Asplenivm\ i. — filices. TS' 



auricled ; veins close, very oblique. Sori very long, reaching nearly 

 to the margin, close. 



Synonym. — A. polyodon, Forst. a^ 



Distribution. — An abundant fern in S. Africa, India, Ceylon,, ^ 

 Malacca, Polynesian Islands and Australia ; also in the Chatham 

 Islands. Tolerably common throughout New Zealand, but seldom 

 at any great distance from the coast. It ranges from N. Cape to- 

 Stewart Island, and in some parts ascends to 2,000 ft. 



A. caudatum, Forst., 



a somewhat similar fern to the last, and probably only a variety 

 of it, is included in the New Zealand Flora, in the " Handbook Fl. 

 N.Z.;" but as it only occurs in the Kermadec Islands, on the extreme 

 outskirts of the region, it hardly merits more than mention here. 

 Its range in the Old World is similar to that oi A.falcatum, but it 

 is also found in S. America. 



5. A. hookerianum, Cohnso. 



Rhizome short, fibrous. Stipes 1-4 in. long, slender, greenish, with 

 narrow deciduous scales, which are also on the rachis. Fronds 

 tufted, 2-12 in. long, 2-4 in. broad, membranous, ovate or oblong, 

 2-pimiate, with several long-stalked pinnse on each side, which are 

 1-2 in. long ; pinnules also stalked, about \ in. long, cuneate at the 

 base, rounded and crenate or lobed above, veins subflabellate. Sori 

 3-5 on a pinnule, on the disk. 

 — Var. colensoi (A. colensoi. Hook. f.). — Pinnules deeply cut into- 

 linear segments, each with a single vein, and a solitary oblong soras 

 on the margin. 



Synonym. — A. adiantiodes, Raoul. 



Distribution.— S.'E. Australia. Tolerably common in both islands 

 of New Zealand. In the North Island it occurs chiefly at about 

 1,500 ft. elevation, and ranges from Whangarei to Wellington — 

 occurring, however, very locally in many parts. In the Sotith Island 

 it is commoner, and occurs in all the more open localities. It is a 

 fern occurring chiefly in rocky ground, and is very hardy under cul- 

 tivation. Var. colensoi has about the same distribution, but is not 

 so common as the typical form. Intermediates between the two- 

 occur, while the species passes into the allied A. richardi, and by it 

 into some forms of A.Jlaccidum. 



6. A. bulbiferum, Forst. {See frontispiece.) //i^^-'^ 



Rhizome stout, horizontal or oblique, scaly above. Stipes 6-12 in. 

 long, greenish, firm, erect, scaly at the base, and with deciduous 

 §cales above and on the rachis. Fronds 1-3 ft. long, bright-green, 

 erect or pendulous, herbaceous, and more or less flaccid ; pinnse 

 numerous, horizontal, often proliferous from the upper surface, 

 sometimes 6-8 in. long, cut down to the winged rachis into numerous 

 lanceolate-ovate pinnules, which are again cut into slightly-toothed) 



