THE FERNS OF NORTH- WESTERN INDIA . 
233 
Wallich thought this feru so distinct from any other that lie made a new 
genus for it — Arthrobotrys , meaning, I presume, that the sorus or bunch of 
sporangia was attached to the frond by a joint, — and he gave it the specific 
name maa wpa. The involucre completely envelopes the sorus, and the 
whole bunch on a stalk can be detached, even in old dried specimens, from 
the segment, the involucre being like a thin shell. Sometimes it separates from 
the frond and turns upwards, but it is always persistent. The “ Synopsis ” 
gives the generic synonym, and. also, Dryopteris, Schott- And Clarke gives 
Arthobotrys macrocar pa. Wall., Cat. 395, and A. avana , Wall., Cat. 1034, as 
synonyms. Beddome also mentions those, and says that A. avana is from 
Ava, with the fertile segments so contracted as to be quite beadlike. All the 
descriptions state that the sterile and fertile fronds are different, y though 
Mr. Clarke says that barren fronds partially fruit-bearing are not rare, and 
Colonel Beddome that the fronds are generally dimorphic. This is a very 
common fern in the Dehra Dun, and I should say that a partially- 
contracted frond is a very rare occurrence. I c^n see in this fern no 
resemblance to N. F.-mas , or connection with that or any other Lastrea. The 
general aspect of the plant, which sometimes grows in a thick l>ed or large 
patch, is— a number of broad leafy sterile fronds bending backwards, and one 
or more fertile fronds standing stiff and erect in the middle, and much higher 
than the rest, the stipes being my long, round, and stout. The fertile fronds 
are often found to have been eaten off by cattle or deer, I presume. The 
plant loves a day or rich loamy soil, moisture and shade, or rayiny or hilly 
ground, under trees or among bushes. 
N. cochhaium is never truly bipinnate, even in the fertile fronds, the seg- 
ments being cordate on the superior side and decurrent to a winged rhachis on 
the inferior, — the wing being traceable throughout. The veins, sometimes very 
obscure, are pinnate in the lobes ; veinlets few and long. The caudex is 
decumbent like that of N. marginatum , Wall. : stipes tufted. A section of the 
caudex shows black stria? in the woody structure, which are wanting in 
N. marginatum. Beddome says of Lastrea cochleata — “ A very distinct-looking 
plant at low elevations, but running into elcngata ” (i.e., N. marginatum) 
“ at higher elevations {vide forms of my collecting on the Nilgiris and Brumagher- 
ries in the British Museum).” He also, in a letter, referred me to that suite ; but 
I found only about two specimens in it which I could not at once sort according 
to my lights. Mr. Clarke says N. cochleatum has been confused with van. 
intermedia, Bedd., and Sclumperiana , Hochst., of F.-mas, and that it resem- 
bles them in having large involucres. u Its especial character is its strong 
dimorphism ; it is worthy, perhaps, of generic rank.” He further says there 
are no forms intermediate between N. cochieainm and A 7 , elongatum at Kew, nor 
has he ever met with such in India. “ There arc examples of N. cochieainm 
