414 MR. C. B. CLARKE ON THE FERNS OF NORTHERN INDIA. 
in Rel. Henk. i. 49) is defined to have the lowest pinne subrotund; it is therefore 
B. brasiliense, Desv., as Presl stated, and not Hooker's B. nitidum (assuming these two 
to differ). Further, B. nitidum, var. contractum, Hook. Sp. Fil. iii. t. 156, founded on 
Cuming's Luzon No. 164 (which number Presl quotes, Epimel. Bot. 116, as his Blechnopsis 
nitida), is merely B. cartilagineum, Swartz, with the lower halves of the pinnze barren, 
the upper portions fertile. Compare the similar form noted above under Lomaria pyc- 
nophylla. Lastly, Presl says his Blechnopsis nitida is the same as his Blechnum nitidum. 
In the extreme confusion of these leading synonyms it is not worth while to speculate 
what B. elongatum, Gaud., and the other doubtful synonyms may have been. What I 
maintain here is that Griffith's Mishmee plant, ara Aey., is most accurately represented 
by Mettenius (Fil. Hort. Lips. t. 5), and is nof represented by Hooker (Sp. Fil. t. 155). 
[.B. serrulatum, Richd. (=B. striatum, R. Br.), is said by Hk. & Baker, Syn. Fil. 186, 
to have been collected by Griffith in Mishmee. The authority for this is Hooker, Sp. 
Fil. iii. 55, who gives, under the localities for B. síriatum, ** Mishmee, in marshes, 
Griffith (inscribed Blechnum pteridioides).” In the Herbarium I find Griffith's plant; 
the ticket, in his handwriting, runs ** Blechnum pteridioides, in marshes, Ager Punnus,” 
and on the sheet in Sir W. J. Hooker's writing is “ Mishmee, Griffith.” The Ager 
Punnus is near Malacca; and Dr. T. Thomson has added at some time the explanation 
Malacca on Griffith’s ticket. There remains, therefore, no ground for supposing B. ser- 
rulatum a North-Indian Fern. It appears to be not uncommon at Malacca. | 
2. B. ORIENTALE, Linn. Sp. Pl. 1535. Frond pinnate; pinne numerous, linear, margin 
entire; veins close, parallel, free or nearly so.—Schkuhr, Crypt. t. 109; Blume, 
Enum. Pl. Jav. Fil. 197 ; Hook. Fil. Exot. t. 77 ; Wall. Cat. 57 ; Hook. Sp. Fil. iii. 
52; Carr. in Fl. Viti. 352; Bedd. Ferns South. Ind. t. 29; Hk. & Baker, Syn. Fil. 
186; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 739. B. pyrophyllum, Blume, Enum. Pl. Jav. Fil. 
197. B. moluccanum, Roxb. in Cale. Journ. Nat. Hist. iv. 502. ` B. imbricatum, 
Blume, Enum. Pl. Jav. Fil. 198. Blechnopsis Cumingiana, latifolia, salicifolia, 
elongata, pyrophila, stenophylla, Presl, Epimel. Bot. 116, 117. 
Throughout North and East Bengal near the hills, and ascending the Khasi Hills to 
4000 feet alt., abundant.  Nepaul, Wallich.—Distrib. Deccan and Ceylon, Malay 
Peninsula and Islands, China and Polynesia, Queensland. ^ 
` This varies greatly in size both in the plains and in the hills at 4000 feet alt.. I have ` 
collected it with pinnz 4 in. long, and again with pinne 15-18 in. long. This last form 
is very difficult to separate from B. Finlaysonianum, Wall.; Hk. and Grev. Ic. Fil. t. 
225 (as Mr. Baker has remarked); but all the Bengal B. orientale is, I think, one 
species. The sheet of B. Finlaysonianun, Wall. Cat. 2172, is blank (but ticketed) in 
Wallich's own type set; while the plant B. Finlaysonianum from Penang is mixed with a . 
B. orientale, and numbered 57 in that type set. 
3. B. MELANOPUS, Hook. Sp. Fil. iii. 64, t. 161. Frond pinnatifid, scarcely m i ; 
lanceolate, — at either end; pinne numerous, very close together, faleate, — 
