DESCRIPTIONS OF N.Z. FERNS. 129 



by the Venerable Archdeacon Stock which has deeply crenate edges. I have also 

 seen plants with crested fronds at Christchurch and Dunedin. 



ASPIDIUM OCULATUM. (As-pid-eum oc-u-la-tum.) 



PLATE XXIX., No. 2. 



This is one of the ferns which is a puzzle to collectors. It is supposed to occur 

 at Nelson, Akaroa, Wairarapa, and Wanganui, as well as in the Chatham Islands ; 

 but authorities differ as to whether the New Zealand plants are it or not. I have tried 

 to get at the truth, with the result that I am very doubtful whether it is a distinct fern, 

 or only a form of Aspidium Richardi. Professor Kirk says that the typical plant 

 only occurs in the Chatham Islands, where it grows sometimes four feet high, and has 

 far softer foliage than A. Richardi, and Mr. Colenso seems to agree with him, as he 

 told me he could see no real difference between the Wairarapa plant and A. Richardi, 

 or words to that effect. Mr. T. W. Kirk, on the other hand, appears to regard the 

 Wairarapa fern as real A. oculatum, and kindlv direfted me where to find it, but I 

 could see nothing differing from the Wanganui plant, which Mr. J. Buchanan, formerly 

 of the Wellington Museum, pronounced to be " oculatum," while Professor Kirk said 

 it was only " Richardi." 



Aspidium oculatum is, in fact, precisely like A. Richardi, except that it has longer 

 narrower fronds, softer foliage, more downy under-surface, and very large sori, the 

 involucres of which have a larger black spot in the centre (whence the name which 

 means " eyed ") and a reddish or blackish margin. The New Zealand plants seem 

 the connecting links joining it to ordinary A. Richardi. 



ASPIDIUM CAPENSE. (As-pid-e-um Ca-pen-se.) 



PLATE VI., No. 2. 

 This large handsome fern is so called because it was first discovered at the Cape 

 of Good Hope ; but it is found also all over South Africa, Australia, the Polynesian 

 Islands, the West Indies, and all through South America, as well as in New Zealand 

 and the Chatham Islands. It is found throughout New Zealand in bush, but not in 

 wet bush, unless on logs. It grows indiscriminately on the ground and on logs, and 

 often ascends tree-trunks to a considerable height. I have also seen it growing 

 among the moss and rubbish in the forks of branches, and on stems of tree-ferns. It 

 is also called "Aspidium coriaceum," "A. Cunninghamianum," " Polystichum 

 coriaceum," and " Polypodium adiantiforme." It has moderately thick, creeping, 

 scaly, rhizomes, often spreading over large areas and sending up rather distant fronds. 

 Stipes stout, long, erect, brown or grey, scaly at base but smooth above. Fronds 

 large (often two feet long by one foot broad), ovate-pointed or rhomboidal, bi or tri- 

 pinnate. Pinn^ stalked, and pointing somewhat upwards. Lower pinnules also 

 stalked, upper ones sessile, oval or lanceolate, cut nearly half way to the costa into 



