30 I. — FiLiCES. [HemiteUa 



Synonym. — Cyathea Smithii, Hook. f. (" Handbook N.Z. Fl.," 

 p. 350.) 



A most abundant tree-fern, ranging in the North Island from the 

 Bay of Islands to Wellington, and ascending to 3,000 ft. In the 

 South Island very common, as far south as Foveaux Straits. This 

 -species stands transplantation very ■well, and is an easily-cultivated 

 iem, requiring a rather shaded spot and considerable depth of soil. 

 It should be found in every good fernery. 



Genus IV.— ALSOPHILA,* Br. (PI. I. fig. 4.) 



Small tree-ferns. Fronds large, bi- or tri-pinnate. Sori globose, 

 tlorsal, on a vein or in the forking of a vein ; involucre wanting ; 

 receptacle more or less elevated. 



1. A. colensoi, Hook. f. 



Trunk 2-5 ft. high (rarely as much as 7 ft.), suberect or prostrate, 

 and sometimes buried almost to the crown. Fronds bipinnate, 2-4 

 ft. long, 10-20 in. broad, membranous ; stipes densely clothed at the 

 ha-se with subulate white scales \-\ in. long ; the rest of the stipes, 

 Tachises and costse with numerous brown hairs and tumid fimbriate 

 scales; primary pinnse 12-14 in. long, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate; 

 secondary pinnse l|^-2 in. long, acuminate, rather distant, deeply 

 pinnatifid ; lobes oblong, obtuse, serrate. Sori numerous, prominent, 

 situated on the middle of the veins. 



This, the hardiest of our tree-ferns, occurs chiefly in elevated and 

 somewhat exposed districts. In the N. Island it is found in the 

 hilly country of the interior at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 ft. It 

 occurs in the S. Island in various parts of Canterbury province, 

 •■as at Malvern Hills, Banks' Peninsula, &c. In Otago it is very 

 local, occurring abundantly on Flagstaff Hill, near Dunedin ; also at 

 Catlin's River, Lake Wakatipu, and near Invercargill. 



An easily-cultivated species, requiring as little care as any, and 

 not particular as to the amount of sunshine it receives. 



Genus V.— DICKSONIA,t VHeritier. (PI. I. fig. 5.) 



Tree-ferns. Fronds large, bi- or tri-pinnate. Sori globose, at the 

 apex of a vein, just within the margin. Involucre inferior, sub- 

 globose, 2-valved ; inner valve coriaceous, outer formed of the 

 recurved concave tooth of the pinnule. Receptacle elevated; 

 capsules half-girt with an incomplete vertical ring. 



Trunk tall, black. Stipes tubercled, black. 

 Sori large, 6-8 on each segment, 

 completely filling it up 1. D. squarrosa. 



* Gr. Alsos, a grove ; phileo, to love. 



t In honour of James Dickson, a British cryptogamic botanist. 



