Hyme7io]}hylluiii\ i. — filices. 41 



•divided nearly to the rachis, often cuneate at the base ; secondary 

 pinnse again pinnatifid; ultimate segments linear, obtiTse, entire. 

 Sori numerous, terminal and axillary, somewhat sunk in the seg- 

 ments ; involucres orbicular, divided more than half-way down ; 

 valves entire ; clusters of capsules often exserted. ^^ 



Synonyms. — H. formosum,i?racA;.; H. Junghuhnii and H. eximium, j, 

 V. den Bosch; Trichomanes dilatatum, i'brsi. / Leptooionium sororium, 

 Presl. 



Distribution. — Java, Tahiti, Samoa, Aneitum, Fiji, and other 

 Polynesian Islands ; also found in the Chatham and Auckland 

 Islands. It is very nearly allied to H. fuciforme, Sto., a species 

 occurring in South Chili and Juan Fernandez. 



This is a very common fern in New Zealand, wherever there is any 

 extent of moist bush. It is to be found from N. Cape to Stewart 

 Island, ascending at the Thames to 2,500 ft., and in Otago to about 

 3,000 ft. 



13. H. pulcherrimum, Col. (PI. I. fig. 7.) 



A tall, tufted, very handsome species, with a short, stout rhizome,, 

 which is covered with brown bristles. Stipes 3-6 in. long, wiry, 

 ■erect, winged to the base. Fronds bright-green, 6-24 in. long, 4-6 in. 

 broad, broadly ovate or oblong, often linear-oblong in long specimens, 

 3-4-pinnatifid ; main rachis narrowly winged throughout, secondary 

 tiexuous ; lower pinnse 2-3 in. long, lanceolate with cuneate base ; 

 secondary pinnse with several distinct pinnules on either side, which 

 are divided into pinnatifid segments ; ultimate segments linear, 

 •obtuse, entire. Sori numerous, free, axillary and terminal on the 

 segments ; involucres orbicular, divided to the base ; valves entire. 



This very iine fern is confined to New Zealand, where, however, 

 it is much more local and restricted than H. dilatatum. A line 

 •drawn across the North Island from E. Cape to Kawhia marks about- 

 its northern limit ; in the damp forests of the interior of the island 

 it occurs rather commonly at 2,000 ft. elevation. In the South 

 Island it is tolerably common down the W. Coast and throughout 

 Otago, but is rare along the E. Coast, from the Kakanui Mountains 

 northward to Marlborough. It is one of the handsomest ferns of the 

 whole genus, and as it frequently occurs in a tufted form, it is readily 

 transplanted. It grows tolerably freely in a case or damp green- 

 house, requiring abundant moisture, good drainage, and free vege- 

 table mould. 



13. H. demissum, Swartz. 



A matted species, with wide-spreading, glabrous and wiry rhizomes. 

 Stipes 4-6 in. long, erect, firm, glabrous and sliining, not winged. 

 Fronds 4-12 in. long, 3-4 in. broad, deltoid or ovate-lanceolate, 3-4- 

 pinnatifid, pinnate below ; rachis slightly winged above ; primary 

 pinnse triangular, cuneate below, divided nearly to the rachis into 

 numerous pinnules, which are again divided into pinnatifid segments ; 



