44 



FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 



[Filices. 



siti. Vena parallelse, venulis transversis anastomosantes. — Rhizoma repens. Frondes sape biformes, pule 

 stellata obtectce, simplioes. 



A very common tropical genus, with undivided leathery fronds, which are often dissimilar, the fertile being 

 longest and narrowest. The New Zealand species may be readily known by its simple fronds being densely covered on 

 the under surface with white or buff-coloured tomentum, which the microscope shows to be composed of 6-10-rayed 

 stars, placed horizontally on the top of a jointed stalk. It is found in Australia and the Pacific Islands.— MMsome 

 creeping, scaly, slender. Fronds scattered, erect, stipitate, barren, obovate or spathulate, blunt, lf-3 inches long; 

 fertile linear-lanceolate, or linear, twice as long as the barren. Veins buried in the substance of the frond, pa- 

 rallel, united by transverse venules. Sort numerous, chiefly on the upper part of the frond, irregularly placed in 

 several series, large, protruded through the tomentum, each placed at the end of a free venule, which leaves the 

 transverse branches. Stipes scaly at the very base. (Name from vm/>o/3oAos, covered with snow; in allusion to the 

 copious white scales.) 



1. Niphobolus rupestris, Spreng.; frondibus coriaceis subtus densissime tomentosis stipitatis erectis 

 sterilibus obovatis spathulatisve obtusis, fertilibus duplo longioribus linearibus obovato-lanceolatis, sons 

 bi-niultiseriatis, stipite basi squamoso. — Spreng. Syst. Veg. Hook, et Grev. Ic. Fil. t. 93. A. Cunn. From. 

 N. bicolor, Spreng. Syst. Veg. Hook, et Grev. 1. c. t. 44. A. Cunn. Prodr. N. serpens, Fndl. Prodr. 

 Fl. Ins. Norf. Presl, Epimel. p. 129. N. glaber, Kaulf. Polypodium rupestre, Br. Prodr. P. ser- 

 pens, Ford. Prodr. P. stellaturn, A. Rich. Flor. P. elseagnifolium, Bory, in Buperrey Voy. p. 259. 

 t. SI./. 1. 



Hab. Abundant on rocks and trees throughout the Islands. 



Obs. Niphobolus glaber, Kaulf. {Polypodium acrostichoides, Forster) is quoted by Richard, with doubt, as a 

 native of New Zealand, from an examination of a plant without fructification, gathered by Captain D'Urville ; his 

 description may be taken from a barren specimen of Phymalodes pustulata. 



Gen. XXY. GRAMMITIS, Sw. 



Sori medio venulee affixi, oblongi v. lineares, uniseriales (in Sp. Nov. Zeland.) costse obliqui, nudi. 

 Vena simplices v. furcatse, immersse, libera;. — Rhizoma repens, squamosum, breve v. elongatum. Prondes 

 caspitosa, coriacea ; venis immersis inconspicuis. 



A small genus of Perns, of which the New Zealand species is very variable, and found in Tasmania, Australia, 

 Lord Auckland and Campbell's Islands, Puegia, Lima in Peru, the Sandwich and Falkland Islands, and Tristan 

 d'Acunha. — Rhizome creeping, often short, scaly. Fronds densely crowded, % inch to a foot long, quite glabrous, 

 rarely pubescent, sometimes pilose or ciliated, erect, very coriaceous, linear-lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, blunt, 

 or narrowed at the point, quite entire, narrowed into a short winged or margined stipes. Sori oblong or linear, 

 oblique, in one series on each side the obscure costa, in small varieties becoming confluent into a mass. Veins 

 wholly immersed, forked, free. (Name from ypa^-q, a line; in allusion to the linear soras.) 



1. Grammitis Australis, Br. ; rhizomate repente squamoso, frondibus dense casspitosis erectis linearibus 

 lineari- v. obovato-lanceolatis integerrimis obtusis subacutisve glaberrimis rarius ciliatis hirsutis pilosisve 

 basi in stipitem brevem angustatis, soris linearibus oblongisve (exemplaribus parvis conflaentibus) .— Br. 

 Prodr. A. Cunn. Prodr. Flor. Antarct. p. 111. G. Billardieri, Willi. Sp. Plant. G. ciliata, Col. in 

 Tasm. Phil. Journ. G. scolopendrina, Bory, in Duperrey Voy. p. 257. t. 30./. 1. A. Rich, i 'lor. 



Var. /3. villosa ; frondibus pubescentibus hirsutisve. 



Hab. Throughout the Islands ; abundant. 



This is an extremely variable Pern, often ciliated with caducous hairs, especially on the stipes. Alpine spe- 

 cimens form dense moss-like patches of small, obovate, coriaceous, blunt fronds | inch high, with confluent sori 



