COLLECTED IN SIKKIM. 485 
HYMENOPHYLLUM POLYANTHOS, Sw. Demthang forest, с. 6000’, 2.v. (16806); 
Sandakphu, on dripping rocks in a glen, с. 11,500", 7.v. (16807, 16808). 
This last is a large form differing in appearance from that figured by Beddome.. 
TRICHOMANES RADICANS, Sw. Below Pakhyong, in a dripping gully, с. 3800", 28. iv. 
(16812, 16813). 
ACROPHORUS STIPELLATUS, 7. Moore. Between Darjiling and Takvar, с. 5500", 8. iv.. 
(16631, 16632). 
DavALLIA BULLATA, Wall. Below Pakhyong, с. 4000", 27. iv. (16623). 
MicRoLEPIA. The following four ferns belong to an exceedingly confused group. 
Baker, Beddome, and Clarke are at complete variance in their treatment 
of strigosa, hirta, Spelunce, flaccida, and their forms. I am convinced 
that a reduction of the forms to one or two species only is a mere counsel 
of despair. They are very large ferns, the habit of which is completely 
obscured in herbarium specimens. Some seem to frequent relatively dry 
scrub, others to prefer boggy ground. The true relationships of the Sikkim 
forms, not to speak of others, can only be determined by careful observation 
on the spot by a botanist already acquainted with the problem so as to note 
the exact points at issue in each case. So far as I ean judge, Clarke's 
knowledge of the North Indian forms was more intimate than Beddome’s,. 
and his treatment of them more trustworthy. It is unfortunately confused 
by his having overlooked the faet that some of the specimens distributed 
by Wallich do not agree, even in genus, with the corresponding numbers 
in his own herbarium. None of the authors seems to have taken notice of 
the different position of the sori in some of these ferns. I venture to call 
attention to this so far as regards my own specimens, but have not had 
time to work carefully through all those at Kew and the British Museum 
from that point of view. 
MicROLEPIA PILOSULA, Presl (Wall. Cat. 263, sub Davallia)== Davallia polypodioides, 
D. Don, var. pilosula, C. B. Clarke = Microlepia Spelunce, Linn., var. hirta 
forma pilosula, Bedd. (but not Davallia flaccida, var. pilosula, C. B. Clarke, 
which is based on Aspidium pilosulum, Wall. Cat. 337, i. e. on Wallich's 
specimen bearing no. 337 in Herb. Hook. at Kew, the no. 337 in Wallich’s 
own herbarium, although labelled А. pilosulum, being really Vephrodium 
($ Lastrea) crenatum, to which it is correctly referred by Clarke himself 
elsewhere (Fl. Ind. pp. 525 and 602), as well as by Beddome, Handbook, 
p. 258). 
This fern differs from M. Speluncæ and M. flaccida, and consequently 
from the rest of my Wicrolepia specimens, by its slightly stiffer texture 
with more strigose hairs and more prominent veins beneath the frond, but 
more markedly by the position of the sori which ave terminal on the veinlet 
and consequently quite marginal, one at each notch of the serrated pinnule. 
Rhikisum, с. 6500", 24. iv. (16629, 16630). 
PUBERULA, mihi (Davallia puberula, Wall. Cat. n. 262) = Davailia flaccida, 
var, puberula, C. В. Clarke = Mics ов pi « Spelunce, var. hirta forma puberula, 
Bedd. This differs from M. розвит, Presl in texture, being softer, and in. 
