■62 I. — FiLiCES. [Pteris 



pinnae 1 ft. long or more, very compound ; pinnules stalked, deltoid, 

 •cut into ovate-oblong segments, which are deeply coarsely toothed, 

 especially towards the tips, veins netted only slightly. Sori in the 

 notches, not reaching the point of the segments. 



Distribution. — Rather common throughout the North Island of 

 New Zealand. The only localities in the South Island in which it 

 has been obtained are in the Grey Valley, W. Coast, where it was 

 gathered — about 3 miles above Greymouth — by Prof. J. von 

 Haast, and on Banks' Peninsula. 



It grows readily in cultivation, but in the South Island — at least 

 in the southern part — it requires protection. It is one of the most 

 beautiful and delicate species of the genus. 



5. P. comans, Forst. 2' 



Stipes 1 ft. or more long, glabrous, polished, as are the rachis andc 

 •costse. Fronds bright-green, membranous and flaccid, 1-5 ft. high, 

 deltoid, 2-pinnate, terminal pinna very long, cut nearly to the base 

 into linear-oblong, toothed or lobed segments, which are decurrent at 

 the base ; lateral pinnse ovate-lanceolate, lowest 1 ft. or more long, 

 •often compound at the base ; pinnules sessile, rarely stalked, usually 

 adnata and decurrent, f-lj in. long, linear or linear-oblong, more or 

 less lobed, serrate at the tips ; veins netted throughout. Sori 

 falling short of the apex of the segments. 



Synonyms. — P. Endlicheriana, Agardh ; P. micropteris, Mett.; 

 Litobrochia comans, Presl. 



Distribution. — Tasmania, Australia, Norfolk Island, Polynesian 

 Islands and Juan Fernandez. 



In New Zealand this is confined to the northern end of the North 

 Island, from the Bay of Islands to the Thames. 



Rhizome stout, creeping, glabrous. Stipes stout, erect, glabrous, 

 polished, straw-coloured. Fronds 2-5 ft. high, quite glabrous, 

 •glaucous below, membranous or subcoriaceous, broadly deltoid, 2- or 

 3-pinnate ; upper pinnse simply pinnate, lower with numerous pin- 

 Tiatifid pinnules ; lowest often very compound ; ultimate segments 

 ^-|- in. long, broadly oblong or lanceolate, obtuse or acute, entire or 

 crenate, adnate and decurrent on the rachis ; venation very variable, 

 sometimes quite free or more or less netted. Sori continuous to the 

 extremity of the segments, or interrupted. 



Synonyms. — P. Bruno niana, Endl.; P.montana, Golenso; P. vesper- 

 tilionis. Lab.; Litobrochia vespertilionis, Presl. 



Y Distribution. — A fern of extremely variable form, and very 

 -widely distributed, ranging in America from the W. Indies and 

 Central America to Chili, and westwards to Juan Fernandez ; also 

 in Western tropical and Southern Africa, India, Ceylon, Formosa, 



