT creeps obliquely under the furfaCe of the earth, 
I fending forth a number of fibres from little 
tubercles, which are plentifully diflributedover 
I its furface, about the thicknefs of the little 
% finger, fometimes flenderer, covered with brown 
I mofly fcales, externally of a pale yellow colour, 
* internally greeriifh, of a tafte at firft fweet, but 
finally fowerifh and aftringent. 
$ STALKS fmooth, grooved on the inner fide. 
¥ 
I LEAVES from half a foot to a foot in length, pinnati- 
¥ fid ; the pinnae oblong, flightly ferrated, obtufe, 
I paleifh underneath. 
¥ 
¥ CAPSULES placed in a row on each fide the midrib of 
I the leaf, in large, yellow, round dots, {landing 
on foot-ftalks, of a roundifh fhape, with the 
I furface granulated from the feeds protubera- 
¥ ting* furnifhed with a fhort elaftic fpring, and 
¥ opening into two valves, fg. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 
¥ 
t SEEDS numerous, oval or fomewhat kidney-fhaped, of 
* a yellow colour,^. 7, 8. 
IN all thofe plants of the Fern Pribe which I have hitherto had an opportunity of examining, there appears to 
be much the fame mechanifm in their parts of fruftification ; one of the moft ftriking and ufeful of which is the 
elaftic ring which furrounds the Capfules, by means of which they are forced open and the feeds difcharged. So 
necefi’ary a part one fhould not conceive would be wanting in any of thefe plants, nor will it, I believe, be found 
to be fo : yet many Botanifts, and thofe too of eminence, not only deny its exiftence, but make the want of it a 
character to diftinguilh this Genus. Gleditch gives us the following as part of the generic character of the 
Polypodium “ Capfula annulo defituta." Adanson alfo gives it the fame character, “ fans anneau .” It will perhaps 
not be difficult to account for this miftake ; and at the fame time it will fhew us how injurious it is to fcience, for 
Authors to take things for granted without examining for themfelves. In Tournefort’s elegant figures of the 
Genera, the Capfules of .the Polypodium, are reprefented without any ring : on the truth of thefe figures it is highly 
probable that thofe Authors have relied ; for had they made ufe of their own eyes, affifted by a fmall magnifier, they 
could not have avoided feeing what Malpighi long before their time delineated, though rudely, and Gleichen 
fince more elegantly figured. 
There is one circumftance attending this fpecies of Polypodium , which however does not run through the whole 
of this Genus, viz. the want of an Involucrum or Membrane ; the little dots or aflemblage of Capfules are not cover- 
ed with any membrane ; or if there be a membrane, it is very early deciduous, and not vifible when the Capfules 
have arrived at a tolerable degree of maturity. 
This fpecies of Polypody grows very common in woods and fhady lanes on the old flumps of various trees ; it differs 
much in fize : fometimes it occurs on the Oak, in which cafe its virtue as a medicine has been more celebrated. 
Its effetts when taken inwardly are flightly purgative : it has been recommended in various diforders of the Vilcera, 
in the Cachexy, fwelling of the Spleen, Jaundice, obftru&ions of the Mefenteric Glands, Hypochondriac Difeafe, 
Cough, Afthma, &c. but it has generally been given with fome other medicines. 
In the prefen t practice it is but little regarded. 
