230 Transactions. — Botany. 



starts from extreme base of midrib on the anterior side and 

 makes an angle with a much shorter vein that meets it from 

 sub-rhachis of pinna on the posterior side directly under the 

 sinus, and so forming a costal anastomosing unequilateral 

 venule between the lobes, enclosing a narrow triangular costal 

 areole ; the lower (or 2nd) pair of basal veins scarcely meet at 

 the sinus, usually appearing at the margins just above it, to 

 which also a long straight veinlet is carried from the outer angle 

 of the said costal areole. Sori many, nearer margin than mid- 

 rib, sub-marginal, close, confluent in age, occupying lobes from 

 tips to far below sinus and nearly to sub-rhachis, unequal in 

 number on a lobe, usually 6 on one side and 7 on the other, 

 much more numerous (8-10 pairs) on lobes of the terminal 

 pinna, also on upper smaller pinnae. Capsules profuse, dark- 

 brown, glossy. Involucre large, persistent, sub-orbicular-quad- 

 rate, somewhat dilated, membranaceous, white at first becoming 

 brown in age, shining, closely filled with many dark crinkled 

 veins ; margins much sinuate, ciliated; cilise jointed. (Resem- 

 bling those of X. funestnm, Hook., and N. squamigerum, Hook, 

 and Am. : " Sp. Filicum," vol. iv., tabs. 259, 270.) 



Hah. Woods near Tapuaeharuru, County of East Taupo ; 

 1872 (received from a visitor) : Wairakei, same county ; 1887 : 

 Mr. C. J. Norton. 



Obs. A few years ago I received several fronds of this fern 

 from an acquaintance, who was sojourning for his health among 

 the hot baths in the Taupo District ; but unfortunately they 

 were all barren. At the time I thought the fern would prove 

 distinct from any known and published ones ; at all events, they 

 were then new to me. Recently, however, through the kindness 

 of Mr. Norton, I have received several fruiting specimens, and I 

 now find them, after long and close examination, to be as I had 

 supposed. The fern, however, is not wholly new to collectors 

 and others, it having, I believe, commonly passed with them 

 as N. unitum, Sieb., from which species, although allied, it is 

 certainly quite distinct, and that in several characters : as in 

 its very much smaller size and different shape ; the pinnffi few, 

 petiolate, distant and not contracted at base,* their lobes 



* Sir W. J. Hooker says of N. unitum : " fronds 1-2 feet long, suddenly 

 contracted and attenuated at the base by the dwarfing of the pinna 1 there." 

 (" Sp. Filicum," vol. iv., p. 81.) And this is also clearly shown by Beddome 

 in his drawing of that species. Further, I am well aware of what Baker 

 says ("Syn. Filicum," pp. 289-290) respecting the N. unitum of Sieb., and 

 of Hook. ; that it is a different fern from N. unitum of R. Br. ; and he also 

 gives separate descriptions of both, making of the former fern a distinct 

 species, N. cucullatum, Baker. Moreover, this is supported by Clark in his 

 more recent work, " Review of the Ferns of Northern India " (" Trans. Linn. 

 Society of London," 1880; 2nd series, Botany, vol. i., part viii.), but all 

 that makes no difference, as far as regards this New Zealand fern here 

 described, as it is equally distinct from both. 



