LOMARIA. 35 



ceolate pinnate, sterile fronds with the pinnaj oval- oblong 

 broadly adnate but not decurrent very obtuse strongly den- 

 tato-serrate lower ones suborbicular lowest rather rennote 

 abbreviated terminal ones confluent, stipes scarcely an inch 

 long filiform, fertile fronds usually longer than the sterile 

 ones linear pinnated, pinnce rather remote linear sessile but 

 not decurrent short 2 lines to ^ an inch apiculatcd lowest 

 ones remote very minute, stipes 2-4 inches long filiform. 

 (Tab. CXLV.) — L. membranacea, Colens. MSS. 



Hab. Bay of Islands, New Zealand, Colenso, J. D. Hooker ; Waiheki Island, 

 near Auckland, JoUffe. — The nearest affinity of this is assuredly with L.fluviatilis, 

 Br., from which it differs in its much smaller size, subflexnose fronds, in the 

 entire absence of the chaffy subulate scales so abundant in that species, and its 

 very different habit. It is barely possible that this may bo a Lomaria fluviatUis 

 growing in a very dry place, and thence, or from some other cause, reduced in 

 size, altered in form, and deprived of the chaffy scales on the stipes and rachises 

 which are so remarkable in that species. 



39. L. nigra, Col. ; caudex indistinct formed of the bases 

 of old stipites and wiry roots paleaceous with a few lanceo- 

 late scales, fronds rather long-stipitate a span long (including 

 the stipes) oblong glabrous or downy, sterile fronds mem- 

 branaceous black-green broadest at the base very obtuse 

 lyrato-pinnate, pinnaj sessile oval or subrotund (large for the 

 size of the frond) eroso-sinuate viltimate segment the largest 

 lobed lowest pair large one or two pairs al)ove it generally 

 smaller than the rest, stipes slender about half as long as the 

 frond scaly as is more or less the rach is, /t-r/Z/e pinnae longer 

 than the sterile pinnated with few linear acute pinnse of 

 which the ultimate one is much elongated 2-4 inches, fertile 

 stipes twice as long as the sterile one more or less scaly. — 

 Colens. in Tasm. Phil. Journ. v. p. 176. Hook. Ic. Plant, 

 t. 960. Hook. fit. Ft. N. Zeal. ii. j^. 31 . 



Ilab. New Zealand, Northern Island, east coast and the interior, Colenno, Sin- 

 clair ; Milford and Bligh's Sound, iy«//. — This small species will rank near L. 

 Jtuviatilis, from which it seems very distinct in the short broad fronds of a very 

 dark, blackish-green colour, and truly lyrato-pinnate. The lowest pair of piuniii 

 is generally large, giving a trimcated character to the base of the frond ; above 

 that are one or two pairs of smaller pinnaj : the terminal segment or lobe is in- 

 variably the largest. The fertile frond has a few long (in proportion to the size 

 of the frond) and narrow pinn;c, and the terminal pinna is twice or thrice as long 

 as the rest. Some of the fronds are downy with copious short hairs. The chaffy 

 scales on the stipes and rachis are fewer and less patent than in L. fluviatilis. 



{All the following, apparently of this section, are 

 unknown to me.) 



40. L. Regnelliana, Kze. ; " frond coriaceous glabrous paler 



