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 alHed. 
(Also in the Sandwich and Society Islands.) 
GENUS LXXXV.— GYMNOPTERIS. {Beni/i.) 
{Gym7ios^n2k.^dL', pteris ; seeding naked.) 
Veins copiously anastomosing with free veinlets in the areoles ; 
the primary veins cost^eform or obsolete j 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. 
I. Gymnopteris variabilis. {Hook.) Rhizome more or less 
creeping, squamose, with ovate or lanceolate scales ; sterile fronds 
membranaceous to subcoriaceous, generally about i 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 over with large polypodioid sori. 
Hook. Sp, FiL V. 277. Bedd. F. B. Lt, 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 
very 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 \ 
Birma. 
Var. /3 LANCEOLATA. {Hook.) Main veins none, or more or 
less indistinct. Gymnopteris lanceolata. Hook. Sp> FiL v. 276. G. Feei 
{Moore), Bedd. F. S. 1. t 48. 
