Ferns of British India and Ceylon. 429 



Khasya, above Shaila, 2,500 feet elevation, lately discovered by 

 Mr. Clarke, but only in a barren state, so it is doubtful whether it is 

 this species, though it must be closely allied. 



(Also in the Sandwich and Society Islands.) 



GENUS LXXXV.— GYMNOPTERIS. (Bernh.) 



(Gymjios, naked ; pteris ; seeding naked.) 



Veins copiously anastomosing with free veinlets in the areoles ; 

 the primary veins costasform or obsolete ; fronds simple or pinnate, 

 generally dimorphous the fertile much contracted, or rarely simple 

 uniform and bearing the sori on the contracted apex ; stipes 

 adherent to the rhizome. 



1. Gv.mxopteris variabilis. (Hook.) Rhizome more or less 

 creeping, squamose, with ovate or lanceolate scales ; sterile fronds 

 membranaceous to subcoriaceous, generally about 1 foot or a little 

 more long and 1 -2 1 inches wide, ovate-lanceolate acuminate, often 

 long decurrent on the stipe nearly to its base ; costules generally more 

 or less distinct, sometimes very prominent, zigzag or quite straight ; 

 areoles copious with free included veinlets ; fertile fronds contracted 

 and narrow, and normally entirely covered with sori, but in some cases 

 the broader fronds are dotted all overwith large polypodioid sori. 

 Hook. Sp. Fil. v. 277. Bedd. F. B. I. t. 272. 



Sikkim, Bhotan, Assam, Khasya, Cachar, up to 4,000 feet 

 elevation. South India (rare, compared with the variety lanceolata) 

 Tinnevelly mountains, fronds very thin and membranaceous and 

 decurrent nearly to the base of the stipe, main veins wavy, but 

 vury prominent, Jeypore Hills (Vizagapatam), texture thicker and 

 colour deeper green, very decurrent, main veins very prominent and 

 nearly straight, polypodioid sori over many of the broad fronds ; 

 Jiirma. 



Yak. ft i.ANCKOLATA. (Hook.) Main veins none, or more oi- 

 lers indistinct Gymnopteris lanceolata, Hook. Sp. Fil. v. 27C. G. 1'eei 

 {Moore), Bedd. F. S. I. t. 48. 



