DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 77 



Involucres white, bladder-like, and membranous at first, but almost disappearing as the 

 fructification ripens. The texture of frond is sub-membranous, colour light green, and 

 the stipes and rachis contain very little woody fibre, and hence are very brittle. This 

 fern has been gathered in the Wairarapa valley, and at various points from thence to 

 Mount Egmont ; so that it no doubt occurs sparsely over the southern half of the 

 North Island. In the Middle Island it has been met with from Nelson to Foveaux 

 Straits, but curiously enough at higher levels than those at which it is know to occur 

 in the North Island. This may, however, arise from the fafl that the higher levels of 

 the North Island have been less explored than those of the Middle one ; and thus it 

 may yet be found at greater altitudes in the former. In the North Island, however, it 

 has, I believe, only been found in the light bush, while farther south it occurs in open 

 ground, in clefts of rocks. 



It grows very freely, when cultivated in light soil and sheltered from wind, and 

 soon fills the pot. Its delicate green colour makes it a favourite plant with fern-growers, 

 and it sheds its spores so freely that any one who has a pot of it soon finds an 

 abundance of seedlings coming up all about his fernery. It appears strange, therefore, 

 that the plant is not more abundant in the Colony, as it seems to occur throughout 

 the tropics, and both temperate zones. The reason probably is that its soft texture 

 makes it particularly Hable to destruction by slugs and similar insects. 



TRIBE LINDSAYS. (LInd-say-ae.) 

 Has sori forming a line at, or very close to, the edge of the frond, which is 

 divided into two thicknesses or involucres, the upper of which is of the texture 

 of the frond, and the lower generally more membranous. 



GENUS LINDSAYA. (Lind-say-a.) 

 This has the rhizomes creeping or tufted, the fronds generally compound or 

 coriaceous, with free veins. Sori elongated, marginal or sub-marginal. Involucres 

 double, and opening outwards. 



LINDSAYA LINEARIS. (Lind-say-a lin-e-a-ris.) 



PLATE XIX., Nos. 4 and fe. 

 This fern has a thin, slightly-creeping, scaly rhizome, sending up numerous fronds 

 of two different charafters, barren and fertile. The barren ones have a moderately 

 long stipes, which, as well as the rachis, is purple red or black, slender and shining. 

 The frond is generally about four inches long, by one inch wide, oblong and pinnate. 

 The pinnae are usually about half an inch long, alternate, stalked, and irregularly fan- 

 shaped ; the outer edge being cut into lobes of greater or less depth, and the lower 

 half of the fan being larger than the upper. These barren fronds generally lie more or 

 less prostrate. The fertile fronds stand ereft, and have a much longer and stouter 



