TAKEDA—ASIATIC POLYPODIUMS. 301 
many Cases, unless a special name be given to every frond detached 
from the rhizome, such a multinominal system would only be found 
ridiculous. Besides the shape and size, the frond may be either 
pale green beneath or glaucous, as in many other species of this 
group, so that this also cannot be reckoned as any diagnostic 
character whatever. 
As the distinguishing character of this species the margin 
of the frond is the most reliable ; it is constantly depressedly 
crenate with rather distant notches, as is beautifully deline- 
ated by Makino.* The sori are situated midway between the 
midrib and margin, or slightly nearer the midrib. The spore is 
densely echinate. 
The present species is very widely distributed over Japan, 
Formosa, China, and Corea, and then reappears in Madagascar. 
I have seen the following specimens from China and Formosa :— 
CuInA. Fukien: Foochow (Maries); Chekiang: Ningpo 
(Hanbury, 1854, Hancock, n. 37, Faber, Aug. 1885) ; Shangtung : 
Chefoo (Faber, Feb. 1890, Hancock, n. 10), Wei-hai-wei (Matthew, 
_ Feb. 1909) ; Hupeh: Nant’o (Henry, n. 3025, 4436) ; Szechwan: 
Mt. Omei (Faber, n. 1066, Wilson, n. 5325), Moupin (David, 1870). 
Formosa. Tamsui (Hancock, n. 45, Wilford, n. 519, Swinhoe, 
1862) ; Posia (Steere). 
36. P. Engleri, Leurssen. 
This fern very much resembles the simple-leaved form of 
the preceding species, so that Christ reduced it to P. hastatum 
as a variety.t The only distinguishing character is, as has been 
pointed out by Luerssen t and figured by Makino,§ that the 
spore is absolutely smooth. The writer has not been able to 
examine any specimen with ripe spores, so that this point has 
been left undecided.|| 
This plant has been recorded frome the south-west of Japan 
and Quelpart, where it occurs but seldom. 
37. P. Griffithianum, Hooker.{ 
Although this species is very closely related to P. hastatum, 
it is surprisingly invariable. This plant can be distinguished 
from its nearest ally by the much thicker, oblong-elliptical frond 
and by the larger costal sori. 
t occurs in Northern India and Western China ; from the 
latter country I have examined the following specimens :— 
* Phan. et Pter. Japon. Icon. Illus. tab. xxviii. 
+ Bull. Herb. Boiss. vi, p. 878 (1898). 
t Engl. Bot. Jahrb. iv, p. 361 (1883). 
Icon. Ill. tab. xxix. 
Phan. et r. ; 
i Cf. Appendix to the present paper, p. 308. q Icon. Pl. sub tab. 955 (1854). 
