THE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. 
49 
young (?) fronds are not even deeply pinnatifid, e.g., the frond figured by 
Bedd me. 
In his Handbook Colonel Beddome followed Mr. Clarke and separated this 
fern from N. Filix-mas. Mr. Clarke did not think it ran into any form of 
iV. F.-mas , and pointed out that the venation was very unlike the forked venation 
of that species. But Colonel Beddome, in his latest Supplement, says — 
4 ‘ This is certainly only a variety of FiUx-masN As no reasons are given 
for this ruling, and as it is against the evidence of my senses, I must consider 
it as an obiter dictum , and decline to be bound by it. In a preliminary list, 
drawn up in 1891, but not published, I re-named this fern as Nephrodium 
incisum ; but I must now adopt Beddome’s specific name. 
15. Nephrodium pandum, n. sp,— 44 Stipes round, firm ” (long : 
sometimes longer than the frond) ; “ frond nearly glabrous beneath, the main 
rhachis with a few 7 ovate scales ; frond narrowly oblong, the lowest pair of 
pinnae but one often as long as any above, the lowest pinnae usually but little 
shorter ; pinnae pinnatifid — § the w r ay to the midrib ; segments subspinulose, 
serrulate.” N. Filix-mas , Richd., var. 1 panda, C. B. Clarke.” Plate 68, 
C. R. 519, fig. 1. Lastrea Filix-mas, var. panda , Bedd. H. B. 251, and 
Suppt., p. 56. 
Punjab : Kangra Valley List. — Dharmsala 10-11,000', C. B. Clarke. N.-W. P : T 
Qark . — Kidarkanta Mt. 8000', Herschel 1879 ; Ganges Valley, above Jkala 11-12, 'DO', 
Dutkie 1831. Brit. Oarh. — East of Dhakwaui 11-1 2,0" 0% Duthie 1885. Kumaun— 
Gori Valley between Paton and Saba 7-8^00% Duthie 1881. 
Distkib.— N. E. Ind. (Him.) — Sikkim 9-10,000', J. L. IleoTter. 
Mr. Clarke says— 44 Some of the E iropean var. cristata approach thk” It 
does no, appear whether he refers to the cultural variety of A r . F -mas , or to 
N. cristatum, Michx. Beddome’s first thought was — ‘‘This has much the 
aspect of odontoloma ” (meaning, evidently, L. odontolorna , Moore), 44 and it will 
probably prove to be a luxuriant form of that plant.” His second thought 
expressed in the Supplement of 1892, was— 4 There are specimens >.t Kew which 
are intermediate between this variety and Schimperiana .” Second thoughts are 
proverbially the best. I can find no good distinction between N. pandum 
and N. Schimperianum, add retain N. pandum chiefly out of deference 
to Mr. Clarke who has gathered both plants. I have not gathered the first 
named. N. pandum might be called a long-stiped and comparatively glabrous 
form of the Indian plant which is called N. Schimperianum , Hochst., and 
Mr. Clarke says that the less compound forms of var. Schimperiana ran near 
var. 1 panda. Perhaps the best reason for retaining N. pandum as a species is 
that it is more unlike N. Filix-mas than iV. Schimperianum is. Mr. Bliss’s 
