Oolenso. — Description of new Ferns. 307 



fine raised black points ; main rhachis deflexed from stipe, longitudinally 

 sulcated above ; stipes and rhachis densely hairy when young; hairs, patent, 

 red-brown. 



Pinnae, 15 inches long, 4-5 inches broad, about 3 inches apart on 

 rhachis, petiolate, triangular, broadest near base, acuminate ending in a 

 very fine point, densely covered with red-brown strigose hairs above on 

 rhachis of pinnae . 



Pinnules, sub-opposite, distant, 2-2J inches long, broad, linear-oblong, 

 broadest near base, acute, sub-falcate, petiolate, glabrous above on midrib, 

 hairy below and also on midrib of segments ; barren pinnules pinnatifid, 

 fertile pinnate. 



Segments free not crowded, sessile, alternate, oblong, 3 lines long, 1 line 

 broad, obtuse, apices rounded, slightly and sparingly serrate, sub-falcate, 

 lowermost one on upper side of pinnule regularly overlapping secondary 

 rhachis; fruitful segments very distant, regularly crenulate through con- 

 traction by sori, auricled, lowest pair petiolate ; casta prominent above ; 

 veins, 5-jugate, forked and simple. 



Sori numerous, crowded, occupying the whole of the segment, small, 

 globular, biseriate, 8-10 to a segment. 



Involucre, outer valve sub-cucullate, margin entire, about % line long, 

 remaining green-coloured when dry. 



The buds, shoots, and young plants of various ages and sizes, bursting 

 forth from the stem of this fern-tree, was a curious and pleasing sight — and, 

 to me, a novelty. They were scattered around the main stem, 8-12 inches 

 apart, and at different heights, but all within 2-3 feet from the base ; from 

 them I gathered fronds of various sizes, the largest 12 inches long, — one, 

 7 inches, and one, 4 inches long, exclusive of stipe ; these are all very soft 

 in foliage, bipinnate only, with stipes and main and secondary rhachises 

 exceedingly hairy with long patent jointed hairs, — quite a miniature of the 

 large fronds of the parent plant. Some of the smaller shoots like big buds, 

 apparently just bursting, possess most delicately fine, long, and soft hairs, 

 almost curly, coloured and jointed like those of parent plant. 



This species of Dicksonia, in general appearance, somewhat resembles 

 D. squarrosa, but wants the black trunk and stipes, the harsh and dry 

 pointed and mucronate coriaceous foliage, and blaok hairs and bristles' of 

 that species, as well as the persistent hanging of its old withered fronds 

 around its trunk, which is almost characteristic, — besides the much smaller 

 fronds and small round sori, and the peculiar habit of bearing shoots and 

 buds on the trunk of this species. It has the slenderest trunk, as well as 

 the most airy and light appearance in its crown of fronds, of all the New 

 Zealand Dicksonice known to me. 



