﻿2 MR. JOHN SCOTT ON THE TREE FERNS OF BRITISH SIKKIM. 



occurring 



preservation J all tlie Sikkim species with which I have any acquaintance. Tlieso, I may 

 state, have been all lately introduced to the Botanical Gardens, Calcutta ; and nearly all 

 are now thriving surprisingly in a lightly thatched structure, similar to those in use among 

 the natives of various parts of Bengal for the growth of tlicir " pawn *' or hetel-pcppcr. 

 Simple though these structures he, they are most ejQfective, and, indeed, indispensable, 

 enabling us to grow satisfactorily these shade- and moisture-loving plants, which would 

 barely survive a single day's exposure in the hot season of Lower Bengal. 



The altitudinal distribution of the species is interesting, and in a few cases increases 

 the range respectively affixed by Mr. Baker in his valuable contribution to fern-f?eo- 

 gi-aphy {vide Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xxvi. pt. 1, p. 305). Taking the genera in systematic 

 sequence, we have first the Gyathea spinulom, which scarcely occurs above 2000 feet or 

 descends below 1000 feet, though nowhere common, and decidedly one of the rarest of 

 the Sikkim species. The Lepchas very frequently confound this plant with the next, 

 Eemitelia decipiens, mihi, recognizing them under the name of " piigzheek-nok," tbouo>h 

 those of them better up in plant-lore distinguish it under the names of " panhjum " and 

 "pugzHock." They resemble each other not a little in habit and armature, 

 also at similar elevations, though S. decipiens has a more extensive range, ascending to 

 3000 feet, and of frequent occurrence, especially in the valleys of the Eungbee and'the 

 Kungjo. At elevations of 4000 feet AlsophUa lateirosa, the " pugzheek " of the Lepchas, 

 makes its appearance, becomes abundant at 5500 feet, ascending to elevations of 6500 feet 

 and upwards, as on the birch-hm near Dai-jeeling. Within this range we have also an 

 abundance of ^ feopfc7« cmnosa.iU "pashin" of the Lepchas, a species of wonderful 

 prohficness, and forming, in its season of verdure, some of the prettiest and mos t ex- 

 tensive groves that are to be seen in Sikkim. Similar though these species are, how- 

 ever, m their altitudinal range, A. comom is notably less widely distributed than A. late- 



r\T f ''. **''' '^"^ ""^ *''*' ^'''^* "^ *^^ ^^^' ^'""^ Punkabaree. and that in con- 

 siderable abundance, on the banks of the Darjeeling road, below Kursiong, thence upwards 



elevations of 6500 feet, encircling and more or less abundantly interspersed tlirouc^h 

 the whole of these moist forest ranges ; while A. eomosa is rarely met with until the 



Zc r. tl " '"" ""^''' "''^^ " ^^ "^ ''' ''^'^ -- ^''-'l-t of the two. 



Associated with these are a few subarboreous species, and very many kinds of humWer 



Imon f ! T ""'r°"' °' ''•= ''"^'' ''" ^"''"^''^'■^ -'"'«. -tich, at elevaTon 

 of 6000 feet, attams most gigantic proportions t. The following are the measurements 



habitats. 



io Sm.). and regains £rondI«, and wi hout ^e^^^iZ^^ZZumZ 7'' T. ^' ' ™°"' ^^^^^' ""^ 

 in, in December, when one foUows another in s^o^Z^^^^Xt^.:^'''''' ™." f ^ "f ^-^ ^ ^-ly set 



its «^n of rest and defoliation wiU have rceurred • fte mZ '. •!• \ ^ ' ""'^'•' "^"''^ '"'= ""^^ ""^^^''^^^ 

 frondless. "^ • ''^ "™y adventitious buds do not differ, having aH remained 



t This species is also found in the tropical forests, as in the v^Jlev of th„ T„.^, „. ._ . ,. 



scarcely attaining 



" big " and « little Tucklo. 



m 



