82 I. — FiLiCES. [We])hrodiii,iii 



2. N. decompositum, £. Br. 



Rhizome creeping, elongated, slender, more or less branched and 

 covered with chaffy scales. Stipes 8-16 in. long, scaly at the base, 

 finely pubescent. Fronds distant, solitary, membranous, villous or 

 pubescent, 1-2 ft. long, 6-12 in. broad, ovate-acuminate ; lowest pair 

 of pinnae much the largest, 5-7 in. long, 3-4 in. broad, obliquely- 

 deltoid ; upper pinnules lanceolate, pinnate or deeply pinnatifid, 

 segments ovate with acutely-toothed lobes. Sori attached nearer the 

 margin than the midrib. 



Synonyms. — N. pentangularum. Col. ; Aspidium decompositum, 

 Spreng. ; A. microsorum, Endl. ; A. shepherdi, Kunze ; A. acumi- 

 natum, Lowe ; Lastrea decomposita, J. Sm. 



Distribution. — Australia, Tasmania and Norfolk Island ; also in 

 the Chatham Islands. 



This is a fern of very general distribution in New Zealand, 

 occurring chiefly on the banks of rivers — according to Mr. Kirk. 

 In the " Handbook Fl. N.Z." it has been confused with iV. 

 glahMum. 



It is a species which grows readily under cultivation, and from 

 its creeping habit requires only a few inches depth of well-drained 

 loam, with a good supply of moisture. 



3. N. glabellum, A. Cunn. 



Rhizome short, stout, unbranched, clothed with the bases of old 

 fronds. Stipes 3-6 in. long, scaly at the base, naked above, reddish. 

 Fronds few, tufted on the summit of the rhizome, 7-10 in. long, 

 6-9 in. broad, deltoid, acuminate, slightly coriaceous, glossy ; lowest 

 pair of pinnse 4-5 in. long, 2-3 in. broad, narrowly deltoid, rachis 

 winged ; pinnules pinnate or deeply pinnatifid, basal lobes over- 

 lapping; segments with obtusely-toothed lobes. Sori equidistant 

 between the margin and the midrib. 



Synonyms. — N. decompositum, var. pubescens. Hook. /.; N. decom- 

 positum, var. microphyllum. Hook.; Lastrea davallioides, Brack.; 

 L. glabellum, J. Sm.; Aspidium glabellum, Lowe. 



Distribution. — Australia, Fiji and Tahiti. 



Generally distributed in forests throughout New Zealand. Bota- 

 nists are indebted to Mr. Kirk for clearing up the confusion which 

 had arisen regarding this and the preceding species. Though the 

 points of difference between the two are not so very prominent as 

 between many varieties of other species, yet these differences are 

 very persistent, and intermediates do not appear to have been 

 found. 



A very easily cultivated fern, bearing transplantation remarkably 

 well, and requiring very little care, except shelter from too much of 

 the sun's rays. 



