Colenso. — Bash Jottings. 307 



Art. XLI. — Bush Jottings : No. 2 (Botanical). 

 By W. Colenso, F.E.S., F.L.S. (Lond.), &e. 



[Read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 12th September, 



1892.] 



The harvest of a quiet eye, 



That broods and sleeps on his own heart. 



WOBDSWORTH. 



Having been called on by our Honorary Secretary to furnish 

 a paper (or a "forfeit" 1 ") for our branch Institute for this 

 session of 1892, and having again spent a large portion of this 

 year in this high inland wooded district (commonly called " the 

 bush"), I think I cannot do better than to jot down a few of 

 the more interesting botanical sights I have witnessed with 

 more or less of delight, especially when considered in connec- 

 tion with the many pleasurable feelings they evoked. And 

 these I would divide into three groups, — 

 I. Curious, scarce, and unique. 

 II. Peculiar and pleasing. 

 III. Striking, though common. 



I. Curious, Scarce, and Unique. 



1. And first of a fern, JPolypodium pennigerum, Forst. 

 While walking in a wood near Dannevirke, I was sud- 

 denly surprised on noticing a tall subarborescent fern of 

 this species; its main caudex or stem was about 12in. high, 

 rather slender, with six regular branch-stems (one of them 

 being forked) issuing from around it, each about 1ft. long, 

 and all upright, presenting a neat candelabrum-like appearance. 

 Unfortunately the upper leafy portions of their fronds had 

 been either cut off or eaten by cattle, leaving only their steins 

 (stipites). These, with the branches and upper part of the 

 main stem, were all lately dead, but the plant was springing 

 vigorously afresh from near its base. Very likely, had the 

 plant been uninjured and flourishing, with its large and 

 numerous leafy and drooping fronds (in its usual state), I 

 should not have seen its peculiar manner of growth, as it grew 

 in a flat part of the forest. I had not unfrequently noticed 

 this fern, when growing undisturbed on low alluvial ground 

 by the sides of streams, to possess a short coalescent trunk of 

 a foot or more long, but never before saw one branched ; and 

 so I thought it worthy of being recorded. 



* This refers to a sentence in my Presidential Address of 1888 — viz., 

 " that every member should contribute annually at least one original 

 paper, or five good specimens to the Museum, or two suitable books to 

 the Library" (p. 19). 



