Plate 235.— HYMENOPHYLLUM aTROVIRENS and 

 HYMENOPHYLLUM MALINGII. 



Family FILICES.] [Genus HYMENOPHYLLUM, Linn. 



Hymenophyllum atrovirens, Col. in Tasm. Journ. Nat. Set. (1846) 186 ; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 

 933. 



Hymenophyllum Malingii, Metten. ex Hook, and Bak. Syn. Fil. 66 ; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 



938. 

 Trichomanes Malingii, Hook. Garden Ferns, t. 64 ; Hook. j. Handh. N.Z. Fl. 357. 



Hymenophyllum atrovirens was first discovered by Mr. Colenso in December, 

 1841, growing " on rocks and stones, in low places and watercourses, in wet woods, 

 shores of Waikare Lake," and was published by him in 1846 in the " Tasmanian 

 Journal of Natural Science," vol. 2. Sir J. D. Hooker, in the " Flora," referred it to 

 the well-known H. crispatum (now known as H. australe), an identification which 

 was accepted by most botanists. In 1877, however, Mr. Kirk, who does not appear 

 to have been acquainted with the true H. atrovirens, described a form of it with 

 toothed involucres, collected on the mountains at the head of Lake Wakatipu by 

 Mrs. Mason, as a distinct species under the name of H. montanum. In 1885 

 Mr. J. Stewart, C.E., collected the typical state of H. atrovirens in deep ravines near 

 Mamaku, on the Rotorua Railway ; and about the same time it was observed at 

 Waimate North by Miss Clarke, and by myself at Whangarei. It has also been 

 gathered by Mr. Kingsley in north-west Nelson. 



H. atrovirens differs from H. australe in the much smaller and narrower frond, 

 with much fewer divisions ; in the flat (not crisped) wings of the stipes and rhachis ; 

 and in the narrower segments and smaller narrower involucres. Mr. Kirk's 

 H. montanum only differs in the toothed involucres, and has no claim to specific rank. 



Hymenophyllum Malingii is one of the most peculiar species of the genus, 

 and can always be recognized by the pale-brown or reddish-brown stellate indu- 

 mentum, which covers all the parts of the plant. It was first found by Mr. Maling 

 on the mountains of north-west Nelson, but has since been gatliered in subalpine 

 forests in various parts of the Dominion, between Te Aroha Mountain in the North 

 Island and the south of Otago. It is nowhere more plentiful than in the wooded 

 portions of the volcanic plateau to the west of Tongarii-o and Ruapehu, where it 

 is chiefly found on the trunks of dead trees of Libocedrus Bidwillii. In the South 

 Island it is also found on Phyllodadus alpinus and Podocarpus Hallii. 



Plate 235a. Hymenophyllum atrovirens, drawn from specimen.s collected by Mr. J. Stewart in 

 deep wooded ravines near Mamaku, Eotorua Railway. Fig. 1, portion of frond (x5); 2, another 

 portion with numerous involucres (x5); 3, indusium laid open (xlO); 4, two sporangia (greatly 

 enlarged). 



Plate 235b. Hymenophyllum Malingii, drawn from specimens gathered in the Waimarino Forest ; 

 altitude 2,500 ft. Fig. 5, portion of frond ( x 5) ; 6, tip of pinnule, with indusium ( x 10) ; 7, the same 

 with most of the stellate hairs removed ( x 10) ; 8, stellate hairs (greatly enlarged) ; 9, section of 

 indusium (enlarged) ; 10, two sporangia (enlarged). 



