LOMARIA. 11 



taken, but does not hold good with the majority of my Cape specimens. L. 

 hamata, Kaiilf., Sclilechtendal suspected to be the same species, and Pappe and 

 Rawson confirm that opinion. Tlie L. Iteterophylla, Desv. and Schlecht., is 

 merely an abnormal form analogous to the var. Cambricum of Polijpodium vulgare 

 in England, and only affects the sterile frond. 



13. L. /«wceo/«^a, Spr. ; caudex often none apparent but 

 sometimes by the union of the bases of tlie old stipites a 

 progressive and even suberect one more or less scaly is 

 formed 4-5 inches to a span long bearing several fronds in 

 a tufted manner from near the apex, these are 1-2 feet long 

 stipitate glabrous green on both sides, sterile ones broad 

 lanceolate acuminate tapering to a narrow elongated base 

 deeply near to the costa pinnatifid, segments approximate 

 broad-oblong spreading falcate obtuse entire or serrated 

 lowest ones much abbreviated, fertile fronds generally 

 smaller than the sterile ones oblong pinnated with linear 

 rather lax often finely acuminated pinntc, stipites 4-6 inches 

 long brown or almost black paleaceous with long narrow 

 scales at the base. — Spreng. Syst. Veget. iv. j9. 62. All. 

 Cunn. Bot. N. Zeal, in Hook. Comp. to Bot. Mag. ii. p. 263. 

 Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 429. Hook. fil. Fl. Nov. Zeal. ii. jo. 31, 

 and Fl. Antarct. i. p. 1 10. Stegania lanceolata, Br. Prodr. 

 Fl. Nov. Holl. p. 152. Endl. Prodr. Fl. Norfolk, p. 11 {may 

 not this rather be L. attenuata, lohich has been met with by 

 several voyagers in Norfolk Island .^). Lomaria obtusata, 

 Labill. Sei't. Nov. Caled. p. 4. t. 6. 



Hab. Tasmania, Broivn, R. Giinn, J. D. Hooker ; and in New South Wales, 

 Sealer's Cove and in Caverns of Mount Gambia, Victoria, Mueller (ordinary 

 forms). New Zealand, Northern and Middle Island (Akaroa), Colenso, J. D. 

 Hooker, Lyall (ordinary forms), All. and R. Cnnninijham. On some of the 

 smaller specimens !\Ir. All. Cunningham has remarked, " allied to Mr. Hrown's 

 Stegania minor." Auckland and Campbell's Islands, in woods close to the sea, 

 abundant, J. D. Hooker. New Caledonia, Labillardiere (ordinary form). Norfolk 

 Island, Ferd. Bauer ? Society Islands, Bidirill, ordinary size and form, with a 

 very stout subarborescent caudex a span long, nearly erect, very scaly, and the 

 fronds unusually coriaceous. Loyalty Islands, Sir Geo. Grey (large). — This 

 seems to be a generally acknowledged species, and yet it is difficult to say in 

 ■what its essential character consists, so insensibly does it seem to pass into some 

 forms of L. attenuata and discolor. It is perhaps best recognized by its usually 

 smaller size, uniform rather bright green colour, and shorter and l)lunter seg- 

 ments of the fronds. Happily we can refer to two very characteristic figures of 

 the ordinary state of this Fern, in the ' Sertum Austro-Caledonicuni,' where the 

 caudex is also given, and to the ' Icones Plantarum Rariorum.' 



14. L. blechnoides, Bory ; caudex rather stout creeping 

 underground clothed with wiry branched fil)res, fronds fas- 

 ciculate, sterile ones on short naked dark-brown stipites 

 erect rigid chartaceous glabrous and smooth a span to a 



