244 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XIV, July I960 
in Samoa and is quite distinct from the Fijian 
and New Caledonian forms in having the sori 
free from the pinnae and not in any way im- 
mersed. 
LORD HOWE ISLAND 
Hymenophyllum moorei Bak. 
Hymenophyllum moorei Bak. Syn. Fil. 464, 
1874. 
Hymenophyllum pumilum C. Moore, Copel. 
Philipp. J. Sci. 64, 91, 1937 (in part). 
Copeland united the Australian H. pumilum 
and the Lord Howe Island H. moorei , disre- 
garding the distinctions noted by Baker in the 
original descriptions. A comparison of both 
types at Kew shows that the sori in the Aus- 
tralian material are terminal, not immersed at 
the base, and have valves slightly serrated at 
the apex, while the Lord Howe Island spec- 
imen has lateral sori, immersed at the base, and 
with conspicuously toothed valves. The distinc- 
tion in position of the sori is alone sufficient 
to retain the two as separate species. Cope- 
lands illustration (pi. 45) figures H. moorei, 
not H . pumilum. 
Specimens examined: C. Moore unnumbered 
( Kew ) , Baker’s type. 
Hymenophyllum howense Brownlie n. sp. 
Rhizoma longe repens, sparsis et rufis pilis 
ornatum; stipes filiformis, 2 ad 4 cm. longus, 
ad basem pilosus; frondes usque ad 5 cm. altae, 
2 cm. latae, lineares ovatae, tri-quadri-pinnatif- 
idae; segmentis usque ad 2 cm. longis, angustis 
linearibus, inconspicue serrulatis; sori in apici- 
bus segmentorum breviorum, non immersi, in- 
dusio suborbiculari, labiis integris, receptaculo 
exserto. 
Rhizome creeping, with scattered multicellu- 
lar rugose hairs which sometimes occur in 
clusters at the base of the stipes and at branch 
junctions. Stipe filiform, 2-4 cm. long, with 
scattered hairs similar to those on the rhizome. 
Fronds up to 5 cm. long and 2 cm. wide at the 
widest point, linear-ovate in outline, flabellately 
3 or 4 pinnatifid. Divisions narrow, linear, up 
to 2 cm. long, obscurely serrate. Sori mostly on 
upper half of frond, terminal on short segments, 
not immersed. Involucre suborbicular, cleft more 
than half way to the base. Lips entire, receptacle 
extruded. 
Lord Howe Island, Mt. Gower, at a high al- 
titude. C. Moore No. 4 (Kew). 
This species is related to H. pseudotunbridg- 
ense Watts, but is distinguished by the relatively 
wide frond and very long, narrow segments. 
The segments are narrower and longer than 
those of H. subdimidiatum Ros., to which it 
also appears to be related. 
The remainder of this paper consists of a 
varied assortment of ferns in which confusion 
exists either as to specific distinctiveness or as 
to geographical range. 
Arthropteris neocaledonica Copel. 
Arthropteris neocaledonica Copel. Sargentia 
1, 4, 1942. 
This has been distinguished from A. tenella 
(Forst. f.) J. Sm. by the possession of black 
instead of brown scales, and in having the posi- 
tion of the sorus well marked on the upper 
surface. An examination of collections at Kew 
shows the last character to be of doubtful value, 
but the distinctive colour of the scales is in fact 
-consistent for all New Caledonian material. This 
contrasts very clearly with the light chestnut- 
brown scales of New Zealand and Norfolk Is- 
land specimens. Many of the collections from 
New Caledonia had previously been identified 
as A. tenella, and the geographical range of that 
species given in Christensen’s "Index Filicum” 
includes that island, but the characteristic scale 
colouring was observed on all specimens from 
there. It seems best then to distinguish two 
species, geographically separated, Arthropteris 
tenella in New Zealand and Norfolk Island, and 
A. neocaledonica confined to New Caledonia. 
Microlepia speluncae (L.) Moore var. exserta 
Mett. 
Davallia speluncae var. exserta Hk. and Bak. 
Syn. Fil. 470, 1864. 
Microlepia exserta Mett. Kuhn Linn. 36, 148, 
1869; C. Chr. Ind. Fil. 426, 1906. 
An examination of material of M. speluncae 
from the Pacific islands shows the distinguish- 
