Folypodiuni] I. — filices. 89 



in which it has been found is Banks' Peninsula, and it is very rare 

 there. 



6. P. serpens, Forst. 



Rhizome wide-creeping, slender, firm, covered with narrow acum- 

 inate reddish scales. Stipes ^-3 in. long, firm. Fronds simple, 

 entire, of two forms, the barren obovate or orbicular, 1-3 in. long, 

 the fertile longer and narrower, 2-6 in. long, all thick and coriaceous, 

 and coated below with a thick whitish or rusty, stellate tomentum ; 

 veins hidden. Sori large, numerous, iiTegularly scattered, often 

 becoming confluent and covering the upper half of the frond. 



Synonyms. — P. rupestre, Br. ; P. stellatum, A. Rich.; P. elseagni- 

 folium, Bory. ; P. confluens. Hook. ; Niphobolus rupestris, Kavif. ; 

 "S. confluens, Bail. 



Distribution. — Westwards to Australia; eastward through the 

 iSouth Pacific Islands to Tahiti. Also in the Chatham Islands. 



A most abundant fern in New Zealand from N. Cape to Stewart 

 Island, and ranging from sea-level to between 3,000 and 4,000 ft. 

 It is always found creeping on the trunks of trees or on rocks, and 

 is an easily cultivated species. Its stellate hairs are favourite 

 microscopic objects. 



7. P. cunniiighaniii, Hooh. 



Phizome short, creeping, covered with large, dull-brown, lanceolate 

 scales. Fronds tufted, glabrous, coriaceous, 6-12 in. long, -|-|- in. 

 bi'oad, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, quite entire, gradually narromng 

 to a short, winged stipes ; veins anastomosing, without free veinlets 

 in the areoles. Sori large, prominent, round or oblong in one row 

 nearer the midrib than the edge. 



Synonyms. — P. attenuatum. Hook. ; Dictymia lanceolata, J. Sm. 



Distribution. — New Hebrides. 



In New Zealand this fern is more limited in its range than others ' 

 ■of the same group. It is common in the North Island, ascending to 

 2,500 ft. ; in the South Island, we are informed on the authority of 

 Banks and Solander in Hooker's "Handbook," it occurs as far south as 

 Akaroa. It does not appear to have been gathered again at the last- 

 named locality. According to Mi-. Potts it grows near Nelson, 

 which is the only other locality I know in the South Island. It 

 usually grows on the trunks of trees or on rocks, but is sometimes 

 found with a terrestrial habitat on the banks of streams. 



8. P. pustulatum, Forst. 



Bhizome long, woody, slender, copiously-branched, climbing tall 

 trees, clothed with linear, dark-brown, squarrose scales. Stipes 1-3 

 in. long, slender, glabrous. Fronds variable, fii-mly membranous, 

 sometimes' entire, 3-9 in. long, ^-| in. broad, gradually narrowing to 

 both ends, or 8-18 in. long and more or less deeply pinnatifid into 



