74 I. — FiLiCES. [Asplenium 



simply pinnate form into two or three other species with bi- or tri- 

 pinnate fronds. The following varieties represent the most prevalent 

 forms : — 



Var. 1. obliquwm. — Fronds 1-2 ft. long, linear or Unear-oblong ; 

 pinnae 1-4 in. long, |-1 in. broad, lanceolate, narrowing to an 

 acuminate apex, margins crenate or serrate ; sori -j- to f in. long, 

 close together. 



Synonyms. — A. obliquum, Forst. ; A. apicidentatum, Hombr. and 

 Jacq. 



A common littoral form, growing on rocks and banks close to the 

 sea-shore. Common from N. Cape to Stewart Island. 



"Var. 2. scleropvum. — Fronds long, very thick and coriaceous; 

 pinnae 1-4 in. long, |^-| in. broad, narrow lanceolate, apex very 

 elongate, margins regularly and closely toothed to \ in. or more ; sori 

 extending to the segments. 



This is a transition form tending towards A. flacddum, and in its 

 typical state is found " in woods near the sea" in the Auckland 

 Islands only. 



Var. 3. lucidum. — Fronds large, often 2 ft. long or more, and 

 1 ft. or more broad at the base, rather flaccidly coriaceous ; pinnae 

 oblong-lanceolate, lowest often 6 in. long, 1-1 J in. broad, very 

 acuminate, margins deeply toothed, particularly on the upper side, 

 rachis often dark-coloured ; sori very long, numerous and linear. 



Common from N. Cape to Stewart Island ; also in the Chatham 

 Islands. 



Var. paucifolium of the " Handbook Fl. N.Z." is only a dwarf 

 form, with few pinnae on the frond. 



Var. 4. lyallii. — -Fronds 8-18 in. long, 4-9 in. broad at base, rather 

 membranous in texture ; pinnae lanceolate-deltoid, the lower ones cut 

 to the rachis into deeply-toothed pinnules, which are cuneate at the 

 base and distinctly stalked, while those above are deeply pinnatifid. 



This is a transition form between A. obtusatum and A. hulhiferum ,• 

 it is tolerably common throughout the islands, and also occurs in the 

 Chatham Islands. 



A. obtusatum, in all its forms is a littoral fern, and is seldom found 

 at any great distance from the sea. 



In one or other of its varieties it is found in Peru and Chili, 

 several of the Polynesian Islands, and in Australia. 



4. A. falcatum, Lamarck. 



Rhizome creeping, often on trees, clothed with large brown scales. 

 Stipes 6-9 in. long, firm, erect, greyish or brown, nearly naked. 

 Fronds tufted, coriaceous, 6-24 in. long, erect, lanceolate or linear- 

 lanceolate ; pinnae rather numerous, nearly horizontal, 2-6 in. long, 

 ^-1 in. broad, lanceolate, acuminate, sharply lobed or pinnatifid, and 

 toothed, lower side of the base obliquely truncate, upper broad and 



