The present paper aims at clarifying the identity of Asplenium varians Wall. and its related species for the forthcoming Flora of China vol. 4. Wide-spread in the northern, north-western and south-western parts of China and adjacent regions and growing in exposed rock crevices is the group of ferns in question, which has hi-

therto been taxonomically confused in the botanical literature.  Many distinct and related species were previously identified as Aspl. varians, a most wide-spread fern with very variable fronds which may vary from 10 to 30 cm in height and from simply pinnate to fully bipinnate in the degree of pinnation in a single clump under different habitats.