DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 97 



sessile, deltoid, oblong or lanceolate. Pinnules deeply cut into lobes, which, when 

 barren, are broadly oval, but when fertile narrowly tapering and pointed. Sori 

 generally extending to the ends of the lobes, but sometimes broken into detached 

 lengths. Involucres formed of reflexed margin, and so broad as seldom to be hidden 

 by the capsules. Texture thinly coriaceous and shining; under side of pinnules often 

 whitish or greyish. I have met with this fern certainly up to 3000 feet above the sea level. 

 It is not easy to grow this fern from the rhizomes, as, like those of Pteris aquilina, 

 they seem to have a difficulty in again taking hold of the ground when once detached 

 from it. It sheds its spores so abundantly, however, that there is never any difficulty 

 in procuring seedling plants where it occurs, and if these are taken up with a lump of 

 the soil or other material in which they are growing, and planted in sandy loam and leaf- 

 mould, they will increase in size verv rapidly. The rhizomes should be watched, to 

 prevent their climbing over the edge of the pot ; and any which indicate an intention 

 of doing so should be carefully bent, and pegged down, so as to guide them round the 

 inside of the pot ; with a view to which, it is well to keep the top surface of the mould 

 an inch or more below the edge of the pot. By a little care in this way, and 

 occasional shifting into a larger pot, a fine mass of foliage can be produced in a few 

 months, and its peculiar pea-green colour is very pleasing to the eye. 



PTERIS (NEW SPECIES.) 



PLATE XXTIII., No. 2. 



The frond shewn in the plate is one which I lately saw in the possession of my 

 nephew, Mr. D. H. Monro, of Christchurch, who obtained it from a toll-gate keeper 

 at the Otairi Gorge, (usually incorrectly spelt Otira) who collefted and pressed ferns for 

 sale to travellers. As I understand that the man has ceased to keep the toll-gate, I cannot 

 ascertain whether the plant has an erect or a creeping rhizome, or what was the original 

 length of the stipes. The stipes and rachis are shining reddish brown, the latter 

 shading to straw-colour towards the top, and they are channelled in front. The costae 

 are also brown, shading to straw-colour. The frond is long, lanceolate. The pinnae 

 are arranged in pairs, and ascend slightly. The first three pairs are shortly stalked, 

 the next pair narrowly sessile, and the others broadly sessile and slightly decurrent on 

 the lower side. The lowest pair are pinnate on the lower side, and pinnatifid on the 

 upper, the next two pairs pinnate on both sides, and the others pinnatifid, or more or 

 less deeply lobed. The texture is rather harshly coriaceous, with indistinft anastomosing 

 veins ; a rather stout nerve shewing all along the outer edges on the upper side, and 

 connecting the veins. The colour has apparently been yellowish green, and the upper 

 surface extremely glossy. The sori are continuous, the capsules shewing from beneath 

 a rather wide involucre, formed of the reflexed margin. 



The fern is certainly new as a New Zealand plant, and I can find no description 



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