DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 99 



except a very narrow stripe along the centre of each. Sori linear. Involucres formed 

 of reflexed margin of the frond, and soon hidden by the sori. 



This fern is found in India, and thence southward and eastward to the Fijis, 

 Australia," Tasmania and New Zealand. It would appear as if only the simple form of 

 frond was known in most of the above localities ; as for a long time, it and the pinnatifid 

 form, which was called " Lomaria elongata," were supposed to be distinft ferns, though 

 in Fiji and New Zealand, both kinds are constantly found on the same plant. The 

 fern is found throughout the North Island, or at all events as far north as the 

 neighbourhood of Auckland, from a few feet above the sea-level to certainly 2000 feet 

 elevation. It is also plentiful on the West Coast of the Middle Island, though 

 scarcer on the Eastern side, where it occurs at all events as far south as Dunedin. It 

 only occurs in very damp shady places, and often in quite boggy ones, so that if it is 

 planted in rich vegetable mould you can hardly give it too much water. It will not 

 bear much drought, however, and I have seen large patches of it die if a road were 

 opened past them, or if the adjacent ground was cleared. It often occurs on faces of 

 dripping cliffs. It is also called L. elongata, L. Colensoi, L. Heterophylla, L. 

 Cumingiana, and L. punfilata. 



LOMARIA VULCANICA. (Lo-ma-re-a vul-can-ik-a). 



CONFOUNDED WITH L. PROCERA BV THE MAORIS AND CALLED " KOROKIO." 



PLATE XXVII., Nos. 5 and 5a. 



This fern has a very stout, erect, scaly caudex, producing a crown of few fronds. 

 The stipes is rather long, ere6l, and somewhat scaly at the base ; usually brown and 

 woody. Rachis also brown, shading to colour of frond. Frond more or less broadly 

 triangular, and pinnatifid. The pinnae of the barren frond broad, oblong-acuminate, 

 or tapering, and widened at the base : the lowest ones being bent downwards and 

 outwards. Colour dark oUve-green ; texture coriaceous. The fertile fronds are much 

 longer than the barren ones, and usually narrower in proportion to their length. Their 

 pinnae are very narrow, with a small leafy base to each, and some distance asunder. 

 The surfaces and margin are said to be sometimes slightly hairy, but I never saw them 

 so myself. It is also called " L. filosa," L. deflexa," and " L. deltoides." 



This is quite a sub-alpine fern. I have never seen it growing at a lower level than 

 about 2000 feet above the sea in the North Island, though it may possibly descend lower 

 farther south. It mostly occurs in rather open bush (usually birch bush), but I have 

 seen it growing in almost open ground near the base of Ruapehu. The late Mr. Potts 

 described it as common on Banks's Peninsula, and the Malvern Hills, Canterbury ; 

 but, unless in those places, it seems to be nowhere abundant, though it has been met 

 with nearly from end to end of the Colony. It grows also in Java, Tasmania, and the 

 Pacific Islands. It is easily cultivated in sandy loam, mixed with leaf-mould. 



