( 55 ) 
The section Gymnopteris , Bernh. is thus defined in the Syn. Fil. “Fronds di- 
morphous. Main veins distinct nearly or quite to the edge,” and the section 
Chrysodium, Fee. thus : — Fronds dimorphous or in A. aureum, upper pinnoe 
! like the others and fertile ; main veins none or indistinct ; ” but I fear that 
the several forms of this most variable fern will prove that the distinction 
I is worthless, and that ail the above are mere forms of one species. In a 
I] foot-note to the genus Hymenophyllum, Syn. Fil. p. 56. Baker states, that 
what are there described as about 150 species of Hymenophyllum and Tri- 
chomanes, Dr. Van den Bosch described as 450 species, and under no less 
than 24 genera. This note will throw some light upon the subject of our 
A. (G-.) variabile. It is a very common fern growing in the ground close 
to stones or roots of trees, or on rocks and stones, from the higher parts of 
the Central Province down to the forests within 25 to 30 miles of Colombo. 
Here again, the axiom proving that “ things which are equal to the same 
j things, are equal to each other,” may prove useful. The following notes on 
; the different figures published by Major Beddome in their order, may help 
to clear up some of the discrepancies in connection with our Ceylon fern : — 
Bed. 1. t. 48. In “Notes on the Nomenclature ” of his two volumes of Indian 
and Ceylonferns, he remarks, — “ Gymnopteris Feei. , comes under G. lanceolata, 
Hook. It is probable that G. Feei , axillaris, and variabilis are all forms of 
one species, and perhaps G. minus.” Bed. I. t. 211 is admitted to be for the 
C. P. 1318. This is a very common fern, with broad pinnatifid barren fronds 
in Kallibokka and elsewhere, but the fertile fronds not often found. “ Seg- 
ments of the fertile frond very narrow. A curious lyrate variety of the 
common G. Feei. I have not found it in India tho’ the common form occa- 
sionally has the sterile fronds forked, variously lobed or even sub-pinnatifid, 
the fertile fronds seem always to remain simple. I may here also mention 
that I have occasionally found the broad sterile fronds of the common variety 
with a contracted fertile apex (as in Hymenolepis). It is, however, an ab- 
normal state.” After the description of Bed. 11. t. 271, G. axillaris, Bed- 
dome remarks, — “ The specimen figured is from South Canara, it is common 
in most forests on the Western side of India, growdng on trees. I have 
always looked upon it as a mere variety of G. Feei (1. t. 48,) but Sir Wm. 
Hooker thinks it a distinct species.” And he adds Ceylon as one of its 
habitats. At 11. t. 272 for G. variabilis, he makes the following note — “The spe- 
cimen figured is from the Courtallum forests, it differs from G. Feei in its 
very prominent costules. I have specimens from Burmah with the costules far 
more prominent and more regular than those in this figure, but I also have 
specimens nearly intermediate as to venation between true Feei and variabilis, 
and I have doubts about the two species being really distinct, the Courtal- 
lum plant is much more membranaceous in texture than Feei, and the vena- 
tion is very prominent. Sir W. Hooker refers the Ceylon pinnatifid variety 
of Feei (1. t. 211) to this species, but it has- quite the venation of Feei, 
each segment of the frond has a costa (as in my three-1 obed variety figured 
in the next plate), but there are no prominent costules.” This is the best 
figure in Beddome’s ferns for, what perhaps may be called the normal form 
of our Ceylon plant, and it is commonly grown in Colombo. On Bed. 11. t. 
273 G. Feei. var. trilobata, he makes the following remarks : — ‘ ‘ This is a cu- 
rious variety of the common G. Feei. (1. t. 48). I have only found it in the 
forests of Coorg and South Canara, where it is abundant at an elevation of 2,000 
to 3,000 feet, both sterile and fertile fronds are generally three lobed, though they 
are sometimes simply lanceolate.” With reference to this form, I may remark 
that amongst a considerable set of specimens collected from the damp surface 
of rocks on the side of a stream near Hewissa, gradually diminishing from 
lanceolate to nearly linear, I happen to have some barren bifurcated fronds 
which agree exactly for one of those figured on this plate. That fronds can 
be found in the same place to agree with Beddome’s entire figure is very 
probable. At 11. t. 274 figures are given of three singular forms with the 
following remarks : “ G. Feei. Moore. The plate represents some curious ab- 
normal fertile fronds of G. Feei. ; they are not uncommon in the large shola 
