Carse. — Ferns and Fern Allies of Mangonui County. 85 



P. punctatum Thunb. is, as noted under Hypolepis tenuifolia, so near 

 to that species as to be very difficult of distinction, especially when dry. 

 The technical differences between the two species are the recurved lobule 

 forming a pseudo-involucre in H. tenuifolia, absent in P. punctatum, and the 

 position of the sori — on the margins of the sinuses in Hypolepis, and farther 

 from the margins in Polypodia id. But in practice these are not altogether 

 trustworthy. In some forms of Hypolepis the spurious involucre is hardlv 

 or not at all developed, and sometimes it appears slightly in Pol y podium. 

 while the sori of the latter are frecjuently distinctly marginal. When green, 

 however, the viscid-pubescence of the stipes, rachides, and even of the 

 pinnules of P. punctatum at once identifies this species. 



P. pennigerum Forst. attains its greatest luxuriance in shaded gullies 

 on the banks of streams, where it develops a caudex 1-4 ft. or more in length, 

 giving the plant the appearance of a small tree-fern. 



P. australe Mett. is not uncommon. It occurs on rocks and rather drv 

 banks in the forest, but it is more common on the trunks of forest- trees. 

 Var. villosum Hook, appears to be more plentiful than the type. It is difficult 

 to get a good specimen, as the fronds are often attacked by some grub or 

 insect. 



P. grammitidis R. Br. is abundant on the trunks of small and the upper 

 branches of large trees. Occasionally it is found among moss-covered 

 peaty soil where the original forest is giving place to scrub. 



P. tendlum Forst. is undoubtedly one of our loveliest ferns, climbing 

 as it does to a considerable height up the trunks of trees, usually in damp 

 lowland woods, and forming a graceful drape to the dull-brown trunks. 



In the. mature state this fern is simply pinnate, the pinnae " entire or 

 obscurely undulate-crenate " (Manual, p. 1011); but the juvenile state is 

 quite different — the pinnae are distinctly bipinnate, usually with 3 pairs 

 of stipitate pinnules, and a prolonged lobulate termination. 



P. serpens Forst. occurs plentifully, climbing by its long branched rhizome 

 up trees or rocks. Its thick leathery fronds, dimorphous in form, render 

 it a curious rather than an attractive plant. 



P. dictyopteris Mett., better known under its old name, P. Cunningham it 

 Hook., is found in most forests in the damper parts, on trunks of trees or 

 on rocks. It usually grows in considerable masses. It is remarkable how 

 retentive of life this fern is. In summer the plants, especially those on 

 rocks, look dry and withered, but a good shower of rain soon fills them up,, 

 and they look almost as fresh as ever. 



P. past/datum Forst. occurs plentifully in woods and forests, clothing 

 the trunks of trees to a good height. It is one of the most variable, if not 

 the most variable, of our ferns. In the juvenile form the frond is simple, 

 linear-lanceolate, and in one variety this form is persistent, producing sori, 

 but never attaining the size of the more common form with pinnatifid fronds. 



P. Billardieri R. Br. is very plentiful on trees and rocks. This species, 

 too, is exceedingly variable in form and size, according to the conditions 

 of its habitat. Its juvenile form also is simple, and in dry situations this 

 form is persistent. In a damper habitat the frond is deeply pinnatifid, 

 with sometimes as many as 12 segments on each side. 



25. Gleichenia Smith. 



Of the five species of Gleichenia occurring in New Zealand all but 

 G. dichotoma Hook., or, as it is now called, G. linearis C. B. Clarke, are 

 more or less common. 



