THE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. 457 
DistRip.—Asia : N.-H. Ind.—Assam, Naga Hills, Nichugardh 750’, Clarke; E. 
Manipur, Chattick 5000’, Watt, “ very abundant.’? Bengal—Orissa, Balasore Hills 
Blanf. ; Chitagong Hills up to 1000’, Roxburgh, Clarke, King. Burma, on the Irrawa- 
dy, Wallich, “Burma,” Kurz; Maulmein, Lobb, Parish. Malay Penins. Philip- 
pines. 
Collected by Brig.-General (now Sir W.) Gatacre, when with the Chitral Fort 
Relief Expedition :—2 sterile fronds only, without rhizome (which should be creep- 
ing) ; one—from 8000’ alt., about 24 in. 1. by barely 1 in. br., entire, cordate- 
lanceolate, and the other—from 5000’, about 4 in. |. by 44 br., with two pairs 
of lateral, oblong, rather bluntly-pointed lobes, the lowest of which has a pair of 
subsidiary lobes, deflexed. ‘The stipes, main and secondary rhachises are gia- 
brous, and almost black: the veins are hidden in the coriaceous lamina. (See 
my paper on the “ Ferns of the Chitral Relief Expedition,” in “‘ The Journal 
of Botany,’ March, 1896, p. 122). I compared these specimens with sterile 
fronds of P. ludens from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, in Mr. Gamble’s collection, 
and found them identical, though the cutting varies ; and Mr. Gamble agreed. 
The most westerly extension of this species before known is in Orissa, in the 
Indian Peninsula, in about 214° N. lat., and 86° E. long., up to 1000 ft. alt. 
Other known habitats are (in India) the Naga Hills in Assam, at about 750 ft. 
alt. ; the East of Manipur, in about 23° N, lat. and 94° BH, long., at an altitude 
of 5000 ft. The Ziarat Valley, where General Gatacre got the plant, lies to 
the south of Chitral, north of the Lowari (or Lowarai) Pass, in about 35° 25/ 
N. lat., and 71° 50’ K. long. Snow musi lie in the Valley for many months 
in the year at the altitude of 8000 and perhaps even down to 5000’. 
In “the Botany of the Chitral Relief Expedition,” No. 9, Vol. I. of ‘‘ The 
Records of the Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta, 1898,” I find the follow- 
ing note by Mr, Duthie regarding this fern :-— 
“Tn reply to a letter to General (now Sir William) Gatacre asking for 
further particulars regarding the localities of this very interesting 
fern, I received the following information :—‘ This fern was found 
growing in many places in the Zidrat Valley at 5000 feet, near 
the Kaffir Rock (about 33 miles north of Lowari Pass,-on the road), 
a well known spot by reason of the Kafhrs from Kafiristan select- 
ing this wild spot to set upon and murder caravans passing through 
the country. The valley hereabouts is a very sheltered spot, a 
beautiful stream running down the centre, the hills clothed with 
flowering shrubs, and the valley filled with the white peony. 
Undoubtedly snow lies here during the winter, even down to 5000 
feet, but the place is warm and sheltered from wind ; the soil is 
very rich, and streams from the summits of the hills are always 
