52 I.- — FiLiCES. [Lindsaya 



3. L. trichomanoides, Dryander. 



EMzome creeping, chafiy. Stipes 3-6 in. long, wiry, polished, 

 3-gonous, scaly at the base. Fronds 4-8 in. long, 2-3 in. broad, ovate- 

 oblong or broadly ovate, rather coriaceous, 2- or 3-pinnate ; pinnie- 

 opposite, 2-3 in. long, lanceolate ; pinnules cuneate, lobed on the upper 

 edge ; veins obscure, flabellate. Sori continuous on the margin. 



Var. lessonnii (L. lessonnii, Bory.) Fronds simply pinnate, or 

 2-pinnate below ; pinnae linear, or oblong-lanceolate, usually lobed. 



^/^Bistribution. — ^Tasmania, N". S. Wales, and Fiji. 



/ In New Zealand this fern has as wide a distribution as the 

 preceding species, but is not nearly so local. It is, however, much 

 commoner in the N. Island, where it ranges from the Bay of 

 Islands to Wellington, than in the South Island. It occurs in many 

 localities along the West Coast, but is very local throughout Otago. 

 Var. lessonnii is apparently confined to the North Island. This 

 species is always confined to woods and shady places. 



Genus XII.— ADIANTUM,* L. {Maidenhair.) (PL II. fig. 3.) 



Rhizome tufted or creeping. Fronds usually compound, 2-4- 

 pinnate ; pinnules on slender stalks ; veins usually forked. Sori 

 rounded or oblong, marginal, usually numerous and distinct ; 

 involucre formed of the reflexed, often reniform, coriaceous margins 

 of the frond, opening inwards ; surface veined. 



I. — Fronds once or more pinnate. 



* Pinnules dimidiate ; rachis naked, polished. 

 Pinnules dark-green, membranous, 

 sparsely hairy. Sori few, obreni- 

 form, in the sinuses of the crenate 



margins 1. A. diaphanvmi. 



Pinnules subcoriaceous, glabrous, glauc- 

 ous. Sori numerous, roundish, in 

 small hollows on the lobules or 



teeth of the margins 2. A. aflB.ne. 



** Pinnules dimidiate ; rachis pubescent. 

 Fronds 3- or 4-pinnate or decompound. 

 Pinnules small, subcoriaceous. 



Sori small, rather elongate 3. A. formosum. 



Fronds 2- or 3-pinnate. Pinnules large, 



herbaceous. Sori large, obreniform 4. A. fulvum. 

 *** Pinnules flahellate, cuneate. 

 Sori obreniform, in several roundish or 



transversely oblong patches ... 5. A. sethiopicum. 



II. — Fronds not pinnately branched, but 

 . dichotomously forked. 

 Rachis and fronds more or less hispid 6. A. hispidulum. 



* Gr. Adianios, dry, from the leaves always throwing off water. 



