THE FERNS OF NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. 
217 
The type sheets in Kew are the only specimens I can find to vouch for the 
entry of Kuinaun as a habitat for this fere. Wallich’s entry in the Catalogue 
is : — “ 341 Aspidium coniifolium % Wall, in Herb. 1823. 
1. Napalia 20., 
2. Kumaun R. B., 
3. I. Neelghiry, Notan 1826, ” 
and a cutting from the Catalogue is posted on the sheet, on which also is a note 
by Sir William Hooker, — ■“ E. I. C.— Aspidium aristatum, Sw., Wallich, var. 
conii folia” And there are several other sheets, agreeing, so marked by 
Mr. Bent ham. These sheets are all the very finely cat decompound fern which is 
got eastward along the Himalaya, and in Assam and Burma, and in Southern 
India, and which seems to me a very distinct plant from N. aristatum . The 
softer texture seems a distinctive character. In the Synopsis Filicnm it is 
said: — “ Dr. Th waites assigus to <3 an erect caudex, and regards it as a good 
species.” The late Mr. George Wall, in his Catalogue of Ceylon Ferns, Notes, 
p. 5, says : — “ Aspidium { Polystichum ) coniifolium t Wall., having an erect 
caudex, seems specifically distinct from A. aristatum , a smaller plant with a 
creeping rhizome.” 
This and the preceding species are among those on the border line between 
Polystichum and Lastrea, which Beddome has removed to the last-named genus. 
Though they are the most compound of the Asiatic Polystichums, Colonel 
Beddome has, therefore, placed them at the head of the list of Lastreas , before 
the simply pinnate species, and made them a separate section— * Indusium 
reniform or orbicular , texture more or less coriaceous.” Under Aspidium 
sikkimense , Baker, = Nephr odium Sikkimense f C. B. Clarke, Mr. Baker, in his 
Summary of New Ferns, of 1891, says : — “ Like A. varium this stands on the 
line between Aspidium and Nephrodium , which I should not in a new book 
keep up as genera,” i.e., I understand, as separate genera. Colonel Beddome, 
in F. B. I., t. 127, treated this fern as a Polystichum, and Mr. Clarke said 
Mr Baker preferred Beddome’s picture of the involucres to the specimens when 
be referred the species to Aspidium . In his Handbook, Colonel Beddome gave 
Lastrea Sikkimense (Bedd. under Polystichum) , and said the involucre was 
reniform. 
3. N, Mrtipes, Hook. ; Syn. Fil. 26 ; C. R. 513. Lastrea hirtipes , Bl. 
(under Aspidium ), Bedd. H. B. 232 = Aspidium atratum, Wall. Cat. 380, in 
part. 
Kashmir : Ghantamula— Tangdar Forest, 5300', McDonell 1891. 
Punjab : Chamba ) McDonell ; Simla Region — Raiengarfa Forest 65-7000', Gamble 
1898. 
N.-W. P. : D. D. Hist — Jaunsar, Chachpur 7000', Gamble 1892, Chachpur Valley 
6000', Duthie 1898 ; T. Gath, 9000' ; B. Garli. 6-7000', P. W. Mackhmon 1881. 
