2. POLYPODIACEjE. [11. Djplazium. 



linear-lanceolate, widest near the base, secondary pinnae •25-1" long 

 oblong or linear-oblong spreading at right-angles to rhachis, sessile 

 or decurrent, pinnatifid or serrate (or pinnate in var. pedinata), 

 margin toothed. Sori usually very small, shortly oblong (sometimes 

 almost quadrate), only slightly curved, usually in two rows on the 

 ultimate pinnules or lobes, -02- -04" long. 



Damp localities in the higher hills. Ranchi (Pitorea East Hill), Wood ! Hazari- 

 bagh, Parasnath ! Fr. Sept.-Dec. 



The folloAving varieties occur in our area : — 



Var. a. pectinata, Clarke. Syn. A. pectinata. Wall. 



Very finely tripinnate and ultimate pinnae pinnatifid with very acute or sub- 

 spinulose teeth. Rhachis slender but scarcely grooved when dry. Indusium 

 very shortly oblong subpersistent. 



Eanchi and Parasnath. 



Var. /3. parasnathensis, Clarke. 



Fronds 1 -pinnate, sub-2-pinnate. Ehachis triangular when dry. Fronds 

 reddish, 1-5 ft., narrow oblong, scarcely attenuate at base. Primary pinnae 1-5" 

 long broadest at the base, sec. pinnae -25- -3" acutely toothed, scarcely pinnatifid. 

 Indusium short oblong, in two oblique rows, very persistent. Parasnath, Clarke. 



2. A. falcatum, Bedd. ; Syn. Asplenium drepanophyllum, Baker. 



A tufted fern with linear-lanceolate 1 -pinnate fronds narrowed to 

 both ends 3-12" long by 1-3" broad ; stipes up to 6" in the larger 

 fronds. Pinnae • 2- • 5" broad, median cut half-way down into broadly 

 oblong rounded lobes usually with a distinctly larger basal lobe on 

 the acroscopic side, lower pinnae sometimes more deeply cut, lobes 

 entire or toothed. Stipes with many very slender scales near the 

 base, rest of frond glabrous. Sori usually in one row each side of 

 the costa of the pinna, about one to each lobe on its upper venule, 

 oblong, about • 1" long but sometimes very broad. 



Ranchi, Wood ! Palamau, 2000 ft., Gamble ! Hazaribagh, 4000 ft. (Parasnath) ! 

 Fr. Sept.-Dec. 



Pinnae spreading or deflexed. Beddome says that the sori are numerous on each 

 side of the costa, at length confluent and covering the whole or nearly the whole 

 under-surface. They are distinct in our specimens and have quite the shape of 

 many Asplenium. in'which genus it is often placed. 



11. DIPLAZIUM, Siv. 



(Including Anisogonium, Presl.) 



Ferns of various habit. Stipes not articulate, with 2 vascular 

 bundles which unite above into one peripheral semi-cylindric strand. 

 Fronds simple to very compound. Nerves free or (section Aniso- 

 gonium) some anastomosing. Sori dorssfl straight linear as in 

 Asjilenium, but usually at least one (the basal acroscopic) veinlet in 

 each lobe bears a sorus both sides ; the other veinlets have a sorus on 

 one side only or nil. Indusium usually coriaceous ; in the twin sori 

 both open outwards from the veinlet. Scales as in Athyrium. 



1. D. esculentum, Sui. Syn. Anisogonium esculentum, Presl. ; Asple- 

 nium esculentum, Retz. 

 A large fern with an erect stout caudex and a terminal tuft of 



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