2. POLYPODIACE.E. [1. Nephrodium. 



shining. Sori on each of the lower 6-7 median and subterminal venules, 

 indusia deciduous. 



Purneah ! Fr. Nov. -Bee. 



There is little in pommon between this plant and \ax . pilosissiuiumj bnt without 

 fiuther study of both in the field I am unwilling to make either a separate species. 



5. N. truncatum, Presl. 



A rather stout tufted fern with short erect rhizome. Stipes grey- 

 naked or slightly pubescent. Fronds firm, up to 4 ft. long, rhachis 

 pubescent above or glabrous. Pinnae numerous, 7" by • 7" (in my speci- 

 men, up to 11" by 1 • 6"), long-acuminate, sessile or subsessile and some- 

 times obtusely cuneate at base, cut down about half-way to costa into 

 oblong truncate sometimes obscurely crenated lobes sometimes dotted 

 beneath, hirtellous on the venation beneath, sometimes hairy on the 

 costa above. Veins 9-10, of which 2-4 each side unite. Sori usually on 

 the 4-5 lowest veins, median or nearer the costule, indusium reniform. 



Angul Forests ! Fr. March-April. There is also a specimen called truncatum 

 in the Cal. Herb, collected by Gamble in Palamau, but it has not been received and 

 I have been unable to compare it. 



C. N. moulmeinense, Bedd. Syn. Polypodium multilineatum, Wall.^ 

 A large fern with the simply pinnate fronds scattered on the creeping 

 rhizome, 3-5| ft. long, pinnae subentire, crenulate or sharply falcately 

 serrate, often with a large gland at the base, attaining 12" by 1-5", 

 easily recognized by the strong parallel veins and the regular oblique 

 venules, which are 10-20 each side uniting obliquely with an inter- 

 mediate zigzag or nearly straight vein joining their apices. 



Damp shady places, chiefly near rivers. Singbhum ! Manbhum, Camp. ! 

 Hazaribagh (Parasnath) ! Kalahandi ! Fr. Nov.-Jan. 



Stipes 2 ft. or more long, not scaly, rhachis slender, pale, puberulous. Pinnae 

 mostly 1-1 • 3" broad in middle, scarcely tapering for half to tluee-quarters of their 

 length, then caudate-acuminate, firm, with pale prominent costa beneath, shining 

 and (in my specimens) minutely dotted, especially beneath, sometimes obsciuely 

 puberulous on the veins. Sori medial on the venules or nearer their apex, in a 

 single row each side of the vein or costule. Indusiform reniform or rudimentary 

 and evanescent. 



7. N. proliferum, comb. nov. Syn. Goniopteris prolifera, Presl. ; 

 Polypodium proliferum, Roxb. 

 Fronds erect and tufted or creeping and clambering with long 

 barren indefinitely growing simply pinnate fronds, erect barren fronds 

 with lanceolate pinnatifid lobed or serrate apex, fertile fronds of 

 definite growth and 1-2 ft. long, pinnae 3-6" long by -5- -75" wide. 

 Often proliferous and pinnae on the proliferous shoots gradually 

 reduced to mere auricles towards the apex. Veinlets often wavy 

 6-10 each side of the veins meeting in an intermediate often very 

 wavy vein. Sori medial on the venules, small round or oblong when 

 young, usually becoming confluent in age, indusium 0. 



Along river beds and ditches. Ranchi ! Manbhum, Camp. ! No doubt in 

 many other districts. Abundant in Bengal and most parts of India near a peren- 

 nial water supply. Fr. Nov.-Dec. 



Rhizome stout, wide-creeping. Rhachis of barren fronds often rooting and 



♦ But not Wallich's Nephrodium multilineatum. 

 1189 



