-Pteris] I. — FILIOES. 63 



several Polynesian Islands, Australia, Tasmania, and the Chatham 

 and Auckland Islands. 



In New Zealand it is an extremely common species, and ranges 

 from the N. Cape to Stewart Island, frequenting chiefly the edge of 

 bush laud and springing up abundantly in bush clearings. Mr. Kirk 

 reports it from the Great Barrier Island as attaining a height of 7 

 feet in favourable localities ; while it has attracted the attention of 

 all observant visitors to the Hot Springs district, by the luxuriant 

 growth it makes among the hot pools and steam jets of that region. 



Though a common species, its delicacy and beauty render this a 

 favourite fern. It is diiScult to transplant as its rhizome grows to 

 a considerable length, but when once established in a good vegetable 

 mould, it grows freely. 



Genus XVII.— LOMARIA,* WiUdenow. (PI. II. fig. 8, 

 and frontispiece.) 



Rhizome creeping or ascending into a short trunk. Fronds pinnate 

 or pinnatifid, rarely simple or 2-pinnatifid, of two forms, the outer 

 broader and barren or fertile at the base only, the inner narrower 

 and fertile ; veins free, simple or forked. Sori linear, continuous, 

 parallel with the midrib and occupying the whole or nearly the 

 whole of the space between it and the edge. Involucre membranous, 

 formed of the revolute edge of the frond, sometimes very obscure. 



I. — Sterile fronds pinnatifid or simple, rarely jnnnate below ; 

 segments with a broad base. 



Rhizome short, creeping. Fronds large, 

 dark-green, coriaceous, pendulous, 

 simple or with few lobes 1. L. patersoni. 



Stem ascending into a short trunk. 

 Fronds linear, coriaceous, brown 

 below ; segments oblong or rounded 2. L. discolor. 



Rhizome stout. Fronds deltoid, coria- 

 ceous ; segments falcate, lower de- 

 flexed 3. L. vuloanica. 



Rhizome short, stout, erect. Fronds 

 linear or lanceolate, membranous ; 

 segments oblong, slightly falcate ... 4. L. lanceolata. 



Rhizome short, erect. Fronds lanceo- 

 late, rigidly coriaceous ; segments 

 more or less lanceolate and falcate... 5. L. dura. 



Rhizome slender, creeping. Fronds 

 linear, coriaceous, fertile the longest; 

 segments linear-oblong, obtuse ... 6. L. alpina. 



* Gr. Loma, a border or fringe, so named from the linear involncre. 



