THE FERNS OF NOR Til- WES TERN INDIA . 95 
Punjab : Peshawar Hills, Major Vicary, in Herb. Hort. Kew. Chamba — 64 common 
at 5000',' ” McDonell ; Pdngi — McDonell ; Kullu , Edgew. ; Lakaul— 10,000', Watt. 
Distrib —Europe : Italy and Dalmatia. The Caucasus. Asia : Asia Minor 
Persia, Afghan., Baluchistan, N. Ind. — Sind. Thibet 7-8000'. Afr. Algeria. 
Clarke says of this species— ‘ s Exceedingly like C. fragrans , and only fco be 
distinguished by the indusial hairs. The hairs are really confined to the sori s 
which occupy a very large portion of the very small segments, so that the lower 
surface of the frond appears densely matted.” But in the Synopsis O . fragrans 
is No. 1G, and put under the subgen as . Eucheilanthes, while O. Szovitzii is 
No. 39, and placed in P/ujsapteris , which has smaller segments. 
Sub-genus — A leuritopteris, Fee. 
8. C. rufa, Don ; Syn. Fii. 141 ; C. R. 457 ; Bedd. H B. 94. 
Punjab : Chamba— 3500', McDonell. 
N.-W. P. : D. D. Dht.—lxa the Duo, and on the Himalaya 25-5000'; common 
low down ; T. Garli . — Mussoorie and Chakrata Road 451)0', Hope ; Kumaun — near 
Phurka 6500', S. and W.. Kali Valley — 2-4000', Duthie ; Gola Valley, about 4000' 
Hope. 
Distrib. — Asia : N. Ind. (Him ), Sikkim, 5,000', $! rare, as is limestone,” Clarke. 
Assam— Khasia 4000', “ plentiful wherever there is limestone.” Clarke. Burma— 
Mergui, China— Yunnan 5400', “ very rare,” IP. Hancock , 1893. 
Clarke says — “ I have collected rtiuch of this fern, but only on limestone ; 
it is generally closely procumbent, curling up on the rock, and easily recognised 
by its woolly hairiness. Scales often none, or undistinguisliable from the hairs ; 
scales, when present on the stipe mixed with the hairs, are narrow-linear, 
uniform-coloured. Fronds above laxly flocc-ulose or .woolly, or almost tomen- 
tose.” I fiud that the scales, near the base of the stipe at least, though 
narrower and longer than those of. C. albo-marginata, are quite as bi-coloured. 
The plant curls up only if withered, or iu dry weather ; when growing, or in 
damp weather, its fronds are patent. I think that like some other ferns it is 
hygroscopic, and uncurls again in wet weather. The lowest pair of pinnae are 
always shorter than the next superior pair are, and on them the lowest pinnules 
are produced, and sometimes pinnati fid ; and sometimes the frond diminishes 
in width gradually from the middle. The upper surface cannot be said to be 
tomentose, but there are scattered hafts on it : the stipe and rhachises and under 
surface are notably tomentose, and the involucres also, I think. The involucres 
are as rufous as is the tomentura. In the Dehra Dun the plant grows on sand- 
stone, of Siwalik formation, and, on the slope of the Himalaya, on shale ; 
higher up— perhaps on magnesian limestone. The dimorphism I have alluded 
to under C. dubh. On again going over my specimens— the description of 
C. dubia having been written four or five years ago— I think that C. diibia 
inclines rather to O. rufa than to 0. albo-marginata ; but if the two first* 
