34 



FLOKA OF NEW ZEALAND. 



[Filices. 



distinguished by its larger size, more membranous texture, deeper green colour, shining surface, more narrowed 

 pinnae, which have longer stalks, and by the rachis not being margined. The var. (3 is a very remarkable one, having 

 the upper pinnse exactly as in the common states of the plant, but the lower ones coarsely doubly crenate and pinnate 

 at the base ; the individual pinnse are of the same shape as those of A. obtuwtum. — Plate LXXVII. A. obtu- 

 satum, var. Lyallii. Fig. 1, 2, portions of frond; 3, capsule: — magnified. 



4. Asplenium polyodon, Forst. ; frondibus coriaceis pirmatis linearibus lineari-lanceolatisve, pinnis 

 plurimis falcatis elongato-lanceolatis angustato-acuminatis grosse inciso-serratis incisuris serrulatis basi 

 petiolatis oblique cuneatis antice subdilatatis, rachi patentim paleacea rarius glabrata. — Forst. Prodr. A. 

 falcatum, Sw. Br. Prodr. A. Rick. Flor. Fndl. Prodr. Flor. Ins. Norf. A. Omm. Prodr. A. Ferste- 

 rianum, Col. in Tasm. Phil. Journ. Tarachia polyodon, Presl, Epimel. p. 76. 



Var. /3 ; pinnis inferioribus lobatis, lobis serrulatis. 



Hab. Northern and Middle Islands; from the Bay of Islands to Akaroa. (Cultivated at Kew.) 

 /3. Port Nicholson, Lyall. 



A very common species in all tropical and most south temperate regions, though not found in Tasmania ; it 

 cannot be confounded with any other New Zealand one. — Fronds coriaceous, lurid green, 1^-2^ feet long, narrow, 

 linear-lanceolate, pinnate. Pinna fifteen to twenty-five pair, distant, very numerous, stipitate, narrow lanceolate, 

 tapering from an obliquely cuneate base to a tapering point, falcate, curved upwards, 2-5 inches long, A-f inch 

 broad, coarsely ineiso-serrate or almost lobed, each segment toothed along the outer edge. Rachis with spreading 

 scaly hairs, rarely quite glabrous. Stipes paleaceous at the base. — In var. /S the pinnse are broader, lobed along 

 the margin, the lobes serrate. 



§ b. Fronds bipinnatifid, bipinnate or decompound, sometim£s irregutarty divided into many elongated pinnules. 

 Sori on the backs or margins of the lobes. 



5. Asplenium bulbiferum, Forst. ; fronde lanceolata flaccida glabra saepius prolifera, pinnis primariis 

 elongato-lanceolatis acuminatis, rachi marginata v. elata, pinnulis lineari-oblongis stipitatis inciso-lobatis 

 soris (brevibus) margine remotis v. inciso-pinnatifidis soris marginalibus, lobulis obtusis, rachi glabrata v. 

 parce paleacea, stipite subcompresso basi nudiusculo. — Forst. Prodr. Sck/c. Fil. I. 79. A. Mich. Flor. 

 A. Cuun. Prodr. Book. Ic. PI. *5. 423. 



Var. 13. laxa ; frondibus saepius pendulis minoribus. A. laxum, Br. Prodr. 

 Var. 7 ; frondibus pendulis, pinnis inciso-lobatis basi pinnatis, pinnulis obovatis obtuse incisis. 

 Var. 8. tripinnatumj fronde erecta ampla, pinnis secundariis pinnatis, pinnulis oblongo-lanceolatis 

 stipitatis obtuse crenato-lobatis. 



Var. e. triste ; fronde elongata, pinnis primariis supra medium oblongo-lanceolatis crenatis basin 

 versus pinnatis, pinnis paucis remotis stipitatis oblongo-ovatis obtusis subcrenatis. A. triste, Baoul, Choix 

 de Plantes, p. 10. 



Hab. Throughout the Islands, abundant. (Cultivated at Kew.) 



The most highly developed form of this Fern is a very beautiful one, and easily recognized by its habit of 

 bearing germinating bulbs on its pinnules, whence its name ; but this character is not always present, and then the 

 species becomes A. laxum, Br. The latter, a Tasmanian plant, was distinguished by Mr. Brown from this by not 

 bearing bulbs ; but Mr. Gunn has collected bulbiferous specimens that are identical with the New Zealand ones. 

 Pendulous specimens of this appear to pass into A.fiaccidum; and small states with lobed broad pinnules through 

 A. triste into A. adiantoides. It is quite in vain to attempt to limit these species by words. — Fronds 1-3 feet high, 

 flaccid, glabrous, broadly ovate-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, erect or pendulous, bright green, not so pale and 

 coriaceous as in A. flaccidum, nor so membranous as in A. adiantoides ; pinnse bi-tripinnate, generally bipinnate. 

 -10 inches long, with a margined or winged rachis ; pinnules stipitate, linear-obovate or oblong, or broadly 



