78 DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 



stipes and rachis ; the whole length of the frond with its stipes being from eight to 

 twelve inches or more. It is also narrower than the barren frond, though, like it, only 

 pinnate. The fertile pinnae are also fan-shaped, but far shorter and broader than the 

 barren ones, though also with the lower half of the fan the larger. The sori and 

 involucres are very large, and extend all along the outer edges of the pinnae, but not 

 along the sides. Veins indistinft. This fern occurs throughout the Colony, as well 

 as in the adjacent and Chatham islands. It is usually found growing among manuka 

 scrub, but sometimes among grass, or on cold swampy soil at high levels. In these 

 last cases, however, it is much stunted, the fertile fronds being seldom more than three 

 inches high, and the barren ones even shorter. Though usually found in poor soils, 

 and often in exposed situations, it is a very difficult plant to cultivate, requiring to be 

 kept in a Wardian case, or under a bell-glass and to have its fronds cut away at 

 starting. The typical form, which was first described from Australian specimens, is 

 but shallowly lobed, and occurs in New Zealand also. The more common New 

 Zealand form, however, has rather deep lobes, particularly in the barren fronds, which 

 Mr. Colenso regards as entitling it to be classed as a distinft plant, under the name of 

 " Lindsaya trilobata." In both forms, the lobing almost disappears in the fertile 

 pinnae. The fern occurs also in Australia, Tasmania and New Caledonia. 



LINDSAYA TRICHOMANOIDES. (Lind-say-a tri-kom-an-o-id-ees.) 



PLATE XrX., No. 1. 



This beautiful .fern has a slightly-creeping, brown, scaly rhizome, from one 

 sixteenth to one eighth of an inch thick, from which numerous fronds spring. The 

 stipes is usually about as long as the frond, of a bright reddish brown colour, and quite 

 smooth and shining, except at the very base, where there are sometimes a few small 

 scales. The rachis is like the stipes. Frond broadly lanceolate, divided into distant, 

 broadly lanceolate, opposite pinnae, which are cut down, nearly or quite to their costae, 

 into wedge shaped pinnules, more or less deeply lobed on their outer edges, the middle 

 lobes being often longer than the others. The sori are sub-marginal, continuous 

 round the outer edges of the lobes, and the lower involucres narrower than the upper 

 ones. The texture of the frond is sub-coriaceous, and the colour rather bright green. 

 The veins are indistinct, though more discernible than those of the preceding species. 



This fern is found throughout the Colony, but is more common in the North 

 Island than farther south. It only occurs on high, dry ridges covered with bush, and 

 is nowhere very abundant. Like the preceding one, it is impatient of being shifted, but 

 can be moved with care, and will thrive in leaf-mould or pounded rotten wood. It is 

 best, however, to cut away the whole of the fronds, and let the plant produce new ones, 

 as its roots get fairly established. It occurs in the Australian Colonies and Fiji. It, 

 and L. viridis, belong to the sub-genus Isotoma, which means cut into equal divisions. 



