556 MR. C. B. CLARKE ON THE FERNS OF NORTHERN INDIA. 
syn. excl.; Hk. & Baker, Syn. Fil. 367; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 772, excl. syn. 
Drynaria quercifolia, J. Smith; Bedd. Ferns South. Ind. 187. 
A very common plains fern on trees and walls, extending from the sea-face of the 
Soonderbun to the base of the hills, but ascending them a very little way; it is as it 
were immediately replaced by P. propinquum there.—Distrib. Throughout India, Ma- 
laya, South China, to North Australia and Polynesia (but the material from the latter 
localities seems nearly all P. Linnei). 
Young plants of this are very polymorphic, and sometimes have the barren fronds 
lanceolate, sessile, entire, the fertile linear entire, on a long stipe; the same plants, as 
they get strong with age, throw normal fronds.—Linnzeus included probably (under the 
name P. quercifolium) P. Linnei also, which has the scales at the base of the stipe 
obtuse ; the segments of the frond shorter, broader, thicker; for Linnzeus quotes Rheede, 
Hort. Mal. xii. t. 11, which looks like P. Linnei. Mr. Baker has separated specifically 
P. Tinnei, while Mr. Bentham, l. c., ignoring the scales, unites it again. At all events 
the form P. Linnei is not known from North India. 
38. P. PROPINQUUM, Wall. Cat. 293, chiefly. Rhizome stout, shortly creeping; scales 
lanceolate-linear, pubescent; fronds glabrous; barren frond pinnatifid nearly to the 
main rhachis; lobes narrowed upwards or subacute; main veins of the fertile rami- 
fying, not carried in distinct parallel lines to the margin.—Mett. Farngatt. Polypod. 
120; Hook. Sp. Fil. v.97; Hk. & Baker, Syn. Fil. 367. P. JVilldenovii, Blume, 
Fl. Jav. Fil. t. 66; Hook. Garden Ferns, t. 35, not of Bory. Drynaria propinqua, 
J. Smith; Bedd. Ferns Brit. Ind. t. 160. 
Himalaya, alt. 2000—7000 feet ; from Gurwhal to Bhotan, very common. Khasia, alt. 
2000-5000 feet, very common.—Distrib. Burma, Java. 
The North-Indian material is very uniform and easily recognizable; the margin of the 
frond is entire or most minutely erenate, not in any example before me so much toothed 
as Beddome depicts. Blume's picture quoted is exactly the same plant; the details of 
the venation very correct. The Java example sent unfortunately is made up of a barren 
frond of P. propinquum, a fertile frond (tip only) of P. longissimum, and seems to have 
deceived many. The true African P. Wilidenovii has a less cut barren frond, with 
obtuse lobes, and the main veins of the fertile frond distinct nearly to the margin; it 
seems to me nearer P.quercifoliwn. Mr. Baker has sorted many sheets of African into 
P. propinquum, Wall. ; but it all seems to me P. Willdenovii. | | 
39. P. uivAuE, Mett.; Hk. & Baker, Syn. Fil. 367. Fertile frond pinnatifid, sub- 
pinnate; lower lobes decreasing, decurrent, pubescent subciliate on the margin.— 
Drynaria mollis, Bedd. Ferns Brit. Ind. t. 216. | Re. 
Gurwhal and Kumaon, alt. 6000-9000 feet, frequent. 
. The venation is that of other Drynarias, not of Goniophlebiun. 
40. P. cononans, Wall. Cat. 288. Frond (not | dimorphic) ‘apple as ‘though in 
