Ferns of British India and Ceylon. 59 



This very handsome fern may be characterised as odontoloma, 

 with the pinnules much larger and entire, very large sori and 

 deeply channelled veins ; it is a link between odontoloma and 

 panda, and approaches serrato-dentata in its very finely serrated 

 margins. 



27. Lastrea rigida. All the specimens I formerly placed 

 here I now refer to Filix-mas elongata. I much doubt if this 

 species is represented in Northern India, at least as distinct from 

 remota. 



28. Lastrea spinulosa. Tab. 336 F.B.I, belongs here, and 

 not to var. remota ; it was gathered by Jerdon, in Cashmir I 

 believe, and does not appear to have been found by any other 

 collectors. 



Var. remota. The form gathered at Nakhunda and its 

 vicinity between 8,000-9,500 feet alt. is very uniform in its 

 character, it is not quite the European form, though closely 

 allied, it can be easily distinguished from Filix-mas. var. elongata 

 by its much more herbaceous texture, I suspect, however, it is 

 subject to considerable variation in different localities, as I have 

 seen examples (in Mr. Mann's herbarium) gathered by Mr. 

 Trotter at 7,000 feet alt. Hazara district which are deltoid in 

 outline, the pinn:e broader, the lower pinnules being considerably 

 elongated and looser in habit ; Mr. Trotter refers this to rigida. 

 Mr. Hope has a!so sent specimens to Kew, gathered at the base of 

 the Himalayas, in which the pinnules are much less cut than in 

 the type, which have been referred to rigida var. pallida. I 

 believe these are all varieties of the same fern which goes by the 

 name of remota , but it seems to me that it has equal or even 

 more claim to be considered a variety of rigida. Mr. Blanford 

 mentions black scales as a distinguishing mark between this fern 

 and elongata ; my specimens gathered at Nakhunda 8,500 feet 

 ( Watt); Chatri, 7,500 feet (McDonell) ; Jangla, 9,000 feet (Dathie) • 

 and in Kashmir (Jerdo/i), have all golden-brown chaffy scales ; 

 my only specimens with black scales were gathered at Basbahr, 



