112 JOURNAL , BOMBAY NATURAL B1ST0RY SOCIETY, Yol. XU). 
into o, and there are the triplets above, i had, long before seeing this, noted 
the number of pinna; of this fern as being sometimes 9 5 but 1 cannot now find 
such specimens. 
5. P. quadriaurita, Retz.; Syn. Fil. 15b ; C. R.465 ; Bedd. H. B., 110. 
Kashmir : Trotter (in list of Punjab Ferns)— Rattan Pir 8000', Gammie : small 
and sterile : may be young P. excelsa , Gaud. 
Punjab : Cliamba (McDonell in List) ; Dalhousie 5000 7 , Trotter ; Kangra Vy. Bid. 
— -Dharmsala 8000, Trotter ; Mandi State 6500-7000', Trotter ; Kvllu 6-8000', Trotter, 
Coventry ; Simla Reg. 4-8600', common. 
N.-W. P. : B. B. Bist .=~ Jaunsar 7600', Gamble ; Mussooree and Landour 6-7000', 
common ; T. Garh. 3-8000' ; Kumaun 4-10,000', in many places. 
Distrib.— “A ll round the world within the Tropics, and a little beyond them, 11 
(Syn, Fil.). Amer. from Cuba and Mexico, southward to Brazil. Asia i N. Ind. (Him.) 
Sikkim, Assam and Bengal (Chittagong) 0-7000' “ very common, but not found far 
from the hills 11 (Clarke in “ Rev. 11 ). Kohima and N. Manipur, Clarke. Centr. Provs. 
Ind. — Pachmarhi, Buthie. S. Ind.— up to 8000' “ very common. 11 S. China. Japan. 
Ceylon. Malay Penins. and Isles. Polynesia. Trop. Australia — Rockingham Bay. 
Afr. : Angola, Zambesi Land, Natal, Madagascar. 
The Synopsis Filicum gives no varieties of this protean species, but mentions, 
as synonyms, a number of forms got in various parts of the world. Mr. Clarke 
has given an “ expanded ” diagnosis to include what he calls trifling varieties, 
namely P. nemoralis , Hk. and Bauer, P. aspermulis , Wall., P. peetimta , Don, 
P . pyrophylki, Bl., P. spinmens , Fresh, and P. subqumata , Wall., and has made 
interesting remarks about some of them. And besides these he makes three 
varieties — major • Jdmiana (completely bipinnate but graduating into the type) ; 
and Bhmeana (sp.) Agardh, which are not recorded from N.-W. India, and 
are therefore here disregarded. I may mention, however, that Beddome says 
Clarke’s var. major has arched (inarched ?) veins and is, therefore, Camptma 
Inaurita . According to Clarke, P. subquinata , Wall., with 7-5 pinnae only, is 
not worthy a separate name ; but Beddome in the Supplement to his Hand- 
book gives it a prominent place as var. < subquinata , Wall., with a full 
description. Specimens so named in Gamble’s collection, from Sikkim, except 
that they are of much thinner texture, and have rather shorter and broader 
pinnules, are practically the same as the fern got in Kumaun, which I identify 
as Wallich’s plant. Forms of P. quadriaurita with setse on the upper side of 
the rhachises and costas are got in the N.-W. Himalaya : and another has an 
asperous stipes, with stipes and rhachises red-coloured. But there is another 
form beautifully red, with quite smooth stipes. I do not think any separate 
species could be set up from the N.-W. Indian material ; but more in that way 
might be done with North-Eastern plants, judging from some specimens in 
Mr. Gamble’s collection : one has a stiff spine at the point- ;Of each segment. 
