148 FLORA OF TASMANIA. [Pilices. 
A very large genus of Ferns, found in all parts of the globe, and of which the species are very widely distri- 
buted and variable.—Fronds (in the Tasmanian species) bi-tripinnate, coriaceous, lobed, serrate, or spinulose. Sori 
round, placed on the middle of the veins at the back of the pinnules, remote from the margin. /nvolucre orbicu- 
. lar, peltately attached by a short stalk to the centre of the sorus, its edges free all round. (Name from rodus, 
many, and orixos, a row; from the numerous sori.) 
1. Polystichum coriaceum (Schott, Gen. Fil.) ; rhizomate elongato repente squamato, fronde pin- 
nata v. bipinnata coriacea ovato-oblonga deltoidea, pinnis superioribus crenatis inferioribus pinnatifido- 
lobatis obtusis integerrimis crenatisve, rachi squamosa, stipite paleaceo.—//. N. Zeal. i. 37. Aspidium 
coriaceum, Br. Prodr. 147 ; Schkuhr, Fil. t. 50; Endl. Prodr. Fl. Ins. Norf. 8. A. Cunninghamianum, 
Col. in Tasm. Phil. Journ. (Gunn, 9, 1516.) 
Has. Not uncommon in forests, etc. : St. Patrick's River, Gunn ; sides of Mount Wellington, J. D. H. 
(v. v.) 
Distri. Throughout the tropics and south-temperate regions of the globe. (Cultivated in England.) 
This plant varies a good deal in stature and amount of division of the fronds, number, distance, and length of 
the pinne; the fronds are always extremely coriaceous, and pale-brown when dry.—Rhizome stout, creeping, 
clothed with large membranous scales. Frond 6-24 inches high, very firm and thick in texture, ovate, deltoid or 
oblong-lanceolate, pinnate or bipinnate. Pinnules stalked, ovate or linear-oblong, entire or lobed; lobes rounded, 
quite entire or crenate. Sori large, brown or black. Rachis generally with spreading, scale-like hairs. Stipes 
stout, covered with scattered large paleæ, rarely naked. 
2. Polystichum vestitum (Presl, Pterid. 83); frondibus coriaceis bipinnatis (interdum proliferis), 
pinnis lineari-lanceolatis, pinnulis brevi-stipitatis oblique ovato-oblongis glabris mucronatis integris crenatis 
v. argute inciso-dentatis inferioribus nunc basi pinnatifidis, lobulo antico dilatato, stipite rachique villoso 
paleisque latis castaneis deciduis onusto, rhizomate et basi stipitis squamis magnis densissime tectis.— 
Fl. N. Zeal. ii. 38. Aspidium vestitum, Willd. Sp. Pl. ; Schkuhr, Fil. t. 43. A. proliferum, Br. Prodr. 
147. A. pulcherrimum ef A. Waikarense, Col. in Tasm. Phil. Journ. A. venustum, Homb. et Jacq. Voy. 
au Póle Sud, t. 5; Fl. Antarct. p. 107. An Polytrichum aculeatum, Roth? (Gunn, 7, 1517.) 
Has. Abundant in subalpine situations, as on Mount Wellington, from 3000 feet to the summit.— 
(v. v.) 
DisrarB. South-eastern Australia, New Zealand, Malay Islands, extratropical South America. (Cul- 
tivated in England.) 
A very handsome and variable Fern. Mr. Brown's 4. proliferum, founded on a proliferous plant, supposed 
both by Mr. Brown and myself (see “ Flora Antarctica”) to want the broad scales, is the same as this; for Mr. Gunn 
has sent specimens of it equally possessing the scales in a young state, and the P. vestitum is often proliferous in | 
New Zealand. In Lord Auckland's Group it becomes subarboreous, having a stout caudex 2-4 feet high.— ronds 
very numerous, spreading like a crown from a stout rhizome, 1-3 feet high, rigid, coriaceous, linear or ovate-oblong, 
bipinnate. Pinne linear-lanceolate, acuminate. Pinnules numerous, shortly stipitate, ovate-oblong, entire, sharply 
toothed or almost pinnatifid, the lobes often pungent; the lower outer margin produced into a short, broad, 
blunt auricle. Rachis woolly, and as well as the stipes covered with large, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, membranous 
sese that are often lacerated, and are deep brown ; those at the base of the stipes of large specimens have a white 
margin, and are very densely set, an inch long, and curved. 
Gen. XVI. NEPHRODIUM, Zr. 
Sori globosi, dorsales, medio v. ad apicem venularum inserti. Involuerum reniforme, sinu affixum. 
A large genus of Ferns, natives of both hot and cold climates, chiefly distinguished from Polystichum by the 
