1888.] H. F. Blanford— ^ List of the Ferns of Simla. 301 



has been referred to this species, is that which I describe below as Gh. 

 farinosa, var. anceps. The following is a description of 0, alho-'marginata, 

 which is well represented in the figure Plate 52 of Mr. Clarke's Review, 

 except that the scaliness of the costae and veins is not fully shown. 



Stipes 4 to 10 ins. long, generally shorter than the frond, bearing 

 throughout dark linear lanceolate scales with pale translucent margins. 

 Similar scales extend to the primary and secondary rhachises and costae. 

 Fronds up to 11 inches long, acute deltoid, under surface naked or 

 in the young state, and in the small fronds that persist through the 

 dry season, thinly coated with yellowish white powder. Lowest 

 pair of pinnae generally the longest. Segments oblong. Lines of 

 sori scarcely interrupted at the sinus. Margins of involucres highly 

 lacerate. 



It is always readily distinguishable from other allied forms by the 

 presence of scales on the veins and costae, and by the highly lacerate 

 involucres. 



17. Cheilanthes faeinosa, Kaulf, var. tyjpica. 



This is very abundant in the Sivaliks and Doons and in the deeper 

 valleys of the outer Himalaya up to 4,000 ft. In the neighbourhood of 

 Simla, it may be found as high as 5,000 ft., above which I have not met 

 with it. The following characters distinguish it from other allied forms. 



Stipes up to 12 ins. long, generally longer than the frond, deep 

 red brown, naked or with a few linear scales, near the base only. 

 Frond deltoidly lanceolate, acute to acuminate, up to 8 ins. long and 5 

 ins. broad, always thickly coated beneath with white powder. Lowest 

 pair of pinnae always the longest. Segments narrow. Sori continuous 

 round the sinus. Margins of involucres entire, uneven or toothed, not 

 lacerate. 



This form ranges all over India. I have collected it at Pachmari 

 at 3,000 ft., and I have specimens from the Khasi hills at 3,000 and 5,000 

 f t , and from the Nilgiris up to 6,000 ft. 



18. Cheilanthes farinosa, var. anceps* nov. 



This has been frequently confounded with Ch, alhomarginata. It 

 appears to have as wide a range in India as the typical variety. In the 

 North- West Himalaya, it has a well defined, but restricted, range of 

 elevation, viz., from 3,500 to 6,000 ft., and is common below Simla 

 between 4,500 and 5,000 ft. Its characters are as follow : — 



* This was described as C. anceps in a paper entitled, ' The silver Ferns of Simla 

 and their Allies, read before the Simla Natural History Society, June 25th, 1886. 



