DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FER VS. 5' 



involucre. The whole under-surface of the frond, in fact, becomes a mass of fructifi- 

 cation ; and as the texture of the pinnules is very harsh, and the sori large and hard, 

 it is not easy to press this fern satisfactorily. The sori, of course, split open across 

 the top when ripe. This fern is very easily cultivated, and its carelessness in the 

 matter of shade, and its harsh texture, which renders it little liable to injury from wind, 

 make it a very suitable one for a garden, particularly if planted among low shrubs, 

 which will prevent the soil about the roots from becoming too dry. When it overtops 

 the shrubs it looks very well. The Maoris used this fern a good deal in building their 

 huts ; the walls being often composed entirely of it, as it lasts well in the ground. 

 For more important buildings, such as whare-punis and runanga-houses, they dress off 

 the outer surface, so as to show the bases of the stipites and the internal structure of 

 the caudex, which is very handsomely marked with grey and black. They then set 

 these up at regular intervals around the interior of the house to act as columns, and 

 fill in the intervals with panelling of fern stalks or toi reeds (sometimes blackened 

 spirally with a hot ember), secured by Interlacing bands of New Zealand flax or kiekie, 

 or the white split hearts of the kiekie runners ; the whole having a very pretty 

 appearance. Fences, too, are often built of these caudices to enclose yards or 

 portions of pas ; and very pretty vases may be turned out of them by anyone who is a 

 good hand at the lathe. Mr. Colenso's " D. gracilis " has a lighter crown, with 

 narrower foliage ; and lateral shoots with crowns grow out of the caudex all the way 

 up it, but I can see no good specific difference. It is common. 



DICKSONIA FIBROSA. (Dik-so-ne-a Fi-bro-sa.) 



"woolly tree fern"; >L-\0RI X.A.MES " ^^'EKIPO^■GA " AND " TAKOTE." 



PLATE X., No. 5, and XXT., No. 1. 

 This is the handsomest of all our tree ferns, from the great number of fronds 

 which form its crown, and the manner in which they rise in tiers one above the other ; 

 and in its typical form it is confined to New Zealand. The caudex seldom, if ever, 

 attains the height of 25ft., but is extremely stout in appearance, owing to the mass of 

 matted fibrous aerial roots which envelops the actual caudex and which is often I5in. 

 to i8in. in diameter, and occasionally even more. Curiously enough, it Is often larger 

 in diameter above than below, particularly in plants not exceeding 6ft. or so in height ; 

 which shows to how great an extent this fern absorbs nourishment from the 

 atmosphere by means of its aerial roots. The fronds simply droop down as they 

 wither, and thus the old ones of several seasons are usually to be seen hanging around 

 the caudex and protecting it from sun and wind ; while the sub-erect growth of the 

 live ones makes them act as a funnel to convey rain down to the caudex, which then 

 absorbs it, owing to its soft fibrous character. The stipes is short, and^ like the rachis 

 and costae, is thickly covered with soft downy hairs, which are of a light brown below 



