THE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. 91 



Nipholwlus, on the return of wet weather." I confirm this. The fronds also 

 sometimes coil up at the apex. 



26. P. Simplex, Sw., Syn. Fil. 27. P. lineare, Thb. g. P. simplex, Sw., 

 Hk. and Bk. Syn. Fil. 354. 



P. simplex, Sw., Clarke, Journ. Linn. Soc, XXV. 99. Pleopeltis simplex, Sw., 

 Bedd. H. B. 347. Polypodium {Pkjmatodes) simplex, Sw., Blanford, in Journ. 

 Asiatic Soc, Bengal, Vol. LVIL, Pt. II., No. 4, 1888, PI. xx. 



Punjab: Chamba— McDonell, in List. Pangi — Satrundi,Harsukh (collr. from 

 Sahar. Herb.) 1899 } Kangra Vy. List. — Edgew. in Herb. Sahar. ; Dharnisala, Trotter ; 

 Kullu 6-7000', Trotter ; Mandi State 6500', Trotter ;. Simla Beg ion— Simla 6-8000', 

 common. 



N.-W. P. : D. D. Dist.— Jaunsar— Cbakrata 7000' ; in the Dun— Kalanga Hill 

 33000', Gamble ; Mussooree and Landour, very common 6-7500' ; T. Garh. — Jumna 

 Vy. 10-11,000', Ganges Vy. 10-12,000' Duthie ; B. Garh. 8000', Duthie, Mrs. Fisher ; 

 Kumaun 6500' to 9000', S. & W., Hope, Dathie, Davidson, Trotter., MacLeod. 



Disteib. —Asia : N. Ind. (Him.) Sikkim and Bhotan. China ? 



This is a very common fern in the Himalaya, on trees, and it never ought to 

 have been mixed up with P. lineare, for, besides other differences, and entire 

 dissimilarity in appearance when growing, the fronds are herbaceous in texture, 

 and wither and fall off directly the rains cease, or before that when a touch of 

 cold, dry wind eomes from the north. The fronds of P. lineare are persistent 

 for another year at least. Blanford noted this, and said — " Their texture is 

 thin, the venation distinct." Tbe sori when young are completely covered 

 and protected by peltate scales, up to 20 in number to a sorus, which fit 

 together so closely that to the naked eye they sometimes look like one large 

 involucre with a continuous margin outside the sorus. These scales disappear 

 as the sporangia ripen and burst. The sori are occasionally oval or con- 

 fluent. 



This species is still mixed up with P. lineare in the Kew Herbarium. Speci- 

 mens from the eastward of British India seem to vary a good deal, and there 

 may be among them a new species. 



27. P. clathratum, C. B. Clarke in Review 559, t. 72, fig. 1 ; Baker in 

 Ann. Bot., Vol. V., No. XVIII. Pleopeltis clathrata, Clarke, Bedd. H. B. 348. 

 Polypodium {Phymatodes) clathratum, C. B. Clarke, Blanford, in Journ. Asiatic 

 Soc, Bengal, Vol. LVII., Pt. II., No. 4, 1888, PI. xxi. 



Afghan. : Kurram Vy.— 10-11,000' Aitch. 1879-80 ; Peiwar Kotal 7000. 

 ■ Collett 1879. 



Kashmir : P t r Pimjal 11-12,000', C. B. Clarke ; digit Dist.— Nittar Vy. 10-11,000' 

 Duthie. Kajnag Range and Kamri Vy. 9-13,000' Duthie 18S2 ; Ridge between 

 Kishenganga Vys., 9-12,000', MacLeod 1891 ; Sind Vy.— Sonamarg 8000', Gammie 

 1891. 



Punjab: Hazara Dist.— Kagan Valley, Inayat (collr. Herb. Sahar.j 1897; 

 Chamba— Ravi Vy. 7000', MacDonell, Paugi 12,500', J. Marten ; Mandi State 7-9000' 



