FILICES. 73 



r. ('N'lPIIOBOLUs) NUMMULARIiEFOLrCM, 3[ldt. 



Khizome extensively creeping, of the tliickness of twine, covered with scales. 

 Fronds of two forms, set all along at J inch distances ; barren fronds round or oval, 

 A to 1 inch long, on a short stipes J— J- inch in length ; fertile fronds linear, about 

 2 inches long by \ inch broad ; sori scattered over tlie wholo under-surfaco. The 

 upper surface smooth, naked ; under surface covered with feriiiginous tomcntum. 

 On trees, Tavoy, ilergui. 



P. (Phtmatodes) irioides, Lam. 



A very frequent and almost ugly fern, with fronds 2-3 feet long and 2-3 inclies 

 broad, undivided, strap-shaped, of a pale colour and leathery texture ; sori veiy 

 small, dotted irregularly over the under surface. On trees. 



P. (Phtmatodes) sinuosum. Wall. 



A fern with a very remarkable rliizorae, difficult to describe. It is commonly 

 as thick as the linger, flat on the under surface, convex on the upper, fleshy, but 

 often hollow, cree]>ing, but not extensively ; sometimes intertwined and forming 

 patches the size of the hand, closely covered with peltate scales, which are black 

 in the middle and pale round the edges. The stipes, 1-2 inches long, is jointed on 

 a conical protuberance ; barren fronds 3-6 inches long and A— 1 inch broad, the edge 

 entire; fertile fronds longer and slightly broader, their margin sinuous; texture 

 leathery ; venation obscure ; sori large, round or oblong, sunk in the frond, showing 

 prominences on the upper surface. Trees, Mergui. 



P. (PaTiiATODEs) KHVxcornYLLusr, ITool-. 



Rhizome creeping; barren fronds, round or ovate, 1-1 i- long on short stipites ; 

 fertile fi'onds 3-6 inches long, J-l inch broad, narrowing gradually upwards to 

 a fine point ; texture hard, dry ; sori rather large, round, confined to the narrowed 

 end, in a single line on each side of the mid-rib. On trees among moss. Mountains 

 at a high elevation. Moolce-it. 



P. (DrYXARIa) QXTERCIFOLn'M, ZinH. 



This is the common fern which covers nearly eveiy tree in the plains in Purnia. 

 It is dimorphous, i.e. it has fronds of two kinds, sessile barren fronds and stalked 

 fertile fronds; the first are lobed only and very rigid, erect; the last are long, 

 pinnated and drooping. 



P. (Drtnaria) coeoxaxs, Wdll. 

 P. [Drijnarid) conjiujatum, Lam. 



This is a much rarer fern. The rhizome is very stout and thick, and densely 

 clothed with long reddish scales ; its habit is to grow round a tree horizontally and 

 encircle it, hence the name " coronans" ; the fronds are of one kind only, but the 

 lower portion is expanded and lobed so as to resemble the barren frond of P. qucrci- 

 fulium ; it then becomes narrower, and expands again upwards, where it is deeply 

 pinnatifid. The fronds are erect, about 2-3 feet long by 1 foot or more broad, and of 

 an exceedingly hard and rigid texture. On the Shan border about \Vaj--ta-mar-ying. 



BRArXEA ' IJJSIGXIS, Jlook. 



A small tree-fern of a rigid habit, in appearance much like a Cijcas. Stem 

 3-4 feet high, crowned with a tuft of fronds 2-3 feet long by 8-12 inches broad. 

 On mountaius in the Yun-za-lin district among the iiin(vfrees. " The sori are re- 

 markable, confineil to the costal arches, or also running up the simple veins half-way 

 or more towards the margin, often becoming confluent." — Uoukcr. 



GVMN'OGRA.M.UE,- DeSV. 



A rather large genus containing ferns of very different habit, form, and size ; 



' Brainea, from 3. C. Braiue. Esq., IIonKkonp:. 



- Gynmognimme. yvinvii, naked ; and ypdftna, writing, or an inscribed mark. 



