574 MR. C. B. CLARKE ON THE FERNS OF NORTHERN INDIA. 
143 ; Hook. Sp. Fil. v. 184; Carr. in Fl. Viti. 372. V. plantaginea, Hk. & Grev. Ic. 
Fil. t. 187. V. zosterefolia, Bory ; Fée, 3"* Mém. Foug. t. 2. fig. 2; Hook, Sp. Fil. 
v. 183. Pteris angustifolia and graminifolia, Roxb. in Cale. Journ. Nat. Hist. iv. 
502, 508, t. 33. 
. Plain of North India, abundant; from the sea-face of the Soonderbun to the 
inner Himalayan valleys, but not often found above 4000 feet alt.—Distrib. South India, 
Ceylon, Burma, Malaya, Queensland, Polynesia, Mauritius, Tropical Africa. 
A very uniform fern; the large examples reach 24 in. often, and are V. elongata of 
Wallich, Pteris graminifolia, Roxb. ; the shorter fronds of 6-10 in. are V. rigida, Wall, 
Pteris angustifolia, Roxb.—Without examination of the involucre this species (as to the 
Indian material) is easily sorted from the next by the rhizome and scales. 
2, V. FLEXUOSA, Fée, 3" Mém. Foug. 16. Rhizome very shortly creeping; stipes 
tufted; scales acuminate, with slaty-brown or fuscous caudate points; fronds 4-18 
by 4-4 in., midrib distinct beneath even in the upper half of the frond; outer lip 
of the involucre easily distinguishable from the margin of the frond ; sori sunk in a 
groove, ultimately more or less exsert.—Hook. Sp. Fil. v. 178; Luerssen, Fil. Graeff. 
84, 92. H lineata, Roxb. in Cale. Journ. Nat. Hist. 509, t. 33; Hook. Sp. Fil. v. 
180, as to the Indian material; Hk. & Baker, Syn. Fil. 396, as to the Indian mate- 
rial Teniopsis lineata, Bedd. Ferns South. Ind. t. 54. 
Himalaya, alt. 2000-12,000 feet; from Gurwhal to Bhotan, very common. Khasia, 
alt. 1000-6000 feet ; very common.—Distrib. South India, Ceylon ?. 
V. lineata, Swartz, with which this is united by Mr. Baker, has the stipes less tufted, 
the soral groove more marginal (as in the next species). V. fleruosa is very doubtfully 
distinct ; but I have retained the name because all our North-Indian V. lineata belongs 
to this one form. The geographical distribution is of course as doubtful as the synonymy. 
Miquel's V. japoniea seems the Himalayan plant. 
3, V. SIKKIMENSIS, Kuhn in Linnea, xxxvi. 66, as to the Sikkim plant only. Rhizome 
very shortly sai cain with slaty-rufous hair-pointed scales; stipes densely tufted ; 
frond 3-4 by 4; in., subobtuse, midrib beneath obscure or slightly depressed; soral 
lines large, marginal, the outer lip undistinguishable from the edge of the frond; 
sori, when young, deeply sunk in a groove; sporangiasters few, intestiniform, clavate; 
sporothecze ovoid.— V. minor, Fée, var. minima; Bedd. Ferns Brit. Ind. t. r 
(Pl. LXXXIV. fig. 3.) 
Sikkim, alt. 2000-6000 feet ; common. Khasia, alt. 2500 feet, Mowlong, C. B. Clarke. — 
Kuhn put together this Sikkim tender grass-green species and the Moulmein and ` 
Malay plant Vittaria minor, Fée (Tenitis pusilla, Mett. in Ann. Mus. Lugd. Bat. w ^ 
172), which has a coriaceous broader frond, the midrib distinctly elevated beneath, | E 
stout wiry roots, the lines of sori four times as large, &c. This V. minor may be, aS — 
Mr. Baker notes, V. falcata, var.—Kuhn and Beddome had, however, only some 4 
scraps of the Sikkim plant to work with. This Sikkim species seems to me closely e 
allied to the American V. lineata; except that it is small, I see no parnou E resem- 
