THE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. 
37 
from the Himalayas, and though I suppose you will call them L. hirtipes , they 
seem to pass on and run into Lastrea cuspidata.” I need not here consider 
whether N. cuspidatum and TV. hirtipes are distinct species ; but I may say that 
I think- TV. Gamblei is the farther removed from TV. cuspidatum . I have seen 
one or more specimens named N. hirtipes in Colonel Beddome’s collection, 
which I should name TV. Gamblei . 
6. N. repens, n. sp. — Rhiz. widely creeping and branching, and throw- 
ing up fronds \ in. to lin. or more apart (sometimes forming dense beds) 
J in. thick ; stiff and ligneous when dried ; st. naked or with a few deciduous 
scales at base only, upwards becoming downy or villose, as are the rhachises, 
3 — 6 in, long below the auricles of the frond, rarely longer ; fr. ovate with an 
acuminate apex, but suddenly reduced below and continued by almost linear- 
auricles down the stipe, which dwindle in size until scarcely visible, auricles 
sometimes bipartite with segments pointing up— and downwards, simply pinnate, 
2 — 4 ft. long including auricled base, by 6 — 12 in. br. ; pinn. numerous, 
close, not generally more distant towards base (but the amides increasingly so), 
acuminate, width from \ to 1 in., rarely more, generally under f in., cut down 
nearly to the sec. rh. into very numerous narrow parallel-sided round-pointed 
segments which are closely set — though always separated by a narrow sinus, 
slightly carved upwards at apices ; texture herbaceous or sometimes subcoriaceous, 
the costa thickly and the veins sparsely clothed on both surfaces with short hairs 
or down ; ven. of segments simply pinnate, attached to or abutting upon, but not 
branching from, the rhachis of the pinna ; ven. 6 — 18 pairs of veins, running out 
to the edge, the lowest pair just above the sinus ; sori small, one on each vein 
except near apices of pinnae and segments, where they are wanting, medial or 
sometimes rather nearer the margin; invol. glabrous, persistent, sometimes 
shrivelling. (Plate VIII.) 
Punjab : Chamba — Chao (fpl Sao) 6000', C. B. Clarke 23605, 7-10-74 (?) ; Ravi 
Valley 5000', Blanf.; Chamba 6-7000', J. Marten 1897; Mandi State 8000', Trotter ; 
Ruliu 6-7000', Trotter; Simla Reg . — Simla 5000', Collett ; the Glen 6000', Gamble; 
Usan Valley 4300', Blanf.: “ Common in ravines below 6000V Blanf. in List (under 
N. prolixum) ; Bliss 1 890, several stations. N.-W.iP.: D. D. Dist .— Jaunsar : Rupin 
Valley 4500', C. G. Rogers ; Tons Valley 8000', Gamble ; “Dhoon” (in the Debra Dun) 
Vicary; Suarna Nala 4500', P. W. Mackinnon and Hope 1881 ; Sahasradhara 2000.# 
Hope ; Mussooree — in Herb. Dalzel, King, Herschel, Mackinnons, Hope ; T. Garb.— 
Phedi 4-5000', Dutbie ; Kumaun — Karim 6300', S. and W. ; Naini Tal, Hope 1861 
Chippleghat and Koonoor, Davidson 1871 ; near Askot 4-5000', iDuthie 1884 ; Nalena 
Valley 47-5000', Hope 1890 ; near Bans 6500', Trotter 1891 ; Kaini Valley— Shama 
4200', MacLeod 1893. 
Distrib .— Asia : N. Ind. (Him.) Nepal — Wallicb 849. Aspid. No. 29 ; *' Legi in 
Napalia 1821 ” ; Sikkim and Bhotan (?) ; Assam— Shillong 6C00', C. B , Clarke. W. 
