61 
THE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA . 
i in. wide, margin acutely or crenately lobed ; texture herbaceous ; under 
surface hairy ; ven. pinnate in segments, free. Sori naked, medial, orbicular, 
terminal on veinlets, usually one, sometimes two or three to each lobe.” (Plate 
XIV.) 
Remarks by Mr. Trotter. 
“ This fern is not uncommon in the Western Himalaya, at an elevation of 
7-9,000'. I have specimens from Kumaun and Garhwal, and have person- 
ally collected it at intervals from Simla to Hazara, where it is abundant, forming 
extensive patches. It seems to connect Polypodium distans > Lon, with Gym- 
nogramme aurita , Hook., combining the frond and sori of the former with 
the rootstock and stipes of the latter ; and when collected without rhizome it 
has frequently been mistaken for P. distans^ from which in that mutilated con- 
dition it is not easily distinguishable. 
‘‘ Its wide-reaching rootstock and scattered stipes, bent round at the base, are 
such well-marked characters as to entitle it, I think, to rank as a good species.” 
Kashmir : Chittapani Valley and Rattan Pir, 75-8000', Trocter, 1888 ; JDardpura 
4-6000', MacLeod 1891. 
Punjab : Hazara Hist.— Thandiana and Dungagali 75-8500', Trotter 1890-92 ; 
Kagan and Siran Valleys 9000', Duthie’s collector 1896. Chamba — 5-bOOO', J. Marten 
1897. Eangra Valley Dist . — Dharmsala 80' O', 1 rotter 18b7 ; Simla Reg. — below 
Simla 5500', and Jako Mt. 7700', Blanf., 1886 ; ridge east of Simla, Maihisu (Mahasu), 
7500' and spur north-west of Nagkanda, 8200', Hope 1886 ; Hattu Mt. 9-10,000', 
Gamble 1878, Collett 1885 ; Bagi 9400', Bliss 1891. 
N.-W. P. : D. D. Dist.— Jaunsar, (or T Garh. : ticket incomplete), Gamble ; Seal’s 
Hill— East of Landour, 7000', Hope 1887 and 1895 ; T. Garlic— Nag Tiba Mt. 7500', 
Mackinnons 1879 ; near Bhatauli 4500', Hope 1886 j Phedi — East of Landour — 5-6000', 
Duthie 1881. Kumaun 7000', S. and W. ; Durasu 6000', Davidson 1875 ; forest 
above Shankala 9-10,000' : Duthie No. 8712 ; Sarju Valley 8-4000', and Dhankuri 
9,000', Trotter 189L 
Distrib.— Asia : N. Ind. (Him.).— Nepal ; Sikkim (?). 
The only previously described plant which may possibly be this is Polypodium 
paludosum i Bl. Fil., Jav., p. 192, t. 90 ; but Blutne's plate shows only the upper 
part of a frond — 14 pinnae, a short tip, and an enlarged pinnule. Blume says — 
“ Frond, 4-5ft. ; caudex,” so far as he recollects, “ repens, stipites efferens 
plures remotos.” 
Beddome, in his “ Ferns of S. India,” p. 55, t. 168, said of P. paludosum— 
“ Caudex short, erect, covered with scales at apex.” He did not give P. distans 
as a synonym ; but in his Handbook, p. 292, he dropped P. pcdudosum as 
a species, and gave it as a synonym of P. distans , Lon — referring to his F. S. I. 
t. 168. For P. distans he wrote a new and elaborate description (Don's being, 
as usual, short and incomplete), and said of it — “ iSlipe tufted.” Don did not 
