Pteridophytic Flora of Simla Hills (North Western Himalayas) Family: Athyriaceae

The paper deals with the taxonomic account of family Athyriaceae from Simla hills. Twenty one species are described and illustrated. The members of Athyrium nigripes group (A. nigripes, A. clarkei and A. setiferum) are characterised by the presence of setae on upper surface along costae and costules and possess non-perisporiate spores. The western Himalayan samples of Cystopteris fragilis possess rugoseverrucose spores in strong contrast to the spiny spores in several European examples. Athyrium mackinnoni is very distinct from A. nigripes under which its specimens have often been described. The Simla samples of Athyrium fimbriatum, in comparison to those from Darjeeling-Sikkim area, are of much smaller size and less divided. Diplazium polypodioides of the area is a polymorphic species and the different forms can hardly be taxonomically separated.