( 21 ) 
is in fact, distinct; and as Mr. Baker agrees in this opinion, the name is adopted 
in my list on their authority. My own specimens of the typical Hi malayan 
plant do not enable me to discover any specific difference between the two. 
The Ceylon plant is said to have a tendency to be white farinose underneath.” 
53. Cheilauthes tenuifolia, 8w. 
Bed. 1. t. 188. This is a lovely and most abundant little fern, confined 
to the warmer parts of the Island. Growing on the perpendicular sides of the 
cabook cuttings on the road side in Fishers’ Hill, and everywhere within a 
few miles of Colombo, it is a small plant from two to four inches long, but 
along the more protected cuttings on the road between Kaduwella and Hang- 
wella, and growing in masses of vegetable mould on the tops of the rooks on 
the right bank of the Kelani Fiver below Kaduwella and elsewhere in the Wes- 
tern Province it attains to a length of 12 to 15 inches, and when covering the 
sides of cuttings in the wet season it vies in beauty with the Davallia (Stem) 
tenuifolia, which covers similar places in the Kandyan country. 
54. Cheilanthes_ (Aleuritopteris) farinosa, KauL 
Bed. 1. t. 191. This is what is generally called our “ Silver Fern,” the 
only native of Ceylon which can be so called, and which must not be confonnded 
with the very different one commonly culti r afeed here, and which is a native 
of the West Indies, &c., the Gymnogramme (Ceropteris) calomelanos, Kaul, or 
species. — Our Ceylon plant is an exceedingly variable plant as regards its size, 
being found in full fruit from the size of 1^ inch on hard soil on banks exposed to the 
full blaze of the sun, to plants 2 to 3 feet in height, growing in rich vegetable 
mould on the surface of wet rocks in the forests of the interior ; it is a com- 
mon and abundant fern, but like its ally, the O. Mysurensis, very difficult 
to dry nicely. The collector of this fern should see that his specimens are 
all good before they are. collected, and then put info paper at once, under pres* 
sure to prevent the edges curling over as they are otherwise sure to do. 
Were it not that the C. Argentea, Hk. Bed. 2. t. 143. is described in the Syn. 
Fil. as distinct from this species, I should feel inclined judging from Beddome’s 
figure to unite them. 
55. Pelloea (Cheiloplecton) geranisefoIia ? Fee. 
Bad. 1. t. 37. The Gerenium-Ieaved Fern is very common in most Coffee 
Estates in the Kandyan country, andcannojf be confounded with any of our other 
Ceylon Ferns. — I found a solitary plant of this Fern near Kalani Temple, about 
six miles from Colombo several years ago, but have never found another in the 
same place nor below 2000 to 3000 feet, — It is generally such a small plant, and 
grows so firmly in the crevices of the rocks and stones in Coffee Estates, that it 
defies the vigilance of the weeders, and hence it is no uncommon plant am-ongst 
the best cultivated Coffee in the interior. — In general outline it is very like 
Bed. 2. t. 143., above referred to for C. argentea. 
56. Pellsea (Allosorus) boivini, Hk. 
Bed. 1. t. 36. This is a rather rare fern in Ceylon, I found one or two 
specimens of it growing in grass not far from the Trig. Station on the top 
of Wattakellie Hill, Mr. Beckett’s famous fern ground, one or two on the top of a 
rook ffiose to the Gentry Box, and it is said to be found on the top of the Hantane 
ridge. It cannot he confounded with any other Ceylon fern. 
57. Pellsea (Platyloma) falcata, Fee. 
Bed. 1. t, 22. var. setosa. This is a rare fern in Ceylon. Its C. P. No. 
(3933.) indicates that it was found in Ceylon after the Enum. Plant, Zeyl. 
was published, the last C. P. No., in this work being 3859, for the Borreria 
tetracocca, Thw. now Fergusonia zeylanica, Hook. fil. The habitat given to me 
for this fern is “ opposite Mr. Ziesniss’s Bungalow, and Mr. Beckett’s old 
cave House, Batotta. Telgamraa river, East Matalla — not elsewhere. This one 
cannot lie confounded with any other Ceylon Fern. 
