364 
I. F1LICES. 
[Pier is. 
ing the hillsides over extensive areas, Banks and Solander, etc. The var. esculenta, dis- 
tinguished chiefly by the decurrent pinnules, is common in the south temperate zone ; the 
ordinary state of the plant is found over all other parts of the world. Rhizomes formerly 
roasted and eaten by the natives. 
2. P. tremula, Br. ; — FI. N. Z. ii. 25. Frond 1-5 ft. high, rather 
membranous, broadly deltoid, 2- or 3-pinnate or decompound, quite glabrous, 
bright or pale-green ; stipes and rachis perfectly smooth and polished ; pri- 
mary branches ascending ; pinnules 1-2 in. long, ^ broad, linear, obtuse, 
sessile, decurrent, crenate, subacute ; costa shining ; veins forked, free ; fer- 
tile pinnules entire, sometimes narrow-linear, with the involucres almost 
meeting at the costa. — Hook. Sp. Fil. ii. 174 ; P. affinis , A. Rich. ; P. tenuis, 
A. Cunn. (form with narrow pinnules). 
Abundant throughout the Northern and diddle Islands, Banks and Solander, etc. 
Also frequent in Tasmania, Australia, and Chili. 
3. P. scaberula, A. Rich. FI. 82. t. 11 ; — FI. N. Z. ii. 25. Rhizome 
stout, woody, hairy, and often scaly. Fronds 6-18 in. high, rigid, erect, co- 
riaceous, yellow-green, glandular-pubescent or glabrate, ovate or linear-oblong, 
2- or 3-pinnate; stipes and rachis stout, yellow-red, glandular-pubescent and 
scabrid ; primary branches linear-lanceolate, stipitate ; pinnules very small, 
T V~ i in. long, substipitate, elliptic-oblong or obovate-oblong, crenate-serrate 
or entire, acute or obtuse, sometimes auricled at the base. Sori generally 
surrounding the whole pinnule. — Hook. Sp. Fil. ii. 174. t. 93 A. 
Abundant throughout the Northern and diddle Islands : generally in woods, Banks 
and Solander, etc. 
4. P. incisa, Thunberg. — P. vesper tilionis, Labill. FI. Nov. Holl. t. 245 ; 
FI. N. Z. i. 26. Rhizome stout, glabrous. Fronds large, perfectly glabrous, 
glaucous below, broadly deltoid, 2-4 ft. high, membranous or rather cori- 
aceous, 2- or 3-pinnate (rarely pinnate) ; stipes and rachis stout, quite gla- 
brous, pale, polished, often glaucous ; primary branches ovate-lanceolate ; 
secondary linear-lanceolate, acute, often adnate at the base ; pinnules broad- 
oblong or oblong-lauceolate, adnate or decurrent on the rachis, -§•- | in. long, 
entire or obtusely lobed crenulate or pinnatifid ; costa stout, flexuose ; veins 
netted towards their bases. — P. Brunoniana, Endl. ; P. montana, Colenso. 
Abundant on skirts of woods throughout the Northern and diddle Islands, Banks 
and Solander, etc. Iiord Auckland’s group, J. D. H. An Australian and Tasmanian 
fern; also found in the East and West Indies, South Africa, Chili, and Brazil. 
5. P. macilenta, A. Rich. Ft. t. 12 ; — Ft. N. Z. ii. 26. Fronds large, 
tall, 1-5 ft. high, broadly deltoid, very membranous, flaccid, pale green, quite 
glabrous, rarely puberulous below, 2-4-pinnate ; stipes and rachis quite 
smooth, shining ; primary and secondary branches on long slender stalks ; 
pinnules scattered ; the uppermost adnate and decurrent on the rachis ; lower 
on slender stalks, ovate-oblong, acute, deeply coarsely toothed serrate or 
lobed, especially towards the tip ; costa flexuous; veins forked, netted towards 
their base only. Sori in the notches, broad.— Hook. Sp. Fil. ii. 219. 
Northern Island : abundant in shady woods. Middle Island : Canterbury, Ilaast. 
One of the most beautiful of ferns, not found elsewhere. 
6. P. Endliclieriana, Agardh. — P. comans, FI. N. Z. ii. 26 ; ? of Foist. 
