177. 
It propagates freely by spores and this pro- 
bably accounts for its having run wild in and 
about Bombay. It is particularly abundant 
on hill sides which have been cut down for 
reclamation purposes. It prefers a bright open 
situation as is evidenced by its greater abund- 
ance on the sunny hill sides at Rowli than in 
the shade of the Sion Wood. The hill sides 
also allow of free drainage without ‘which the 
fern cannot thrive. 
In cultivating this fern, therefore, a sunny 
situation and free drainage are required. 
Var. chrysophylla (Gymnogramme  chryso- 
phylla Kaulf.)—It is a smaller fern than the 
type and the powder is bright yellow. 
It is the ‘ King of Gold Ferns’ and is univer- 
sally admired. 
It is becoming naturalized on the Nilgiris. 
It is a native of South America and the West 
Indies. 
Genus XLII.—Virraria Sm. 
(Deriv. Vitta, a riband; the riband-shaped 
frond.) 
Veins simple, forming an acute angle with the 
midrib and having their apices prolonged into 
a transverse marginal vein which eventually 
12 
