Jjomaria\ i. — filices. 69 



11. L. nigra, Colenso. 



Rhizome very short, stout, clothed with linear scales at the base. 

 Stipes 2-4 in. long, slender, erect, densely scaly, as is the rachis. 

 Fronds tufted, very dark green, membranous, glabrous, rarely 

 pubescent below, 8-12 in. long ; sterile linear-oblong or lyrate, 

 usually pinnatifid above, with a large blunt terminal lobe, cut down 

 below to the rachis into rather unequal, oblong, obtuse, sinuate- 

 dentate pinnffi ; fertile with few distant linear pinnse, terminal one 

 long. 



Synonym. — Polybotrya nana, Fee. 



Confined to New Zealand, where it occurs in dark, gloomy woods. 

 In the North Island it occurs at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 

 3,000 ft., and, though not abundant, is universally spread from 

 Whangarei to Wellington. In the South Island it occurs very 

 sparingly at Banks' Peninsula, and in one or two parts of Eastern 

 Canterbury, according to Mr. Armstrong, but is much more common 

 ■on the West Coast, where it grows usually near sea-level. 



In cultivation this fern requires conditions as similar as possible to 

 those of its native habitat, and as these are not readily obtainable in 

 most open-air ferneries, I would recommend it to be always grown in 

 a shady, moist locality within a greenhouse or Wardian case. 



12. L. fluviatilis, Si^rengel. {See frontisjiiece.) 



Rhizome stout, clothed above with brown, linear scales. Stipes 

 3-4 in. long, erect, scaly, as is the rachis. Fronds tufted, linear, 

 membranous, 8-20 in. long ; sterile 1-2 in. broad, with numerous 

 oblong, rounded, spreading pinnse, which are waved or crenate, and 

 confluent at the apex of the frond ; fertile very narrow, with narrow- 

 linear, suberect, obtuse pinnse, which are ^-| in. long. 



Synonyms. — L. rotundifolia, Raoid; Stegania fluviatilis, Br. 



Distribution. — S.E. Australia and Tasmania. 



A most abundant fern throughout New Zealand, which attains its 

 greatest luxuriance, as its name implies, when growing on the banks 

 ■of streams. It is not confined to such habitats, however, but grows 

 both in the open and in the bush, at elevations ranging from sea-level 

 to 2,000 ft. 



It is an extremely hardy species, and thrives very readily under 

 ■cultivation. 



13. L. membranacea, Colenso. 



Rhizome short, stout, with dark-brown linear scales above. Stipes •/ 

 very short, naked, as is the rachis. Fronds tufted, 6-10 in. long, 

 membranous ; sterile 1-1 J in. broad ; pinnse spreading, oblong or 

 Hnear-oblong, obtuse, crenate, |-f in. long, \ in. broad, lowest 

 suborbicular, quite distinct, uppermost confluent ; fertile longer than 

 sterile, on a longer stipes ; pinnse rather distant, linear, erecto- 

 patent. 



