ii6 DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 



at elevations of from 500 to 3000 feet. Mr. Thompson says it is found in the ranges 

 of the North Island, from Wellington to the East Cape and Taranaki, and as far north 

 as Tauranga, but I do not know on what authority, as I have never heard of its 

 occurring north of Cook's Straits. If it does so occur, it must be very locally, and at 

 very high levels. He also says it is an extremely hardy species, and grows readily 

 under cultivation, but this does not agree with my own experience, as all the plants 

 which I have had have soon died, apparently for want of mountain air, or because our 

 -Wanganui climate is too warm, or possibly because it likes to squeeze its roots into 

 crevices of rocks, or chinks in old walls, a situation in which it often occurs in 

 England. 



The next group is known as the Asplenium marinum group, after an English fern 

 so called from its growing on rocks, and in caves by the sea-side. These ferns have 

 usually a coriaceous texture, bright green colour, and comparatively obscure veins. 

 Sori nearly equal, in two rows, on either side of a distinft mid-rib. This group 

 includes the following : 



ASPLENIUM FLABELLIFOLIUM. (As-ple-ne-um fla-bel-lif-o-le-um.) 



PLATE VI., No. 6. 



This curious fern is found in Australia and Tasmania as well as in New Zealand. 

 It seems to occur from end to end of both Islands, but usually at some height above 

 the sea, and in crevices of rocks, though I know of one instance in which it grows in 

 rather sandy soil under a hedge. It is very easy to cultivate, and is one of the best of 

 New Zealand ferns to plant in a hanging basket. 



Its rhizome is small and erect, bearing only a few fronds. The stipes is long, 

 thin, smooth, and generally brown below and green above. Rachis green. The frond 

 is very long, and usually oblong or narrowly lanceolate. It has numerous stalked, or 

 narrowly-sessile, fan-shaped pinnae, placed alternately on opposite sides of the rachis 

 at considerable distances asunder and with lobed and toothed edges. The sori are 

 few in number and radiate fan-fashion from the bases of the pinnae. The involucres 

 are membranous. The fronds usually terminate in a long thread-Hke continuation of 

 the rachis, at the end of which there is a bud which takes root, and produces a fresh 

 plant. These fresh plants will, however, form on the end of the thread, when the 

 frond is hanging down over the side of a pot or basket, without the bud being in 

 contafl with the ground. Occasionally, however, a plant is met with which does not 

 produce the thread, but has its fronds terminating in very large pinnae of the same 

 shape as the rest. At page 228, Vol. XX of the Philosophical Transactions, Mr. 

 Colenso describes, under the name " var. ramosum," a forked or branching form found 

 by a Mr. Hamilton in 1882 in woods near the town of Waipawa, Hawke's Bay. The 

 fern is also called " Asplenium flabelliforme." 



