AdiaiUuDi] I. — FiLiCES. 53 



1. A. diapliarLum', Blume. 



Stipes 4-8 in. long, slender, erect, blackish, polished. Fi'onds 4-S 

 in. long, 1 in. broad, simply pinnate or with 1 to 3 branches at the 

 base, which are sometimes nearly as large as the terminal one ; 

 pinnules shortly stalked, ^-| in. long, 1-J in. deep, the lower margin 

 rather decurved, the upper one nearly parallel with it and crenate 

 like the rounded outer margin, dark-green and membranous, with a 

 few scattered hairs on the upper surface. Sori rather distant from 

 each other, obreniform, placed in the sinuses of the upper and outer 

 margin. 



Synonyms. — A. affine. Hook, (not Wllld.); A. setulosum, J. Smith ; 



A. trapeziforme, Forst. ^^^a 

 Distribution. — S.E. China, Java, New Caledonia, Aneitum, Fijij;! 



Norfolk Island, N. S. Wales. 



Not uncommon throughout New Zealand, but rather local in its 

 occurrence. It is rather rare in the southern portion of the South 

 Island. According to Mr. Kirk, it is cliiefly to be found in alluvial 

 situations. 



It is an easily-cultivated plant, as, indeed, are most ferns of this 

 beautiful genus. In transplanting, care must be taken not to injure 

 the extremities of the slender rhizomes, as it is from these that new 

 fronds spring up. 



Considerable confusion has crept into the nomenclature of the New 

 Zealand Maidenhairs, oving to the misappropriation of specific 

 names. This is the second species described in the " Handbook Fl. 

 N.Z.," under the name A. affine, whereas the following species here 

 is the true A. affine of Willdenow, but is described in the " Hand- 

 book" as 5, A. cunninghamii. 



2. A. afflne, Willd. 



Rhizome creeping, scaly. Stipes 6-10 in. long, erect, jDolished, 

 black and glossy. Fronds sparingly and irregularly branched, ter- 

 minal central pinna 4-6 in. long, lateral small, erecto-patent, lowest 

 again branched ; pinnules few, i^-| in. long, ^ in. broad, subcoiia- 

 ceous, glossy and glaucous, dimidiate, lower edge straight, upper 

 nearly parallel with it, crenate, as is the round or oblique outer 

 margin. Sori numerous, rather small, placed in small hollows round 

 the upper and outer margins ; involucres obreniform or sub- 

 orbicular. 



Synonyms. — A cunninghamii, Hooh. ; A. formosum, A. Rich., not 



B. Br., which is the next species. v 



Distribution. — Confined to New Zealand and Chatham Islands. y<L, 

 The range of this species is very wide — from N. Cape to Otago ; 



it seems to prefer localities near the sea, and is common in lowland 



districts of both islands. 



It is the easiest of the genus to cultivate, and is a very hardy 



fern. 



