19. Pteris.] 2. POLYPODIACE.E. 



being bifurcate or with 2-3 descending secondary pinnae. Pinnae 

 8-14 prs. and a terminal one, all free, sessile or lowest petioled, deeply 

 pinnatifid, longer 8-15" long by 1-5-2 -5" wide, with close regular 

 linear-oblong rounded segments gradually decreasing upwards and 

 finally ending in a linear entire tail 1-3" long. Secondary pinna of 

 the lowest primary half to three-fourths as long as the primary and 

 similar. Costules prominent, the lowest vein (rarely more) from each 

 costule usually meeting the lowest from the next costule, and forming 

 a low arch and giving off several veinlets towards the sinus. Occa- 

 sionally the veins meet the sinus without meeting one another; other 

 veinlets from the costules numerous, all bifurcate from their base and 

 meeting the margin. Sori in a continuous line all round the segments, 

 rarely interrupted at the tips or sinuses. Indusium prominent, double. 



Near watercoiuses. Purneah ! Frequent in the Saranda forests of Singbhum ! 



Hazaribagh (on Parasnath) ! Fr. Sept. May. 



Caudex stout. Stipes 1-.5-3 ft. long, slightly scaly at the base, naked and 

 pohshed straw-coloured above. The costse have a small subulate process at the 

 base of each costule on th^^ upper side, which occurs in all my specimens though 

 it does not appear to have been noted by Beddome or Clarke. 



P. geminata, Wall. Syn. Campteria Kleiniana, Presl. 



This is entered as from Chota Nagpiu in Bengal Plants, and its characters are 

 given in the key above. The only specimen is a plant from Parasnath which is 

 to my mind merely P. biaurita. In addition to key characters Beddome says 

 Campteria Kleiniana has sub-membranous fronds with falcate oblong segments, 

 sterile ones broadly crenated, and the sori or indusium never reach the bases or 

 apices of the segments. He gives the locality as Western mountains of the Madias 

 Presidency. 



5. P. aquilina, L. Syn. Pteridium aquilinum, Kuhn; Bracken. 



A stout fern 2-6 ft. high with stout creeping rhizome and scattered 

 fronds. Stipes 6-15" long, yellowish green except at the dark- 

 coloured base, without scales, slightly pubescent when young. Frond 

 deltoid to triangular, lanceolate in outline, 1-2 ft. wide, 2-pinnate or 

 3-4 -pinnate below, pinnatifid at the tip, hairy beneath and on the 

 costse above, coriaceous. Pinnae numerous with many pinnules. 

 Ultimate pinnules or lobes -3- -6" long (rarely more in our area) at 

 base of the secondary or tertiary pinnae, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 

 sometimes falcate, veins close raised beneath, often twice forked. 

 Indusium double, an inner extrorse and an outer firmer introrse. 



On the highest mountains of the province (but not found on Parasnath). Neter- 

 hat Plateau, 3000 ft. and above ! Mayurbhanj Mats. 3500 ft. (Meghasani) ! Fr. Dec. 



Our plant has the pinna; rather crowded and very hairy beneath. The genus 

 Pteridium is perhaps rightly separated off from Pteris, but the name Pteris aquilina 

 is one of the best known among ferns. Moreover the inner very thin indusium 

 is said not to be always present ; its edge is long-ciliate. In Campteria there appears 

 to be a double indusium, but both are outside the receptacle and the outermost 

 is continuous with the frond. 



The habit of P. aquilina with its scattered fronds and many and much-divided 

 pinnae is quite different from our other species of Pteris. 



20. DRYMOGLOSSUM, Presl. 



Small epiphytic ferns with slender widely creeping rhizome. Fronds 

 articulate Avith the rhizome, simple, dimorphic, the sterile short and 



1204 



