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Sporangia more or less round, sessile in 

 stalked whorls which are terminated by a crest- 

 like appendage, forming a clustered simple 

 spike, opening vertically by a slit on the 

 exterior side. Fronds divided into fertile and 

 sterile segments, the latter palmately pinnate. 

 Veins forked free. 



H elminthostachys zcylanica Hook. 



Rhizome fleshy, creeping. Stipe i foot long. 

 Frond divided into two portions ; barren portion 

 leafy, palmately pinnate, often in three princi- 

 pal divisions which are stalked and again forked 

 or pinnate ; ultimate segments linear, oblong, 

 3-4 inches long, J-i inch broad. Texture 

 herbaceous or leathery. Fertile spike 3-4 

 inches long, \ inch broad on a stalk about 

 as long as the spike. 



Distribution : Bombay Presidency Southern 

 Konkan in swampy places. 



South India, western forests up to 3,000 

 feet ; Ceylon ; North India ; Bengal plains to 

 Assam and Cachar ; Malay Peninsula Malay 

 Islands ; Philippines ; Tropical Australia; New 

 Caledonia. 



GENUS LIV.- BOTRVCHIUM Sw. 



(Deriv. Botrys, a bunch ; in allusion to the 

 fructification which is like a bunch of grapes.) 



