484? ME. G. GAMMIE OS STKKIM TKEE-FEKFS. 



others fertile only on the ]ower third, or less, were similarly 



veined under the sori, but immediately expanded and resumed 

 the compound venation beyond them. I have seen much-forked 

 veins on segments from what were otherwise typical pinnae of 

 A. Oldhami. 



* 



I send a small set of specimens (collected by myself) from 

 fairly representative plants of A. omata and A. Oldhami. Extreme 

 forms of both certainly differ ; but I do not pretend to be able to 

 perceive where a line can be drawn between the two species. 



Hemitelia decipiens, J. Scott. 



Mr. Clarke distinguishes this species from Cyathea spinulosa. 

 Wall., by the much rarer 3-branched veinlets and the young fruit. 

 He remarks "that the venation should be observed in the seg- 

 ments of the pinnules taken from the middle of a well-developed 

 pinna from a barren frond." A few specimens of the barren 

 pinna) which accompany this note cannot be included in this 

 species as understood by Mr. Clarke ; and still they can be found 

 on almost every plant, either on separate fronds or intermixed 

 with typical pinnae. 

 • Mr. Scott has noted the variation of the venation; and it is 

 strange that Mr. Clarke should have overlooked it. 



I have examined many young fronds, and have found most of 

 the thin membranous involucres ruptured at their apices even iu 

 scarcely expanded pinnse. They are all reduced to more or less 

 hemispheric cups long before the sori are ripe ; and in this 

 respect differ from those of Cyathea spinulosa, which are said " to 

 dehisce by irregular lines when the sori are ripe." 



The fertile pinna) of A. Andertoni, Scott, which I send are 

 interesting, because they show the same tendency to variation. 



A few years ago I sent an extremely developed form of A* glabra 

 under the name of A. omata. Although differing in such a 

 degree from the type, I have found them growing on the same 

 stem ; and this is an instance of variation in tree-ferns which 

 has apparently been unnoticed hitherto. 



The Lepchas, who are versed in such matters, invariably apply 

 the name " Dang pashin " to plants of A. glabra possessing these 

 abnormal fronds. 



As far as I have seen, the liability to vary is most evinced by 



# • 



plants on which barren fronds abound ; bo that, in my opinion, 

 the larger development of leaf-surface, and consequently ot 

 veinlets, is favoured by the sterile condition of the plant. 



