TAKEDA—ASIATIC POLYPODIUMS. 279 
mm. wide. In a luxuriant form it may attain 40 cm. long and 
over 15 mm. wide. The form of the frond is generally linear, 
or sometimes linear lanceolate, and often tapering into a narrowly 
acuminate apex. The stipe also varies from half a centimetre 
up to 6 cm 
As in P. lineare the frond forks two to several times. Such 
a monstrosity is not uncommon amongst ferns. Where it is 
fairly well fixed, it may be distinguished as monstr. ramifrons, 
otherwise it is not worth while to discriminate it as a special 
form. 
This species is widely distributed in India, occurring in 
Punjab, Nepal, Kumaon, Sikkim, Khasia, Madras, Nilghini 
(abundant), and in Ceylon. It is also distributed over Sumatra 
(Tuschemacher, n. 29, 30) and China. The only Chinese 
specimen I have examined was collected by Henry (n. 
13,129) in Yunnan: ‘‘ Szemao, N.W. mts., 6000 ft., on tree.” 
It is quite unknown from Japan; any information as to its 
occurrence in Japan is due to the mistake of P. lineare a Thun- 
bergianum for P. nudum 
The synonymy of our ; plant i is as follows :— 
P. nudum, Kze. in Linnaea, xxiii, p. 281 (1850). 
Syn. :—Pleopeltis nuda, Hook. Exet. Fl. sub tab. 63 (1823). 
P. gladiatum, Wall. List, n. 279 (1828). 
P. Wightianum, Wall. List, n. 2222 (1820). 
P. leiopteris, Kze. l.c. pp. 279, 319 (1850). 
Drynaria Zeylanica, Fée, Gen. Fil. p. 272 (1850-52). 
P. nudiusculum, Kze. l.c. xxiv, p. 253 (1851). 
P. sesquipedale, Mett. Polyp. p. 91 (1857), nec Wall. 
P. lineare, Blanf. in Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, lvii, p. 312, 
tab. xix (optim.). 
P. lineare var. Elysianum, Blanf. Ann. List Ferns of Simla, 
p- 14 (no date).* 
g. P. excavatum, Bory. 
This species is so closely allied to the preceding that it 
has been sometimes confounded with it. It has also been 
confused with P. lineare, as has been pointed out by more 
modern workers.7 
Like P. lineare, this fern has a wide range of distribution ; 
consequently there have been proposed several names which 
will be enumerated below. Christensen regards some of the 
synonyms as varieties, but I cannot agree with him in this respect. 
* The type specimens from Simla have narrow fronds not exceeding 10 mm. 
or less — longly stalked. I do not deem it necessary to separate it as a form. 
d. Handb. p. 347 (1883) ; be ang in Journ. As. Soc. Bengal. lvii, p. 313 
(1888) ; Hope, in Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. xv, p. 91 (1903). 
