Adiantumi ^- — cilices. 55 



Similar in distribution, to the last species, occurring commonly in 

 the North Island, but becoming rare as we come south. It is found 

 as far south as Banks' Peninsula, but is very rare in that locality. 

 It is not found in any part of Otago. 



A favourite species -with fern-cultivators, as it shows to great 

 advantage as a pot-plant, and is easily grown. 



6. A. hispidulum, Stoartz. 



Stipes 6-15 in. long, stout, erect, dark-brown, polished, scabrous. 

 Fronds dichotomous, with the main divisions branched flabellately, 

 often 2-partite ; raohis and surfaces of the pinnules hispid ; pinnae 

 6-9 in. long, ^-1 in. broad ; pinnules subcoriaceous, olive-green, 

 dimidiate, ^-J long, ^-^ in. broad, subrhomboidal, rather broader on 

 the side next the stem, outer and upper margins rounded or oblique, 

 and finely toothed. Sori numerous, almost contiguous in the notches 

 of the upper and outer margins; invokicres suborbicular. 



Syyionyms. — A. pedatum, Forst. (not Linnaeus) ; A. pubescens, 

 Schkuhr. ^f,r^ 



Distribution. — Widespread in the tropical regions of the old^ 

 world, occurring in Africa on the banks of the R. Niger, and on the 

 Zambesi, also in Bourbon and Mauritius ; again in Southern India 

 and Ceylon, several of the Pacific Islands, and in N. S. Wales ; also 

 in the Chatham Islands. 



Common in the North Island of New Zealand, from N. Cape to 

 Cook Straits. It is said by Mr. Armstrong to occur in Banks' 

 Peninsula and the Midland district of Canterbury, but no other 

 collector appears to have found it in these localities. 



Genus XIII.— HYPOLEPIS,* Bernhardi. (PI. II. fig. 4.) 



Rhizome wide-creeping. Fronds ample, 2- to 4-pinnate, often with 

 glandular hairs. Sori small, subglobose, marginal, uniform, distinct, 

 placed usually in the sinuses of the ultimate segments of the frond ; 

 involucre spurious, formed of the reflexed margin, the teeth of which 

 are curved inwards over the sori. 



Rhizome scaly. Fronds 2-5 ft. high, 3- 

 or 4-pinnate, slightly hairy and 

 glandular 1. H. tenuifolia. 



Rhizome scaly and woolly. Fronds 6-18 



in. high, 2-pinnate, glabrous ... 2. H. distans. 



Rhizome naked. Fronds 6-18 in. high, 

 3- or 4-pinnate, slightly hairy 

 below, ultimate segments sharply 

 toothed 2. H. millefolium. 



* Gr. , Hypo, under ; lepis, a scale, from the spurioiis membranous involucres. 



