64 



-PILICES. 



[Lo 



Rhizome short, woody. Fronds linear, 

 subcoriaceous, fertile the shortest ; 

 segments oblong, obtuse 7. L. banksii. 



Rhizome slender, creeping. Fronds 

 short, lanceolate, membranous ; seg- 

 ments linear-oblong, crenate 8. L. pumila. 



II. — Sterile fronds pinnate ; pinnm with narrow bases. 



Rhizome stout, -woody, erect. Fronds 

 1-6 ft. long, coriaceous ; pinnse 

 linear 9. L. prooera. 



Rhizome climbing. Fronds pendulous .. . 10. L. filiformis. 



Rhizome very short. Fronds very dark 

 green, membranous, linear-oblong, 

 ■with a large terminal pinna 11. L. nigra. 



Rhizome stout, erect. Fronds linear, 

 membranous ; pinnse oblong or 

 rounded ; stipes and raohis scaly 



Rhizome short. Fronds linear-oblo 

 membranous ; pinnae linear-oblong ; 

 stipes and rachis glabrous 



12. L. fluviatilis. 



13. L. membranacea. 



III. — Fronds 2-pinnatifid. 



Rhizome long, suberect. 

 acuminate 



Fronds ovate- 



14. L. frazeri. 



1. L. patersoni, Sprengel 



Rhizome short, creeping. Stipes 2-6 in. long, stout, naked or 

 •winged, rather scaly below. Sterile fronds 1-3 ft. long, dark-green, 

 shining, very coriaceous, pendulous ; quite entire, linear-oblong, with 

 an acuminate apex, or pinnatifid with from 6 to 9 segments on each 

 side ; segments 2-6 in. long, 1-2 in. broad, linear-lanceolate, decurrent 

 at the base, acuminate at the apex ; fertile fronds as long as sterile, 

 but segments only about ^ in. broad ; sori occupying the whole space 

 between the midrib and margin. 



Synonyms. — L. elongata, Blunie. ; L. colensoi, Hooh. f. ; L. heter- 

 ophylla, Colenso ; L. cumingiana. Hook ; L. punctata, Blume. 



^^Distribution. — India, Ceylon and the Philippines eastwards and 

 southwards to Fiji ; S.E. AiTstralia and Tasmania. 



In the North Island this species occurs throughout the hilly forest- 

 clad regions as far north as the Thames, usually at elevations of 

 1,000-2,000 ft. In the South Island it is common down the W. 

 Coast, but is local in its distribution along the E. Being a shade- 

 haunting and moisture-loving species, it is only found wherever there 

 is any extent of bush land. 



