TBE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. 257 



not infrequent : but the paired sori are never of equal length. Beddome's limi- 

 tation of the sori to the lowest vein of each group does not hold good with 

 regard to >Simla and Mussooree specimens ; from some of these there are 

 numerous cases of short sori in or near the lobes on the other veinlets. And 

 his figure does not represent these specimens when it shows the lowest supe- 

 rior aurioled lobe bare of sori, for in some cases I see a double row of sori 

 in the auricle, consisting of 2—4 pau-s on either side of the main vein. The 

 auricle (and sometimes the next lowest segment) has a tendency to be free 

 and in one of Mr. Bliss's specimens it is quite so, and even pefciolate. 



34. A. japonicum, Thumb. ; Syn. Fil. 234 ; C. R. 498. Diplaziim^ 

 japonicum, Thumb., Bedd. H. B. 180. 



Kashmir: Coll. Mardan All, 1854, in Herb. Hort., Saharanpur; Panjab 53-5500', 

 Kishenganga Vy. Keran 5500', McDonell Nos. 33 and 34, 18i I. 



Punjab : Chaniba — Kalatop Forest 6000', McDonell 1881, Kangra Vy. Dis*. — 

 Edgew., in Herb, Hort. Kew. ; Jide Trotter in List; Simla Reg. — Simla 6000', 

 Blanf., Bliss. 



N.-W. P. : T. Garh.— Bhatauli 3-4500', Herschel, Mackinnons, Hope ; Kumann — 

 Edgew., Lev., S. & W. ; between Ramgarh and Peora, Hope 1861; Booreydar, David- 

 son 1875 ; Hawalbagh 4000', Trotter 1891. 



DiSTRlB. — Asia; N. Ind. Assam — Khasia 3000', abundant, CZorAe; Bengal — 

 CMttagong 200', common, Clarke. S. Ind. — Madras Presidency, on the W. Ghats ; 

 Nilgiris 7000', Pulney Hills 7000'; Tinnevelly Hills ; Jeypore Hills, West of Vizaga- 

 patam, ^-4000' (Beddome in H. B.). Manipur, Clarke. Burmah, Malaya, China. 

 Japan, Polynesia. Australia. Queensland and Norfolk Island. Afr. : Bourbon. 



I would add to the description of this fein that the fronds of the N.-W. 

 India plant are dimorphous, i.e., these are fertile fronds which have long stipes, 

 and sterile ones which hiive short stipes. The long- stiped fronds are always 

 fertile, and the short-stiped — never so. The sterile fronds are generally 

 broader in proportion to their length than the fertile are, and the pinn^ 

 also sometimes broader. A length of rhizome, with both sterile and fertile 

 fronds on it, should always be gathered, or a coiTeot idea of the species will not 

 be got. I feel sure Beddome is wrong, as to the N.-W. Indian A. jajpoiiicum 

 at least, in saying that the rhizome is " creeping or suberect." It is really 

 always widely-creeping and branching, and sometimes very slender; but 

 occasionally several fronds, sterile and fertile, are thrown up near each other in 

 an apparent tuft. On some fronds few diplazoid sori are found ; and I have 

 sometimes seen hippocrepiform sori, ie.^ with involucre crossing the vein, 

 unbroken and continuing down the other side of the vein for abouo half the 

 length that they have before crossing. Other variations in the sori could be 

 cited. I do not consider this species to be much more of a Diplazium than 

 A. thelyptemdes and A. McDonelli are. 



