Neplvrodiwnii] i. — fiuces. 81 



Fronds 2-4-pinnate. 



Rhizome creeping, elongated. Fronds 

 scattered, 1-2 ft. long, glabrous or 

 slightly pubescent 2. N. decompositum. 



Rhizome short, stout. Fronds tufted, 

 7-10 in. long, glabrous or slightly- 

 pubescent 3. N. glabellum. 



Rhizome short, stout. Fronds 1-2 ft. long, 



quite downy on both sides 4. N. velutinum. 



Rhizome stout, creeping. Fronds 1-2 ft. 

 long ; stipes and rachis hispid with 

 rough scaly hairs 5. N. hispidum. 



II. — Eunephrodium. Lower veinlets of contiguous groups united. 

 Fronds 2}inrui,te in both sjjecies. 



Rhizome creeping. Fronds ovate-oblong, 

 rather rigid ; lower pinnae not re- 

 duced 6. N. unitum. 



Rhizome short, horizontal or suberect. 

 Fronds oblong-lanceolate, rather 

 membranous and flaccid, pubescent 

 on both surfaces ; lower pinnse much 

 reduced 7. N. molle. 



1. N. thelypteris, l>esv.; var. squamulosum, ScMecht. 



Rhizome slender, wide-creeping. Stipes about 1 ft. long, slender, 

 pale-coloured except at the base, which is blackish, quite naked or 

 more or less covered with pale, convex, scattered scales. Fronds 

 membranous, 1-2 ft. long, 3-6 in. broad, lanceolate; pinnse subopposite, 

 spreading, lJ-3 in. long, J- in. broad, cut nearly to the rachis into 

 entire linear-oblong lobes, which are broader in the sterile than in 

 the fertile fronds ; lower veinlets forked, upper simple. Sori 

 numerous, small, not confluent, in rows near the recurved margin ; 

 involucres cordate-reniform. 



Synonyms. — N. squamulosum, Hook.; Lastrea thelyptens, Presl. ; 

 L. palustris, J. Sm.; &c., ifcc. 



Distribution. — The typical plant is common throughout the North 

 temperate zone, while the local variety is also found in South 

 Africa. 



Rare in New Zealand, and very limited in its distribution. It 

 occurs only in the north end of the North Island, from the Bay of 

 Islands to Rotomahana, which is probably its most southerly habitat, 

 and within these limits is of rather local occurrence. Maketu — on 

 the E. Coast — is probably the locality where it is most abundant, 



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