THE FERNS OF NORTE-WESTERN INDIA. 477 



close together, nearly parallel to each other ; the secondary pinnse numerous, close, 

 very distinct, all remarkably like each other. Nor are there any connecting forms 

 between the var. and any other form of A. aculeatum.'''' 



Beddome's description is :• — 



" Lower surface of frond with very fine fibrillge, rhachis with very long scales as 

 well as fibrillEe, pinnules small, quite entire, except the spinulose apex, or with 

 very inconspicuous crenatures to represent the usual lobes ; sori apical, on the lower 

 veinlet of the forked or pinnate vein of the segment (or what would correspond to 

 the segment where the pinnule is entire)." 



Chrisfc puts tiiis fern as — 4. P. loiatum, var. setosiim, Wall., and sajs of 

 it :— 



" This plant is very remarkable for its scaly clothing ; not only is the rhachis 

 clothed with enormous principal scales, yellowish and pellucid, oval or round, 

 which even attain in the upper part of the frond the length and breadth of 

 8 millimetres or more, but all the parts, with the pinnules, are upon the two 

 faces covered with numerous thread-like scales (hairs), which are flexible " (wavy ?), 

 "one centimetre long, and, golden in colour, which gives to this magnificent plant 

 a very rich appearance. The frond is of the largest size (70 centimetres), the 

 pinnules numerous (up to 80 in one pinna), lanceolate, toothed (?) like a comb 

 decurrent, scarcely stalked, almost toothless, only the lowest of the upper row. 

 Which is much larger than the rest, being deeply cut. The texture is flaccid, 

 membranous." 



" Habitat. — Excessively damp forests of Sikkim, Himalaya on Senchul 8000' 

 (Gamble 8041) and-9000' (Gammie)." 



Both Clarke and Beddome say that only the lower surface of the frond is 

 clothed with long fibriUae. Christ is right in saying that both surfaces are so 

 clothed. I have not seen this fern growing; but. judging from herbarium 

 specimens, it seems quite distinct from any other species of the group. A 

 specimen collected in Sikkim, alt. 5000', by Sip J. D. Hooker, has, besides 

 the long straw-colom'ed hairs, large ovate-acuminate dark-brown scales all 

 along the main rhachis. Some other specimens have similar scales, but pale- 

 brown in colour. A specimen from Wallich, in Heri. Bentham at Kew 

 has very large broad scales up the stipe, brown with darker centres. 



1§. A. PreSOOttianum, Hook. Sp. 4. p. 22., t. 223 ; Syn. Fil. 253 ; 

 C. R. 510. Polystichum Prescottianum, Wall., Bedd. H. B. 210. 



Afghan. : Kuram Vy.— 9-10,000', Aitch. 1879. 



Kashmir : Gilgit—^?ii, Col. Tanner ; Gulmarg 10,000', Lev. ; Pir Panjdl 11,500',, 

 Trotter, Gammie ; Bangam Valley, 13-14,000', Duthie 1893, No. 13539. 



Punjab: Hazara — Khagin Valley 9000', Dr. Stewart: fAamJa— Sach and Drati 

 Passes 10-12,000', Baden-Powell 1879 ; Eavi Valley.— Satrundi and above it 11-12,000', 

 and Cheni Pass 12,000', McDonell ; Kullu —^ohia.ng Pass 13,000', and Jalori Pass, 

 N. 10,000', Trotter ; ia/iowZ— Chandra Valley, 11,000', Trotter; Simla H eg. —Jxihal 

 State, Chor. Mt., Collett ; Sirmur State 9-10,000'. T. T. ; Hatu Mt. 9,5-10,500', Edgew, 

 Bates, Collett, Gamble, Blanf., Hope, Trotter, Bliss ; Bashabr— near Earang Pass 

 12,500', Lace. 



