Folypodium'] I. — filices. 87 



pseudo-involucre ; while in the present species the sorus is at some 

 little distance from the margin and on a veinlet. When the fructi- 

 fication is young, these characters are usually sufficiently distinctive, 

 liut in older specimens this is not the case. Large specimens are 

 usually 3-pinnate, or rarely 4-pinnate at the base. 



Synonyms. — P. rugulosum, Labill.; P. viscidum, Spreng.; Phegop- 

 teris rugulosa, Fee ; Oheilanthes ambigua, A. Rich. 



Distribution. — The typical form is widely distributed, occurring in 

 great part of S. America, Japan, many of the Pacific Islands, Malay 

 Archipelago, India, Australia, and several islands of the Indian and 

 South Atlantic Oceans. 



This is a very common fern throughout the whole of New Zealand, 

 occurring chiefly in woods or on their margins, and springing up 

 freely in bush clearings. It thrives very readily in cultivation, but 

 is a little difficult to transplant successfully, unless very young plants 

 are lifted. Once established, it spreads rapidly. 



3. P. pennigerum, Forst. (Pi. III. fig. 6.) 



Rhizome 6-12 in. high, erect, woody and covered with the bases of 

 old stipes. Stipes 6-12 in. long, stout, glabrous, scaly at the very 

 base. Fronds tufted, 2-3 ft. high, glabrous, membranous, pinnate, 

 except the top, which is pinnatifid ; pinniE 4-8 in. long, |^ in. broad, 

 cut about half-way down into broad, blunt, slightly falcate lobes, 

 which are entire or faintly orenated on their margins ; veinlets 6-8 

 ou a side, free, except the lowest pairs, which unite at the sinuses. 

 Sori numerous on the veinlets, nearer the costa than the margin. 



Synonyms. — Goniopteris pennigera, J. Sm. ; G. forsteri, Moore : / 

 Aspidium pennigerum, Swartz. /^ 



Distribution. — Confined to New Zealand and the Chatham Islands, 

 though closely allied to P. tetragonum, Sw., an American species. It 

 is common from N. Cape to Foveaux Straits, occurring chiefly in 

 woods and on the margins of streams. As a rule, it does not occur 

 at any great distance from the coast. Mr. Potts records specimens 

 ■with a trunk, or rootstook, 27 in. long, and 9 in. in circumference, 

 1 learing fronds 5-6 ft. long. It is an easily cultivated species, thriving 

 best in rich vegetable loam with a plentiful supply of water, and in 

 a shaded locality. 



3. P. australe, Mettenias. 



Rhizome short, creeping, scaly, forming a dense tuft. Fronds 

 tufted, 1-12 in. long, simple, linear or oblanceolate, subacute or 

 obtuse, coriaceous, gradually tapering to a very short winged stipes, 

 naked or slightly ciliate on the margins ; veins free, concealed in the 

 frond, diverging from the midrib. Sori oblong or linear, oblique, 

 close, in 1 row on each side of the midrib. 



