76 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF DUBLIN. 



I have growing these species appear to pass so much into one another 

 that difference of locality may alone have given characteristics of 

 separation. Although differing in appearance and habit of growth, 

 yet each species preserves its membranaceous character, the forked 

 veins of the pinnae, and the disposition of the sori. Not so with the 

 Hymenophylla, for these present the greatest variation of form of frond, 

 pinnules, venation, and involucres, which completely characterise dis- 

 tinct species. 



I will now enumerate a few of the species of Hymenophylla that I 

 have in cultivation, or in my herbarium. The Hymenophylla that 

 I have received from New Zealand, and of which several are growing, 

 are known by the Maories as muka-muk. Those natives are, however, 

 so indolent that no remuneration would induce them to collect, other- 

 wise I should have had a splendid series brought home to me. 



Hymenophyllum dilatatum, the largest and most beautiful of the 

 genus, growing on rocks, and pendulously from the trunks of trees. 



H. demissum, very abundant. 



H. flexuosum, a very pretty fern, with the stipes winged and the 

 margins undulated and crisped. 



H. asahrum, pendulous from the trees in the dense forests near 

 "Wellington. 



H. minimum. — I obtained specimens of this extremely minute fern 

 from Colonel Dwyer, who commanded a division of the 14th Eegiment, 

 in New Zealand. It is considered scarce, found growing on the roots 

 of trees. I had some specimens sent me by my friend, Mr. Haines, 

 from Wairarapa Valley, growing on the stem of a tree-fern. It lived 

 for some time in my fernery. On the same portion of the tree-fern a 

 very pretty Hymenophyllum is growing. My friend Dr. Alexander, 

 K. N., sent me a specimen of this fern, collected on the sides of a 

 mountain gully, between Chusan and Hong Kong, with Polypodium 

 lingua. 



II. rarum, another beautiful little species common on the stems of 

 fern-trees, not unlike E. Tunhridgense. 



H. crispatum, trunks of tree-ferns, New Zealand. 



II. Tunhridgense, distributed throughout the island, and in no way 

 differing from British specimens ; Hymenophyllum cupressiforme ; H. 

 unilaterale. Of these three forms of ferns from New Zealand the 

 greatest confusion prevails. It has often much surprised me that British 

 botanists are so persistent in making H. unilaterale the true represen- 

 tative of II. Wilsoni ; for I venture to assert that few have ever 

 possessed truly-authenticated specimens of H. unilaterale, of Wildenow. 

 and of Bory St. Vincent, and none to have seen living specimens. H. 

 unilaterale seems altogether to be confined to the Island of Bourbon, 

 where alone it was met and described by Bory St. Vincent. I hope, 

 should some specimens succeed that I have growing of the New Zealand 

 Unilaterale fruit, to be able to enter more fully into the subject. Of 

 the variety B. cupressiforme which I exhibit, the fronds are most 

 peculiar, and are such as are described as a variety of H. Tunhridgense 



