"28 I. — FiLicEs. [Cyathm 



-cup. Capsules numerous, crowded on. an elevated receptacle,i.usuall" 

 half-girt with a broad vertical elastic ring. 



Frond white and glaucous below ... 1. C. dealbata. 

 Frond not white nor glaucous below. 

 Frond coriaceous; costa glabrous 



above, tubercled below 2. C. medullaris. 



Frond flaccid, membranous ; 

 costa with short stiff hairs 

 above, scabrous below 3. C. cunninghamii. 



1. 0. Dealbata, Swartz. (Fonga ; silver tree-fern^ 



Trunk slender, almost black, 10-40 ft. high. Fronds 6-12 ft. 

 long, bipinnate, slightly coriaceous, dark-green above, white under- 

 neath from the presence of a deciduous powder. Stipes, rachises 

 and costse with pale-brown deciduous tomentum ; primary divisions 

 1-1^ ft. long; pinnae 2-4 in. long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate or 

 'Caudate, deeply pinnatifid or pinnate below ; lobes close-set, linear- 

 oblong, more or less falcate, serrate. Sori numerous ; involucre 

 membranous, breaking irregularly, leaving usually an orbicular 

 •cup. 



-'*' Distribution. — Lord Howe's Island (to the N.W.) ; Chatham 

 Islands (to the E.) 



This is one of the most beautiful and common tree-ferns in New 

 Zealand, ranging from the North Cape to Foveaux Straits. In the 

 >S. Island it is rather local on the W. Coast, but abundant on the 

 East. It has not been recorded from Stewart Island. It is only to 

 be found in the shelter of the forests, where alone all the Cyat/ieas 

 .and Dicksordas are to be looked for, 



2. C. medullaris, Swartz. {Mpmuka; Black-fern.) 



Trunk 10-40 ft. high, stout, conical, black, densely fibrous. Fronds 

 very numerous, 10-20 ft. long, bi- or tri-pinnate, coriaceous, dark- 

 green above, pale below ; stipes and rachis covered with short 

 spinous tubercles ; secondary pinnae 4-6 in. long, J-1^ in. broad, 

 acuminate, pinnatifid above, pinnate below; segments J in. long, 

 oblong or linear, falcate, obtuse or acute, lobulate or sub-pinnatifid 

 in fertile, serrate or entire in barren specimens. Sori arranged 

 singly on each lobe of the segment, the margin of which is usually 

 revolute. Involucral cup with an irregular or 2-lobed margin. 



Synonyms. — Polypodium medullare, Forst. ; 0. milnei. Hook. 

 .(variety from Kermadec Islands) ; C. polyneuron, Col. (var.) 



Distribution. — S.E. Australia (Baron F. von Mueller), Kermadec 

 Islands, Chatham Islands. 



This splendid fern is found from North Cape to Stewart Island. 

 It is common on the West Coast of the S. Island and throughout 

 the forests of the N. Island, but is rare along the East Coast of 



