462 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XlV, 



5. A. lentum, Don, Prod. Fl. Nep., p. 4. ^. auriciilatum, Sw., -y A. 

 lenium, Don; Syn. Fil. 251. A. amiculatum, Sw., var. 4, lenta (sp.) Don, CI. 

 Rev. 507. Polystichum, auriculatum, Sw. var. § lentum, Don, Bedd. H. B. 204. 

 F. B. I., fc. 136. Plate XXVIIl, B. 



Punjab : Clmmia — McDonell, in List of Chamba Ferns identified at Kew; Kangra 

 V. Dist.— HarraMgh, Bdgew. in Herb. Kew, ex. Herb. Hort. Bot. Calc., named P. 

 radicans. 



N.-W. P. : D. D. Dw*.— Sowarna Nala 4-5,000', Mackinnons 1878-79 ; T. 6arh.— 

 Bhatauli, between Mussooree and the Jumna on road to Chakrata 4,500', Hope 1886 ; 

 Phedi 4-5,0D0', Dnthie 1881 ; collected also in 1878 by Herschel and Duthie and 

 ticketed by both " Mussooree," as is also a specimen from H. Chase, 8,000' elevation, 

 reed. 1878 (Mr. Bakery's ticket) : near Mussooree must be meant in these cases ; below 

 Mussooree 5,000', Gamble 1895 (at Bhatauli probably) ; Z?<wiaMw— E^mganga Valley 

 2,600' S. & W. 1848, No. 2, Aspid. radicans \ near Askot 4-5,000', and Gori Valley 

 4-5,000', Duthie 1884 ; Chipla, coll. Eamsukh (Duthie's collector) 1888 ; near 

 Lohugh^t 5,000', Trotter 1891 ; Gori Ganga Valley— Buin 7,500', MacLeod 1893. 



DisTRlB. — Asia : N. Ind. (Him.) Nepal, WalUch ; Sikkim and Bhotan, common 

 Assam— Khasi Hills from 1,500' upwards. 



This is A. ocellatum. Wall. Cat. 360, in Herb. 1823, " Napalia 1820.'* 

 t>. Don's name was the first published, but his description was written from 

 Wallich's specimens collected " in Napalise alpibus." It is also Hooker's^. 

 auriculatum, var. sulUpinnata, Sp. Fil., Vol. IV., p. 11. It is strange that 

 neither Don nor Hooker mention the chief distinguishing character of this 

 species, which is indicated by the specific name given to it by ( ? ) namely, 

 radicans. Clarke says — " This fern frequently produces a subterminal rooting 

 bud on the main rhacMs ; then it is caUed Polystichum radicans," but neither 

 Baker nor Beddome mentions this character ; though it pertains to every 

 plant I have seen, though not to every frond, and neither A. auriculatum, 

 nor its other so-called varieties — A. marginatum, Wall, and A. obUquum, Don — 

 ever have it, so far as I know. I have a frond from Telu'i Garhwal, which has 

 not only a yoiing plaiit with four pinnated and soriferous fronds growing from 

 its apex, but also another growing plant on the lowest pinn« of all, near its 

 apex. The buds and young apical plants are densely clothed with pale brown 

 scales. The cutting of A. lentum varies a good deal, but I think it is always 

 deeper than that of A. auricidatum, and of the simple form of A. marginatum, 

 and is from one to two-thirds downwards to the midrib, except in Strachey 

 and Winterbottom's Kumaun specimens which, though proliferous, have nearly 

 entire pinnae. The lobes are obliquely rounded and pointed, with generally only 

 one aristate tooth to each. The veins are pinnate in the lobes, two to five 

 veinlets in a lobe, one or more of which forks. The sori are small, and 

 uniserial, placed on the inferior veinlet of each group, about half-way between 

 costa and margin, and the sometimes quite free falcate auricled segment next 



