154 mk c. b. clarke's botakic notes 



oblong, once pinnate, the involucres large and conspicuously fim- 

 briate. This fimbriate-involucred plant never grows large. 



Asplenium nigripes. 7000-10,000 ped. alt. 



Abundant; only less so than the last species. In its typical 

 form this is a rigid, hard fern ; but it varies by degrees into a 

 high-level small fern with a succulent stipe. 



A. Andersoni. Stipe red, scaly; frond reddish when fresh, with a 

 prominent gland at the base of each pinna. This varies : a . 2-pinnate, 

 3-pinnatifid, frond oblong ; 8. 3-pinnate, frond broad oblong ; y. 4-5- 

 pinnate, frond very large, primary pinnae very broad ovate, sori nume- 

 rous large. 9000-10,000 ped. alt. 



Abundant. Has been distributed by me under this name. 



Mr. Baker tells us that all these forms are varieties of Filix- 

 Fcemina for him ; by which I understand that the tolerably definite 

 forms, as nigripes, are separated off in the ' Species Filicum/ and 

 all the rest left in an undigested mass as F.-Fcemina ; and I do not 

 say that I am able at present to suggest any other course as 



practicable. 



A. umbrosum, J. Smithl 7000-8000 ped. alt. 



(Nee A. umbrosum in Baker, which is Athyrium australe, Brack., 

 true.) Very common. 



This fern has long had the name A. umbrosum, J\ Smith, at Cal- 

 cutta ; nor do I know any better name for it ; but it is totally 

 different from the fern described in Baker, which is Athyrium 

 australe, as sent us from Ceylon by Mr. Thwaites. 



The present fern has a tufted rootstock and very large fronds, 

 with the aspect of the compound Diplaziums. The stipe is rough 

 ("asperous"), and the texture light green. The sori are white, 

 small, and placed parallel to the rachis of the pinnule and close 

 to it. The indusium never opens from the side (as in the true 

 Diplaziums), but in the living plant (as well as in dried plants 

 for the herbarium) breaks up at the back, as in true Allantodia. 

 The sori, too, are never truly diplazioid, i. e. back to back. 



A. sorzogosrnsr. 7000-10,000 ped. alt. 



Abundant. 



A. polypodioides. JOOO-7500 ped. alt. 



Common. Eootstock always tufted, and often in old plants 

 rising l-l| foot from the ground, and called by English visitors 

 a tree fern. There are two forms here— a with very shaggy *•" 



