386 
I. FILICES. 
[Schizaa. 
Var. Q. australis. Frond 1-3 in. high. — S. australis, Gaudichaud ; S. pectinata, Homb. 
and Jacq., Voy. au Pole Sud, Bot. t. 4 Z. 
Northern Island : common in wet clayey places. Middle Island: probably common, 
but overlooked ; Otago, Hector and Buchanan. Lord Auckland's group, Hombron 
and Jacquemout, J. D. H., Bolton. 
29. MARATTIA, Smith. 
Rhizome large, tuberous, very thick. — Fronds numerous, very large and 
long, 2- or 3-pinnate ; stipes very stout, jointed on to the rhizome, with ad- 
nate stipules at its base, Sori on the under surface of the pinnules, near the 
margin, terminating the veins; each sorus consists of 2 parallel oblong bodies 
(formed of connate coriaceous capsules), with plane opposite faces and convex 
backs, the faces marked with transverse slits leading to cavities containing 
the spores. Spores elliptical, very minute. A narrow fimbriate involucre 
fringes the sorus. 
A tropical genus of few, very variable species. 
1. M. salicina, Smith; — FI. N. Z. ii. 49. Fronds 6-10 ft. high, 
coriaceous, dark green, deltoid, 2- or 3-pinnate ; stipes very stout, green ; 
pinnules sessile or stalked, jointed on to tlierachis, 3-7 in. long, lanceolate or 
linear-oblong, acuminate, rounded at the base, serrate; costa stout, glabrous 
or hairy ; veins parallel, free, simple or forked. Sori brown, in. long. 
Forests in the northern and eastern parts of the Northern Island, Cunningham , etc. ; 
Taranaki {Mrs. Jones). The same species is found iu Australia, India, South Africa, South 
America, and the Pacific Islands. 
Angiopteris evecta, Hoffm., a tropical plant allied to Maratiia, has been stated, on insuf- 
ficient authority, to be a native of New Zealand. 
30. OPHIOG-LOSSUM, Linn. 
Root of fleshy fibres. — Stipes solitary, erect, bearing about the middle one 
oblong, erect, leaf-like frond, with reticulated venation, and terminated by a 
linear flattened spike of fructification. Spike consisting of 2 opposite rows of 
6-30 globose, connate, coriaceous capsules, each bursting transversely. Spores 
very minute, rounded and 3-gonous. 
A genus of but few species, found in all parts of the world, usually in grassy pastures. 
1. O. vulgatum, Linn. ; — Ft. N. Z. ii. 50. Quite glabrous, 1 in.-l ft. 
high. Frond ^—3 in. long, very'variable in length, breadth, and texture. 
Var. /8. costatum. Frond ovate or lanceolate, with usually a distinct costa and evident 
veins. — 0. costatum, Br. ; 0. elongatum, A. Cunu. 
Var. y. gramineum. Frond ovate or lanceolate, acute; costa 0; veins indistinct. — O. 
gramineum, tVilldenow. 
Var. S. lusitanicum. Frond linear-lanceolate or linear-oblong; costa 0; veins indis- 
tinct. — O. lusitanum, Willdenow ; O. coriaceum, A. Gunn. 
Var. e. minimum. Small, 1-2 in. high. Frond rhomboid- or oblong-ovate, acute. 
Common in grassy places throughout the Northern and Middle Islauds, Banks and 
Solander, etc. A native of England and most temperate parts of the world. 
31. BOTRYCHIUM, Linn. 
Root of thick fleshy fibres. — Stipes erect, bearing 1 pinnate or much- 
