19 



turn L. and Adiantum lunulatum Burm. often 

 root at the extremities producing new plants 

 which separate from the parent plant and live 

 independently. In the genus Nephrolepis the 

 rhizome sends out several stolons which bear 

 buds that develop into new plants. Small buds 

 or bulbils which fall off and become indepen- 

 dent individuals are often produced on the 

 fronds of several ferns like Ceratopteris thalic- 

 troidcs Brong., Asplenium viviparum Presl., 

 Asplenium Belangeri Kze., Anisogonium 

 'esculentum Presl., and Aspidium cicutanum 

 Sw. In Aspidium macrophyllum Sw. the buds 

 arise on the rhizome. 



5. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITATS OF FERNS 



To gain an idea of the distribution of Ferns 

 in the Bombay Presidency, it will be necessary 

 to briefly describe the physical features of the 

 country which have a great influence on the 

 vegetation. Along the sea coast to the north 

 and south of Bombay is a tract of low-lying 

 country, the Konkan, bounded on the east by the 

 Western Ghats. The latter mountains form 

 the western escarpment of the high plateau of 

 the Deccan, a good portion of which comes 



