DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 95 



acute angles. The terminal ones are generally larger than the others, and usually cut 

 into deep lobes, which have slightly indented or toothed edges. Sori sub-marginal, 

 but usually placed in the hollows between the lobes, and stopping short of the ends, 

 yellow or light brown. Involucres formed of altered margin, and soon hidden by the 

 capsules. Colour rather dark bright green ; texture coriaceous and glossy. This fern is 

 common all down the West Coast of the North Island, but seems less so on the 

 Eastern seaboard. It is confined to valleys, and is more frequently met with near 

 the coast than farther inland, not ascending to any great height above the sea-level. The 

 pinnules vary greatly in size as well as in shape, the more branched the frond the 

 smaller are the pinnules in proportion, and the handsomer the plant in consequence. 

 I have seen them sometimes nearly as broad as long, while at others the length is four 

 or five times the breadth. It is very scarce in the Middle Island, being only reported 

 from the Grey Valley by Sir Julius Von Haast, and is said to occur at Banks's Peninsula 

 by Mr. G. M Thompson ; though I do not see it in any published list of Canterbury 

 ferns which I possess, and know that Christchurch florists are glad to import plants 

 from the North Island. It is also called Litobrochia macilenta. A very pretty dwarf 

 form, which I have heard call " variety minor," is found at Turakina, and from its having 

 received a distinguishing title, it probably occurs elsewhere, though I have not heard 

 of it from any other locality. It never grows above a foot or fifteen inches high, and 

 has small oval pinnules. It also propagates itself by dividing into several crowns, 

 which the normal form does not. All forms are easily cultivated in sandy soil and 

 leaf-mould, and do best in the shade, though not absolutely requiring it. 



PTERIS COMANS. (Pter-ris co-mans.) 



PLATE XXIV., Ko. I. 

 This fern, in its typical form, seems only to occur from about Auckland northward 

 and to be confined exclusively to the immediate vicinity of the sea. In its general 

 charafter it resembles the preceding one, but is less divided, being seldom, if ever 

 more than bi-pinnate. The pinnules are not stalked, but sessile, though the lower ones 

 are only narrowly so. It seems to vary much in size and texture. All the plants 

 which I have seen were much smaller than Pt. macilenta, with far lighter colour and 

 more coriaceous texture, sometimes almost fleshy ; while Mrs. Jones distinguishes it 

 from Pt. macilenta by " its larger size and darker colour," and Mr. G. M. Thomson 

 describes it as " membranous and flaccid." I fancy the latter is a mistake, arising 

 from some plants of Pt. macilenta, which I saw in Dunedin, being mis-named Pt. 

 comans. The fact is that the two plants are so connefted by intermediate links that 

 I greatly doubt whether they ought not to be classed merely as two forms of one fern. 

 I have myself gathered fronds, about twenty miles up the Wanganui River, which I 

 should unhesitatingly have pronounced to be Pt. comans if I had seen them at 



