1004 FILICES. | Nephrodium. 
4. N. velutinum, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 39, t. 80—Rhizome 
short, stout, erect. Stipes 9-18in. long, firm, erect, densely villose- 
pubescent above, clothed at the base with large red-brown subulate 
scales. Fronds tufted at the top of the rhizome, 9-18 in. long, 
almost the same in breadth, broadly deltoid or pentangular, acumi- 
nate, reddish-brown, soft and membranous, clothed on both surfaces 
with copious short silky hairs, 2-3-pinnate or in large specimens 
4-pinnate at the base; rhachises densely silky. Lower primary pinnz 
much the largest, 6-12 in. long, deltoid, the lowest secondary pinna 
much longer than the rest and deflexed; upper pinne gradually 
smaller, oblong-deltoid to lanceolate-deltoid, acuminate. Secondary 
pinne close, numerous, lanceolate, deeply pinnatifid or again pin- 
nate. Pinnules oblong-ovate or oblong, obtuse, deeply obtusely 
lobed or pinnatifid. Sori rather small, copious ; indusium pubes- 
cent, often glandular.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 378; Hook. Sp. Ful. ii. 
145; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. 281; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 83; Field, 
N.Z. Ferns, 182, t. 20, f. 2. Aspidium velutinum, A. Rich. Fl. 
Nouv. Zel. 70; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 222; Raoul, Chon, 38. 
Nort AND SoutH Isuanps: Dry woods from the North Cape to Otago, but 
rather local in the South Island. Sea-level to 1000 ft. 
Allied to N. decompositum, but easily separated by the more membranous 
and flaccid reddish-brown fronds, densely clothed with a short velvety pubes- 
cence. Apparently confined to New Zealand. 
5. N. setigerum, Bak. Syn. Fil. 284.—Rhizome short. Stipes 
1-2 ft. long or more, firm, erect, straw-coloured, slightly paleaceous. 
at the base, smooth and glabrous above. Fronds tufted, 1-3 ft. 
long, 9-18in. broad, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, pale- 
green, membranous, 2-3-pinnate ; main rhachis stramineous, naked 
towards the base, densely elothed with fibrillose hairs above, as are 
the secondary rhachises; under-surface of frond and veins hispid 
with long white spreading needle-like hairs. Lower primary pinne 
9-12in. long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, the upper gradually 
smaller and narrower; secondary pinne lanceolate, deeply pin- 
natifid or again pinnate. Pinnules $-+in. long, linear - oblong, 
obtuse, deeply lobed or pinnatifid, the margins usually recurved. 
Sori small, copious, 6-10 to a pinnule. Indusium small, soon 
deciduous.—N. tenericaule, Hook. Sp. Fil. iv. 142, t. 269; Cheesem. 
in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 178. 
KermabDeEc Istanps: Rayines on the north side of Sunday Island, not un- 
common, 7. fF. C. 
Abundant throughout Polynesia, and ranging from tropical Australia to 
Malaya, India, China, and Japan. 
6. N. hispidum, Hook. Sp. Fil. iv. 150.—Rhizome long, stout, 
creeping, densely clothed with subulate red-brown scales. Stipes 
9-18 in. long, stout, erect, brown, everywhere hispid with long 
