•i 8 Ferns of British India and Ceylon. 



GENUS V.— DIACALPE. {Bl.) 

 (Dia and kalpe, a vessel, in allusion to the cup-shaped indusium.) 



Sori globose, the receptacles small, scarcely elevated ; indusium 

 inferior {i.e., below the sorus), globose, hard-membranaceous, entire, 

 a length bursting very irregularly at the summit; capsules numerous, 

 nearly sessile, ring broad, veinlets simple, free. 



i. Diacalpe aspidioides. {Bl.) A large compound fern ; stipe 

 scaly, particularly near the base ; fronds tripinnate, submembranaceous, 

 rachis of pinnae pubescent with adpressed scales ; pinna 3 , alternate 

 or sub opposite, segments of pinnules oblong- cuneate, lobed, and 

 decurrent, glabrous, or furnished with long weak scales ; veinlets 

 not reaching the margin ; sori medial on the anterior lower vein- 

 lets, involucre bursting irregularly, or sometimes into two regular 

 lips. Bl. En. PL Jav. Fil. 241. Hook. Syn. Fil. p. 45. Bedd. 

 F. S.I.t. 257. 



Nepal to Bhotan, Khasya, 4,000-6,000 feet. Ceylon, higher 

 parts of central provinces. Tenasserim on Mooleyit 5,000-6,000 

 feet. Tavoy. 



(Also in the Malay Islands.) 



2. Diacalpe fceniculacea. {Hook, under Folystichum.) 

 Rhizome creeping; stipes tufted, 6-12 inches long, densely 

 clothed below with lanceolate reddish-brown scales ; fronds 1-2 

 feet long, 9-12 inches broad, deltoid-lanceolate, 4-5-pinnatifid, 

 lower pinnule 6-8 inches long, 3-4 inches broad, pinnules sub- 

 deltoid, 2-3 inches long, secondary pinnules cut down to the rachis, 

 their lower divisions often again pinnatifid ; segments linear, very 

 aGute, subcoriaceous and very glossy, with a few scattered long 

 scale-like hairs beneath ; indusium leathery, dark purple, spherical, 

 attached by the point under its centre, not stalked, splitting irregu- 

 larly from above. Clarke, p. 434. Hook. Syn. Fil. p. 256. Bedd. 

 F B. I. tab. 36, under Lastrea (indusium incorrect as to shape). 



Sikkim, 7,000-10,000 feet elevation, abundant at Buckeem ; 

 Upper Ratong, 8,000-9,000 feet. 



