268 
New Zealand Ferns 
( 105 ) A. japonicum (from Japan). A small, delicate, 
pale-green fern, the rarest Asplenium in New Zealand; 
reported only from the Kermadec Islands and the 
northern end of the North Island. Usually growing on 
the shady banks of creeks. 
Description . — Root long, slender, creeping, densely scaly at 
the tip. Stalks 3 to 9 inches long, slender, pale-brown or straw- 
coloured, scaly when young, especially near the base. Fronds 6 to 
12 inches long, without the stalk, by 2J to 5 inches broad, pale- 
green, thin and membranous. Seeds narrow, oblong. 
Kermadec Islands, not uncommon. North Island: Fairly plen- 
tiful on banks of creeks, Mangonui County, Bay of Isalnds, 
YVhangarei, Northern Wairoa. 
The following extract from a letter to a brother col- 
lector describes my finding of this fern: — 
“I experienced the most extraordinary luck at Wha- 
ngarei. Whether due to my disturbed night on board 
the steamer or the ungodly hour at which I had been 
roused from my bunk I cannot say, but my wits were 
somewhat confused; I seemed to be in a kind of trance. 
On reaching the hotel I had three-quarters of an hour to 
wait for breakfast, with absolutely nothing to do, so I 
jumped on my bicycle and rode out in search of Doodia 
caudcita, which I knew was to be found in the neighbour- 
hood. It was a clear, still day, with very few people 
about. I looked absent-mindedly along the hedgerows, 
but my bicycle seemed to take charge; instead of con- 
tinuing along the straight road it turned down one that 
led to the right, took me down a hill and then stopped 
dead; I could not move it a yard! In front was a level 
road, on the right a gate into a field where there was 
some bush, on the left an unusually stiff barbed-wire 
