366 Transactions. — Botany. 



quired to connect those species above referred to in a natural sequence. It 

 is one of those ferns which, though distinct, it is difficult to describe specifi- 

 cally in words, as Sir W. J. Hooker, long ago, often remarked in his valuable 

 works on ferns. Having, however, lately obtained specimens of Hymeno- 

 phyllum timhridgense {vera) from England, I am positive of its specific 

 distinction; the typical British plant being wholly glabrous, having its 

 rhachis strongly winged throughout (extending downward in some instances 

 to the upper part of its stipe), its lobes always narrow " linear,'" and serrate 

 not slashed, teeth spinulose and hard not thin, with only 2-3 teeth at the 

 apex of a lobe, and its fructification invariably supra- axiUary and never 

 terminal. But with botanists who make but one species of those two 

 widely differing ferns — H. tunhriclgense and H. wilsoni — of course this little 

 fellow would be only deemed a variety of H. tunhridgense. 



Tkichomanes venustula. 



Plant creeping, epiphytical, pendulous on trunks of livuig trees ; rhizome 

 capillary, creeping, woolly. 



Fronds pendulous, pinnate, 4-6 (sometimes 7) jugate, dark-green, gla- 

 brous, semi-transparent, oblong, somewhat deltoid, obtuse, 1-2 inches long, 

 6-12 lines wide ; j^innce petiolate, close not crowded, tolerably regular, lower- 

 most pair mostly opposite and generally the largest, flabellate and rhom- 

 boid-acuminate, sub-pinnatifid or deeply cut on both sides, trinerved, each 

 nerve a little waved and giving out pinnate veins, veinlets simple or forked, 

 margin slightly sinuous ; segments generally 3-5 on a pinna, obtuse or 

 retuse, cuneate at base, middle one linear and much produced ; involucres 

 scattered on both edges of pinnae, 2-5 on a pinna, upper half free or with 

 one side attached to frond, tubular or slightly funnel-shaped, mouth much 

 dilated, plane, equal all round : receptacle setaceous and exserted, 2-6 

 lines long, curved; r/iac/ws winged slightly at apex; stijH 9-12 Imes long, 

 capillary, flexuose ; both stipe and rhachis green, nearly same colour as 

 frond : stipe always black at base. 



Hab. — On trunks of hving trees, dense shady damp forests, west slopes of 

 Euahine mountain range, head of the Eiver Manawatu; 1878-9. 



This little novelty is nearly allied to Trichomanes venosum, Brown ; differ- 

 ing, however, in several respects, especially in its sub-flabellate trinerved 

 pinnffi, in its rhachis not bemg winged, and in its involucres, which are also 

 numerous and scattered on both edges of its pinnae. 



While growing pretty plentifully in that locahty, though only hitherto 

 detected on a few trees, it is not very often found in fruit ; at the same time 

 some insect seems to be very fond of its fronds, which are generally more 

 or less gnawed. Showing, in this respect also, a great difference to its ally 

 T. venosum, which, on the neighbouring tree-ferns, luxuriates untouched in 



