I20 DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 



I lately found in the space of a few square yards, at St. Clair, near Dunedin, a 

 complete sequence, from an apparently small A. lucidum, with one or two slight 

 indentations at the bases of the pinnae, up to the extreme form shown at Plate XXIX, 

 No. 2. 



The next group is called the " Asplenium cuneatum group." It has fronds hi to 

 quadri-pinnate, with coriaceous texture, and ultimate divisions linear or ovate-cuneate, 

 often glossy on upper surface ; venation sub-flabellate. It includes 



ASPLENIUM HOOKERIANUM. (As-ple-ne-um Hook-er-e-a-num.) 



PLATE XVI., No. 4. 



This is found in S.E. Australia as well as in New Zealand, and is by no means 

 uncommon, from just above sea-level up to certainly 2000 feet elevation, in the North 

 Island, and is said to be even commoner in the Middle one. It seems only to grow 

 on dry hill-sides or steep faces, and not in heavy bush. In the southern parts of the 

 Colony it is said to grow on rocky ground, but in the North island I have only found 

 it on sandy or gravelly soils. It is also called " A. adiantoides." 



This pretty little fern has a rather stout, erect rhizome, bearing a crown of a few 

 fronds only. The stipes is usually rather short, thin, ereft, green or yellowish-brown, 

 with a few scales, particularly when young. Rachis the same. Frond oval or oblong 

 bi or tri-pinnate, the costae being long and bare. The pinnules are very few in number, 

 stalked and vary somewhat in form. Some are simply rounded at the ends, and 

 wedge-shaped towards the stalk, while others have the centre somewhat elongated 

 with rounded lobes on both sides. Edge sometimes entire, sometimes toothed or 

 slightlv lobed. Sori few in number, rather radiating from the stalk. Involucres white 

 and membranous. It seldom, if ever, exceeds fifteen inches high. 



VAR. COLENSOI. (Co-len-so-i.) 



PLATE XXVII., No. 1. 

 This is precisely similar to the other ingrowth, and occurs in the same situations, 

 though it is less common. In the Synopsis it is included in a different group (called 

 the "Asplenium cicutarium group"), but unquestionably wrongly so, for not only do 

 the two plants grow together, but- sometimes fronds of both forms are found on the 

 same plant. Of course in such cases neither frond is quite up to the typical form, but 

 more or less intermediate, but their occurrence on the one plant proves the identity of 

 the tvpical ones. Var. Colensoi has its pinnules divided into deep narrow lobes, with 

 the result that the sori become submarginal, and hence Sir W. J. Hooker classed it as 

 a variety of A. Richardi. Both varieties are very easily cultivated in sandy soil and 

 leaf-mould (though I have found that plants raised from spores thrive the best) ; but 

 they are terribly liable to be attacked by slugs and woodlice. In fact, the tender 



