Aspidium . ] 
I. FJLICES. 
375 
Son on the back of the pinnae, distant from the margin, on the middle of a 
vein, globose. Involucre orbicular, membranous, flat or convex, peltately at- 
tached to the centre of the sorus. 
One of the largest genera of ferns, found in all parts of the globe. The A. hispidum, 
Swartz, is referred to the genus Nephrodium. 
1. Rhizome short, stout, woody, and scaly. Fronds tufted. Involucre flat or concave. 
Frond 2-pinnate, narrow, attenuate below. Scales on stipes large, 
broad, membranous, mixed with hairs 1. A. aculeatum. 
Frond rigid, 1- or 2-pinnate, oblong or ovate, not attenuate below. 
Scales on stipes narrow, black, rigid. Involucre with dark disk . . 2. A. Ricliardi. 
Frond rigid, 2-pinuate, not attenuate below. Scales ou stipes rigid, 
black with white edges. Involucre with large black disk . . . . 3. A. oculatum. 
Involucre very convex, lullate, subglobose. 
Frond flaccid, narrow. Scales very large, pale, membranous .... 4. A. cystosteyia. 
2. Rhizome creeling. Fronds rather membranous. 
Frond 2-4 pinnate, deltoid. Pinnules aristate 5. A. aristatum. 
Frond 2-4-pinnate, deltoid. Pinnules obtuse 6 .A. coriaceum. 
Frond hispid with spreading bristles. (See Nephrodium hispidum.) 
1. A. aculeatum, Swartz ; var. vestltum. Hook. — Polysticfonn ves- 
titum, Presl ; — El. N. Z. ii. 38. Rhizome very stout, woody, erect or ascend- 
ing, sometimes 2-4 ft. high. Fronds tufted, rather flaccid, forming a 
spreading crown, 1-3 ft. high, coriaceous, linear or ovate-oblong, 2-pinnate, 
gradually narrowed below, sometimes proliferous ; stipes stout, covered with 
large, brown, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, membranous, often lacerate, straight 
or curved scales, which are sometimes 1 in. long, and margined with white ; 
rachis woolly with brown hairs, glabrate in age, and having a few scales also ; 
primary divisions of frond very numerous, horizontal, linear-lanceolate, acumi- 
nate ; pinnules numerous, ovate-oblong, pungent, sharply toothed or pinnatifid, 
segments shortly stipitate, pungent, lower outer margin auricled. Sori nu- 
merous ; involucre orbicular, flat, stalked. — Hook. Sp. Fil. iv. 22 ; A. pul- 
clierrirnum and A. waiJcarense, Colenso ; A. venustum, Hombr. and Jacq. 
Voy. au Pole Sud, Bot. t. 4 and 5. 
Abundant in the mountainous parts of the Northern Island, and throughout the 
Middle to Campbell’s and M'Qnarrie’s Islands. Also very common in South-east 
Australia, Tasmania, and Fuegia ; this differs a good deal from the prevalent European forms 
of A. aculeatum, but is connected by innumerable intermediates. 
2. A. Hichardi, Hook. — Polystichum aristatum, FI. N. Z. t. 78. f. 5, 
not of Presl. Rhizome short, stout, scaly. Fronds 8 in. -2 ft. high, tufted, 
rigid, ovate-oblong or almost deltoid, not narrowed below, 1- or 2-pinnate, 
finely acuminate, glabrous or with white wmolly hairs below ; stipes and rachis 
slender, rigid, rough with scattered, narrow, subulate, black, rigid, deciduous 
scales, that have fimbriate bases ; primary branches patent or ascending, lan- 
ceolate, acuminate, deeply pinnatifid or again pinnate ; pinnules numerous, 
lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, serrate, pungent, sessile or stalked, glabrous or 
woolly and scaly like the stipes below. Sori in 2 rows on each segment; 
involucre flat, with a small dark disk. 
Var. a. Frond broader, 3-piunate ; pinnules spreading. — A. coriaceum, var. acutiden- 
tatum, A. Rich. 
