Ferns of British India and Ceylon. 211 



GENUS L.— CYRTOMIUM. (Fresl.) 



(Derivation not known.) 



Indusium orbicular, peltate ; veins pinnate from a central costa, 

 the lower anterior veinlets free, the rest angularly and irregularly 

 anastomosing, forming unequal and subhexagonal areoles within 

 which are 1-3 excurrent venules, or the upper veinlets only angularly 

 anastomosing ; fronds pinnate, coriaceous. 



1. Cyrtomium falcatum. (Sw.) Stipes tufted, 6-12 inches 

 long, densely clothed below with large dark scales ] fronds 1-2 feet 

 long, by 6-9 inches broad, pinnate ; pinnae numerous, the lower 

 ones stalked, ovate-acuminate, falcate, 4-6 inches long, by 1-2 inches 

 broad, the edge entire or slightly undulated, the upper side narrowed 

 suddenly, sometimes auricled, the lower rounded or obliquely trun- 

 cate at the base ; texture coriaceous, both surfaces naked, the upper 

 one glossy, primary veins from the midrib of the pinna? parallel to 

 each other nearly to the margin, throwing off pinnately 1-2-3 times 

 inarching veinlets ; sori small, copious, scattered. Swartz, Syn. Fil. 

 p. 43. Hook. Syn. Fil. 257. 



Var. j3 caryotideum. (Wall.) Pinnules larger, sharply 

 toothed, sometimes deeply lobed towards the base, and generally J 

 with a long sharp auricle on one or both sides at the base. Wall. 

 Cat. 376. Bedd. F. S. I. t. 119. 



Nilgiris at the higher elevations. Himalayas from Gurwhal 

 to Bhotan, 3,000-8,000 feet elevation. Khasya, 3,000-4,000 feet ; 

 Ceylon. There is also a variety common on the Nilgiris known as 

 microptera, which has more numerous and much smaller pinna;, 

 scarcely at all auricled or lobed, but it graduates into caryotideum, 

 though extreme forms look very distinct. The type of falcatum, 

 which only differs slightly, is from China, Japan, South Africa, 

 Sandwich Islands, and Madagascar. 



2. Cyrtomium caducum. (Wall.) Stipes tufted, 1 foot 

 long, firm erect, stramineous, scaly below ; main rachises sometimes 



