282 Ferns of British India and Ceylon. 



fern (Syn. Fil. 291) is, as far as the Kew specimen of Wall. Cat. 

 348 is concerned, Lastrea ochthodes. Aspidium multijugum, Wall. 

 Cat. 348, in the Linnaean Herbarium is, however, Nephrodium ex- 

 tensum, typical, though referred by Clarke to molle as a variety. 

 Nephrod. Hcenkianum (Presl.), given in Syn. Fil. p. 291, as a Ceylon 

 fern, does not occur in that island or in our limits. 



GENUS LV.— NEPHROLEPIS. (Schott.) 



(Nephros, kidney; lepis, scale — the indusium kidney-shaped and 



scale-like.) 



Sori round, arising from the apex of the upper branch of a vein, 

 generally near the edge; indusium reniform or roundish; veins 

 forked, free clavate ; fronds simply pinnate with the pinnae articu- 

 lated at the base, furnished with white cretaceous dots on the upper 

 surface. 



1. Nephrolepis cordifolia. (Linn, under Polypodiu?n.) Cau- 

 dex suberect, the wiry fibres often bearing tubers ; stipes tufted, wiry, 

 1-4 inches long, slightly scaly ; fronds up to 2 feet, pinnate ; pinnae 

 numerous, crowded, often imbricated, i-ii inch long, by |— § inch 

 broad, usually blunt ; margin entire or slightly crenate, the under 

 side rounded or cordate, the upper distinctly auricled at the base ; 

 texture rather coriaceous ; rachis scaly, both sides nearly glabrous ; 

 sori about half-way between the midrib and margin in a single row ; 

 indusium firm, persistent, lunate or reniform. Polypodium cor- 

 difolium, L.,Sp. PI. 1549. Nephrolepis tuberosa (Presl.), Hook. 

 Sp. Fil. iv. 151. Bedd. F. S. I. t. 92. 



Throughout the Indian region up to 5,000 feet elevation. 

 (Also in the tropics of the whole world, and in Japan and 

 New Zealand.) 



2. Nephrolepis exalt ata. (Linn, under Polypodium.) Rhi- 

 zome suberect ; stipes tufted, 4-6 inches long, firm, slightly scaly ; 

 fronds up to nearly 3 feet long, pinnate ; pinnae rather close, 



