2. POLYPODIACE.E. [3. Poltstichum. 



variety (falciloba) with many reduced pinnae or auricles on the stipes. 

 Pinnae 1-4-5" long by •2-- 7" wide, cut down two-thirds or more 

 (or in small forms less), into oblique falcate linear-oblong segments, 

 the upper basal one often considerably longer than the others and 

 resembling the auricles. Rhachis pubescent or hairy and under- 

 surface of frond glabrous or hairy. Veinlets 3-8, simple, sori -03" 

 diam. medial with usually a well-developed orbicular (nephroid) 

 indusium, becoming shrivelled with age, one medial on each veinlet 

 or (in small forms) only a single line on each side of the costa of the 

 pinna {i. e. only on one veinlet of each segment). 



iS^ear streams. Singbhum ! Hazaribagh, Wood ! Fr. April. 



Caudex or rhizome small (in my specimens, stout, Bedd.), erect, with many 

 fibrous roots. There are two varieties in oiir area: — 



Var. a. falciloba, Clarke. A very pretty fern with fronds up to 2 ft., deeply 

 pinnatifld and many erect auricles on the stipes, textiues subcoriaceous. 



Var. /3. sericea, Bedd.? A much smaller plant with much more hairy rhachis 

 also hairy on the veins and venules beneath. Pinnae less deeply lobed and lobes 

 slightly falcate. Lowest pinnae deflexed, auricles 0. It may be merely a young 

 plant but is in fruit. 



3. L. crenata, Bedd. Syn. Polypodium crenatum, Forsk. ; Neph- 

 rodium odoratum, Baker ; Dryopteris crenata, Christ. 



A very pretty fern with glossy stipes 12-18" long with a tuft of 

 lanceolate golden scales at the base. Frond 9-18" long, deltoid, 

 3-4-pinnate. Lowest pinnae largest lanceolate-deltoid, 6-9" long by 

 3-4" wide at base. Pinnules lanceolate very croAvded with ovate or 

 oblong pinnatifld segments with blunt rounded lobes, texture softly 

 herbaceous. Frond hairy or viscous villous both sides especially on 

 the rhachides. Sori with large pale villous indusium. 



Parasnath, among rocks, J.D.H. ! Fr. Sept.-Oct. 



3. POLYSTICHUM, Roth. 



Usually very beautiful, generally terrestrial ferns. Fronds coria- 

 ceous, mostly pinnate, pinnae usually stronger on the acroscopic side, 

 ultimate teeth usually awned, venation pinnate simple with all veins 

 free. Sori orbicular dorsal or rarely terminal on the veinlets, indusium 

 peltate, seldom failing. Spores bilateral. 



1. P. aculeatum, Sw. 



A stout handsome tufted fern with the stipes very scaly and fibril- 

 lose throughout, the scales and fibrillae extending more or less on to 

 the frond. Fronds 2-3 ft., lanceolate, bipinnate or sub-bipinnate, 

 coriaceous with numerous close lanceolate pinnae, the lower about 

 5-6" in our form. Pinnules subrhomboid-oblong, unequal at the base, 

 basiscopic margin excised, upper (acroscopic) more or less auricled, 

 •5- -6" long, spinulosely crenate -serrate and with spinulose tip. 

 Sori towards the apex of the lower veinlets. 



Parasnath, Clarke ! Fr. April. 



The fern is very variable. The form described is nearly typical or near var. 

 lobatum. 



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