Plate 63. 
BLECHNUM TABULAKE. 
Class, FiLiCES : — Ferns, no true flowers. 
Genus, Blechnum : — Fronds pinnate, barren and fertile fronds similar 
or difierentiated. Veins usually free, forked. Sori in continuous 
lines, parallel to and usually contiguous with midrib. Indusium 
membraneous, also continuous. 
Blechnum tabulare, Kuhn. Stem stout, woody, covered 
with very narrow, brown scales. Barren frond 7-14 in. 
long, 4-6 in. broad, leaflets 2-3 in. long, \-h in. broad, 
narrowing gradually to a point, sometimes lobed at the 
base, tough in texture. Fertile frond narrow, the leaflets 
Smaller and closer. Indusium fimbriated. 
Abundant in both Islands. 
As in the former species, the young fronds come up bright 
red and colour the hillsides where they grow. 
Description of plate : — 1, mature frond ; 2 and 3, young plants ; 
4, section of stem ; 5, back of frond, showing sori ; 6, sporangia. All 
except 1, 2 and 3 enlarged. 
