('arse. — Ferns and Fern Allies of Mangonui County. 81 



In the Manual four varieties of this fern are given. The first three 

 appear to me to show very trivial differences, but var. minor Hook. f. is 

 so different that I have no hesitation in classing it as a distinct species, 

 approaching, as Mr. Cheeseman has pointed out, much nearer to L. vidcanica 

 Blume. 



L. filiformis A. dum. is abundant in forests, draping the trunks of trees 

 with its dark-green pendulous fronds. This fern is " remarkable for its 

 long climbing rhizome and dimorphic sterile fronds." They might almost 

 be called trimorphic, for in the juvenile form on the ground the sterile 

 fronds are often only an inch or two in length, with pinnae |-J in. long. 

 Higher up they are 4-6 in. long, with pinnae £-f in., and still higher are 

 fronds 1-2^ ft. in length, with pinnae 1J-4 in. long. 



The fertile fronds have quite a feathery appearance, due to the slender- 

 ness of the pinnae and to the fact that they are usually gracefully curved, 

 and curled at the ends. 



L. nigra Col. is not uncommon in deep ravines in the more hilly parts 

 of the district. In the Manual, Whangarei is given as the northern limit 

 of this fern, but since its publication the occurrence of L. nigra is the far 

 north has been recorded.* 



L. fluviatilis Spreng. is plentiful in places, but local. It is most frequent, 

 as its name implies, on the banks of streams in the forest, though it is by 

 no means confined to such spots. The gracefully drooping crown of fronds 

 makes this fern a welcome addition to the fernery. 



L. membranacea Col. occurs frequently on creek-banks, damp forest 

 slopes, and in lowland woods. In its juvenile form it is remarkable for the 

 enlarged terminal part of the frond, closely resembling in shape small 

 specimens of L. nigra. 



Large specimens of this fern are sometimes rather difficult to distinguish 

 from L. lanceolata, but, as a rule, in L. membranacea the pinnae are shorter 

 and more obtuse, not decurrent at the base as in L. lanceolata. and dis- 

 tinctly separate one from another. 



L. Fraseri A. Cunn. : Abundant in forests throughout. This fern is 

 distinguished from all others of the family by its being the only one with 

 bipinnate fronds. The long slender caudex gives this handsome fern the 

 appearance of a miniature tree-fern. The caudex is occasionally over 3 ft. 

 in length, and fronds much larger than the dimensions usually given in 

 books occur. In the Manual the measurements given are : " Pinnae 

 2-3 in. long, pinnules J-J in. long." In specimens gathered in the forest 

 here the dimensions are : Pinnae 4-6 in. long, pinnules |-f in. long. 



17. Doodia E. Br. 



The two species both occur in the district. 



D. media K. Br. is usually found in fairly open country, frequently 

 associated with Adiantum hispididum, and, like it, often red in colour in 

 the young state. 



D. caudata R. Br. can, as a rule, be at once distinguished from D. media 

 by the marked difference of the sterile and fertile fronds ; but forms occur 

 which are difficult to place, and I think there is no doubt that the species 

 pass into one another, if, indeed, they are not extreme forms of one 

 species. 



* Cheeseman, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 43, p. 18.1. 1911. 



