This work is the first fully documented summary of Indian Ferns and Fern-Allies produced since the 19th Century Handbook of Ferns of British India etc. by Beddome in 1883. It is based on very detailed and exhaustive study of Indian collections in all relevant herbaria world-wide and on extensive field-work and collection in India and adjacent countries over a period of some 5 decades. The nomenclature has been revised in detail and full synonymy, often previously unknown in the region, is included. The types of all accepted taxa are given, including previous and many new lectotypifications where necessary to bring a conclusion to problem-names. Following this, a completely revised distribution is given State-wise for India, derived from specimens actually seen and confirmed or re-identified by the first author. The world-wide distribution given is also based almost entirely on verified specimens, or sometimes on re-assessed reliably authoritative literature. This is followed by detailed notes on the species' nomenclature and taxonomy and essential correction of many incorrect records that have only served to mislead workers in the area. Hybrids and excluded species are detailed at the end of each genus. Each family has the main modern literature and relevant older literature cited and discussed in the text and listed at the end, many newer works being little known to workers in the region. While families are placed in proper taxonomic order, genera and species are alphabetical as the most accessible arrangement. The detailed and careful, up-to-date research that went into the preparation of this work are unprecedented in South Asia, and many of the corrections and revisions also apply to China and the many problems in pteridophyte accounts in its recent Flora. Volume 2 deals with the big, critically complex families, Woodsiaceae (the athyrioids) and Dryopteridaceae (including tectarioids), and two small families in the area, Onocleaceae and Blechnaceae.