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THE FERN PARADISE. 
2 . 
THE MOUNTAIN POLYPODY. 
Polypodium pkegopteris. 
Plate 2 , Fig. 2. 
GENTLE member—soft and graceful— 
of the charming family of Polypodies, 
is the Beech or Mountain Fern. Not 
possessed of the astonishing vigour of its relative 
Vulgare, it quails before the cutting autumnal 
winds ; and bending to the cold, becomes dormant 
during the winter, but reappears with dewy grace 
when beautiful May returns. In damp woods 
and mountains moist grows the Mountain 
Polypody. A slender rhizoma it has, which 
creeps extensively, producing black fibrous roots. 
From the upper surface of its creeping rhizomas 
start its fronds, growing from a height of 
six inches to more than eighteen. There is a 
great length of stem in this beautiful Fern, the 
stem being sometimes twice as long as the leafy 
portion of the frond, the shape of which is 
