64 DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 



lanceolate. They are twice cut into broad short lobes. The texture and colour are 

 like that of the last fern. The sori are numerous and conspicuous, their involucres 

 being large, extremely hairy (sometimes toothed also), and situated at the ends of the 

 lobes. This fern was first found by my son, Mr. H. A. Field, on the Ruahine 

 Mountains, near the source of the Oroua, in 1876, and two years later by Mr. Hamilton, 

 at Okarito. It has since been gathered by Professor Kirk in Stewart's Island,, and by 

 Mr. T. F. Cheeseman on the top of Te Aroha Mountain, so that it no doubt may be 

 met with nearly throughout the Colony at high levels. It also occurs at Tristan 

 d'Acunha. I believe that no one has tried to grow it, and its cultivation would prob- 

 ably be difficult for want of sufficient cold in winter. The only differences noticed in 

 this fern are as regards size, the specimens from the South being larger than those 

 from the North Island, but this may be accidental. 



HYMENOPHYLLUM CILIATUM. (Hi-men-o-fil-lum sil-li-a-tum.) 

 This is one of the doubtful ferns mentioned a few pages back. It occurs all 

 through the tropics of both Hemispheres, as well as in AustraHa, and is reported as 

 having been once gathered, many years ago, by Mr. H. Travers somewhere in the 

 Nelson Provincial District. Unfortunately the exa6t locality was not noted, and the 

 plant has been sought for in vain by other collectors ever since. Moreover, Mr. 

 Travers had botanised in other countries as well as in New Zealand, and it is known 

 that somehow his Australian specimens got mixed with his Chatham Islands ones, and 

 nearly caused mistake as to the plants belonging to the latter locality. It is thus 

 doubted whether the Hymenophyllum ciliatum was gathered in New Zealand at all, 

 but as the fern, if it occurs in Nelson, is still more likely to do so in the North Island, 

 I have thought it best to include it. It has an erect rhizome covered with hairs or 

 scales. Stipes about half as long as the frond itself, hairy and winged towards the top. 

 Frond oblong or lanceolate, often narrowed towards the apex, two to six inches long 

 and tripinnate. The rachis is broadly winged and hairy. The lower pinnae are usually 

 rhomboidal with a broadly winged costa, and many long lobes which are also hairy. 

 Sori pretty numerous, at ends of lateral pinnae only. Involucres round and swollen, 

 sunk in the ends of the lobes, with valves opening only half way down, and very hairy. 

 Texture membranous, colour bright green. This fern may at once be distinguished by 

 its thick erect rhizome, and its hairy fronds, which seldom unroll completely, 

 particulars in which it differs from all other New Zealand Hymenophylla. It was 

 formerly cultivated in the Botanical gardens at Christchurch, but has died, so that I 

 could get no specimen for a plate. 



The next series of our Hymenophylla belong to the Sub-Genus " Leptocyomium," 

 which is distinguished by having the edges of the foliage furnished with thorny-looking 

 teeth, usually some distance asunder. 



