72 



-FILICES. 



[Asplenvu/in 



A very large and most variable genus, of which some of the New 

 Zealand species are very constant and definite in form, while others 

 are extremely inconstant and pass into one another, thus rendering 

 their classification a work of considerable difficulty. Sir J. D. 

 Hooker, in the " Handbook Fl. N.Z.," characterizes twelve species, 

 ' but states that many of them pass so readily into one another that 

 only^-e universally separable forms occur in the islands. 



AH our species are very hardy, and grow most readily under 

 cultivation. 



iSori linear, diverging from the 'midrib. Fronds pinnate or rarely 

 pinnate below. 



Pinnse ^^ in. long, nearly as broad as long. 

 Fronds weak, difiuse, rooting at the tips; 

 pinnae obliquely obovate or fan- 

 shaped, veins flabellate 



Fronds small, tufted; pinnse oblong or 

 or obovate, veins few, forked, 

 diverging from a midrib 



1. A. flabellifolium. 



2. A. trichomanes. 



Pinnse numerous, 1-6 in. long, linear or linear-oblong, acute or 

 acuminate. 



■^ 



Fronds usually very thick ; pinnse oblong 

 / or lanceolate, veins often incon- 

 / spicuous 



Fronds coriaceous ; pinnse lanceolate, 

 acuminate; veins close, very oblique; 

 sori very numerous, parallel, giving 

 a striate appearance to the under- 

 surface 



3. A. obtusatum. 



4. A. falcatum. 



Sori linear, diverging from the midrib, and close to the margin 

 of the segm,ents. Fronds 2- or 3-pinnate, segments usually narrow. 



Fronds 3-10 in. long, 2-pinnate, mem- 

 branous ; pinnules stalked, J-^ in. 

 long ; sori few, large 



Fronds 1-3 ft. long, flaccid, often pro- 

 liferous ; pinnules lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate 



Fronds 3-6 in. long, stout, coriaceous, 

 ovate, acuminate ; pinnules ovate 

 or obovate, obtuse 



5. A. hookerianum. 



6. A. bulbiferum. 



Fronds 1-3 ft. long, coriaceous, narrow; 

 pinnules very narrow, linear 



7. A. richardi. 



8. A. flaccidum. 



Sori more or less curved and cylindrical. Fronds 2- or S-jnnnate. 

 Fronds 2-3 ft. long, membranous, deltoid 9. A. umbrosum. 



