THE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. 
141 
eastward, on the great Thibet Road, in 1886, 1 saw only two or three specimens, 
at about 8000' altitude ; but the fern may lx? more abundant at a lower 
level, off that road. In 1861 I saw one plant of A. exiguum at Naini Tal, 
by the side of the lake, but none anywhere else there, or on the way to 
Almora, 30 miles northward. There is no passage from this species to the next. 
15. A. varians, Hook and Gr. ; Syn. Fil. 216 ; C. R. 485 : Bedd. 
H. B. 158. Plate XX. 
Afghan.: Kuram Valley , Aitch, No. 408, 1899 : “ not common” ; Peiwar Kotai 
8000', Collett. 1879. 
Kashmir : Baltistan — near Skardo, T. T, Punch ^Pass 9000' and near Pashana 
7500', Winterbottom 1847 ; Chittapani, Jhelam, and Liddar Valleys 4-8000', Trotter, 
Duthie, MacLeod. 
Punjab : Hazdra— from Black Mt. eastward to Murree, 7-9000', Duthie, Oer- 
tel, Trotter, Levinge, Hope, and Duthie’s collector. Chamba — Chenab and Ravi Val- 
leys 6-7000' McDonell, J. Marten ; Kullu , 5-9000', Trotter, Coventry ; Simla Reg. 
5-10,500', common, but nowhere abundant ; Bisahir, Brandis and Lace 7000', 
N.-W. P. : I). D . Dist. — Jaunsar, Lokandi 8000', Gamble; Mussoorie, Jacquem. ; 
common on rocks in forest at 5500'— 7000', : T. Garh. 5-18.000', Duthie, C. G. Rogers, 
Gamble ; Kumann , frequent 
Distrib.— Asia : N. Ind. (Him.) — Sikkim 9000', Hooker fil.y Kurseong 3000', Lev. : 
Bhotdn 6500', Griffith. Assam — Khasi and Jaintia Hills. S. Ind. : common on 
Nilgiris and mountains on west side, 3000' and upwards (Bedd. H. /?.). Ceylon, 3000, 
and upwards, Japan. N. China. Afr . — Cape Colony, Caff raria, Natal. 
Mr. Clarke says that this species and A . fontanum, Bernh,, are very nearly 
allied : I demur. He also says that it is not difficult to separate the 
Himalayan examples from A. Icmceolatum, Huds. ; while Beddome says a form 
found at Kulhati in the Nilgiris quite runs into the European lanceolatmi. 
In Gamble’s collection is a sheet from Levinge, ticketed “ A. lanceolatmi , 
Huds., Kulhati, Nilgiris, 5000', 26-6-83 ”, two plants on which are distinctly 
A. varians , and a detached frond very like A. lanmtatum , only the segments 
are more sharply toothed and the sori longer. I got a specimen in Murree 
(N.-W. Himalaya) a good deal like A. lameolatum ; but I should say that that 
species, besides being thicker in texture, is less distinctly bipinuate than is A. va- 
rianSy is less sharply toothed, and has shorter sori. The stipes and rhachis also 
are stouter than those of A. varians ; and other differences might be pointed out. 
16. A. tenuifolium, Don. ; Syn. Fil. 220 ; C. R. 485; Bedd. H. B. 
159, F. S. I., t, 130. 
N.-W. P. : D. D. Dist.—S owarna Nala 4500', Mackinnons 1878 : P. W. Mackinnon 
and Hope, 1881. 
Distrib.— Asia : N. Tad. (Him.)— Nepdl, Wallich ; Sikkim and Bhotfin, 5-9000, 
common. Assam— rKhasia 4-5500', frequent. Burma— Moulmein, Parish. S. Ind. ; 
higher ranges of the Nilgiris. Pulneys and Anamallays. Ceylon— Newera Elva, 
14 
