4. AsPiDiuM.] 2. POLYP GDI ACE JE. 



4. ASPIDIUM, Swartz. 



Mostly fairly large ferns. Petiole not articulate on rhizome. 

 Fronds very various, from simple to 3-pinnatifid, often membranaceous 

 and flaccid with pinnae frequently strongly developed on the basiscopic 

 side, veins freely branched and much anastomosing with generally 

 ^ree included veinlets in the areoles. Sori roundish, on a rather 

 prominent receptacle. Indusium orbicular, more rarely reniform or 

 irregular or obsolete. Spores bilateral. 



1. A. cicutarium, Siv. Syn. Nephrodium cicutarium, Hk. Sf Baker. 



A tufted fern Mith the fronds rather membranous, often 2-5-3 ft. 

 long and somewhat deltoid in outline, pinnatifid or pinnate below 

 with the pinnse deeply pinnatifid, rarely 2-pinnate or more compound. 

 Sori -04- -06" diam. with a reniform or usually peltate indusium in a 

 row each side of the vein of the final lobe or segment, at the apex of 

 the free venules or compital. 



Shady banks in the forest. Common in Chota Nagpur. Singbhum ! Paras- 

 nath (Hazaribagh) ! Ranchi ! Palamau ! Fr. Nov. -Jan. 



Stipes under 1 ft., deep chestnut-brown, with few oblong scales or many close 

 to the base ; flattened. Main rhachis and primary partial rhachides beneath 

 glabrous or nearly so. Free pinnse usually 3-5 prs. sub-opposite. Final lobes 

 rounded or if acute then again crenate. 



Var. coadunata. Wall. 



This has slightly thicker (but still thin) fronds which are pubescent above and 

 on the nerves beneath, rhachis hairy. The common form in Singbhum ! 



Note. — A. variolosum, Wall,, is recorded in Bengal PI. from Ch. Nagpur. 

 I consider the specimens so named are A. cicutarium with more pronounced reticu- 

 late venation. The fertile fronds of A. variolosum have narrower pinnse and are 

 unlike the barren fronds but the two species appear to pass into one another. 



5. NEPHROLEPIS, Schott. 



Rhizome short or widely creeping or climbing, sometimes with 

 bulbils. Stipes not articulate to rhizome. Fronds clustered with 

 indefinite apical growth, simply pinnate with sessile linear or oblong 

 undivided pinnse articulate on the rhachis and usually stronger on 

 the acroscopic side ; veins forked, free, their ends clavate and cal- 

 careous on the upper side (showing as white chalky dots). Sori 

 distinct, orbicular, arising from the apex of the upper branch of a 

 vein generally near the margin and furnished with a reniform or 

 suborbicular extrorse indusium, appearing as a single row parallel to 

 the margin or costa. 



Not stoloniferous. Pinnse 1 ■ 5-3" long. Sori sub-marginal . . 1. exaltata. 

 Stoloniferous. Pinna? under 1 • 5" long. Sori sub-median . . 2. cordifolia. 



1. N. exaltata, Schott. 



A tufted fern with suberect rhizome and linear-oblong weak 

 pinnate fronds up to 3 ft. long with firm slightly scaly pale-coloured 

 stipes 4-8" long. Rhachis from densely fulvous hairy to nearly 

 glabrous. Pinnse mostly close 1-5-3" long by -25-- 4" broad, acute or 

 subobtuse or lowest shorter broader and rounded at apex ; base on 

 the acroscopic side with an oblong auricle, on the basiscopic side with 



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