332 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
5 . 
THE ALPINE POLYPODY. 
Polypodium alpestre.- 
Plate 2, Fig. 5. 
^“SiROM its general resemblance to the Lady 
Fern, the Alpine Polypody was for 
many years mistaken for that species. 
Even now some botanists think it should take 
rank as a variety of Athyrium filix-foemina. But 
by almost general consent it is allowed to be a 
Polypody, although it is not 6 many-footed 5 in 
the sense in which the other Polypodies are. The 
Lady Fern has very distinct covers to its clusters 
of spore cases ; and Polypodium alpestre has none, 
and consequently it bears what we have already 
explained is the distinguishing mark of the Poly¬ 
pody group. The fronds spring from a short and 
erect root-stock, and, according to the circum¬ 
stances of their growth, reach a length which 
varies from one foot to three and a half. They 
are lance-shaped—somewhat broadly so—tapering 
