MR. G. GAMMIE ON SIKKIM TREE-FERNS. 483 



- 



species that had never been recognized by any one since its original dis- 

 covery by J. Scott. The arguments by which Mr. Gammie shows that 

 Hemitelia decipiens, J. Scott, was really = Cyathea spinulosa, Wallich, 

 have been strongly confirmed by specimens (with remarks) received at 

 Kevv from Mr. Gustav Mann. The other novel suggestions of Mr. Gammie 



afford much food for reflection to pteridologists. If Mr. Baker and 

 Col. Beddome have not accepted all the conclusions indicated by 

 Mr. Gammie, it is perhaps because in the tree-ferns, if neither the in- 

 volucre of the sori nor the venation in the segments of the fronds is to be 

 relied on for classificatory purposes, the definition of any genus or section 

 in the whole group would present great difficulty. — C. B. Clarke, 

 20th Jan., 1893.] 



Alsophila ornata, J. Scott,=A. sikkimensis, C. B. Clarke et 

 Baker, ?=A. Oldhami, Bedd. 



In the text appended to the specific description of A. ornata, 

 Mr. Scott makes the following remarks : — "Alsophila ornata is 

 distinguished from A. comosa by its nearly glabrous rhachises and 

 costae, the latter being scaly below, and in the more compound 

 venation, which is nearly always simple iu A. comosa ; and again 

 in the living plants by its simple or bifurcating caudex void of 

 those adventitious buds so copiously produced by the former, 

 and the large development of woody bundles in the interior of 

 the stem." 



It is by no means an absolute rule that A. Oldhami should 

 bear fully developed adventitious growths on the caudex ; on the 

 contrary, many plants can be found on which they have been 

 produced, but, from some cause, have perished before a single 

 frond has made its appearance. The plants I found of A. ornata 

 had either simple caudices or w r ere forked. 



On one of them I saw two adventitious growths bearing small 

 fronds ; another had produced them in abundance. 



Sections taken from simple stems of both species exhibit no 

 difference in the development of the isolated woody bundles in 

 the interior. The arrangement and shape of the lacunae, the 

 vestiture and colour of the stipes are identical. A few plants of 

 A. ornata which I first saw were either totally barren or sparsely 

 soriferou8 ; and I was disposed to imagine that the abnormal 

 development was due to sterility. Subsequently I saw more 

 bearing fronds in full fruit. The barren fronds of these were 

 large, and had the more or less compound venation. The fully 

 fertile segments had all the veinlets simple, or very rarely forked ; 



