Geographical Affinities of Fern Floras— -Brownlie 
223 
New Zealand are included the situation appears 
somewhat more complex. The bulk of the flora 
of New Caledonia is related to that of northern 
islands but a not inconsiderable portion is char- 
acteristic either of that island only, or of New 
Zealand, eastern Australia, and New Caledonia 
as a unit. 
It is suggested that the fern flora of this 
region consists of four groups: 
1. An ancient group of primitive families 
of an old world-wide flora with a large num- 
ber of its southern relics persisting in New 
Caledonia and New Zealand. This would in- 
clude the representatives of the Osumdaceae, 
Schizaeaceae, and Gleicheniaceae. 
2. An intermediate period flora whose rela- 
tionships are somewhat obscure but which may 
represent an earlier Malaysian invasion of the 
region. Again this persists only in New Cale- 
donia, New Zealand, and eastern Australia, and 
includes the Lindsaeoid endemics of New Cale- 
donia, Loxsoma, Dicksonia, Leptolepia, and at 
least the sections Eu-Hymenopbyllum and Mer- 
ingium of Hymenophyllum. 
3. A recent Malaysian section forming the 
bulk of the flora, and found in all areas includ- 
ing eastern Australia and New Zealand (where 
it may have arrived indirectly by wind dis- 
persal from Australia). 
4. A recently evolved southern element most 
conspicuous in New Zealand and eastern Aus- 
tralia but extending into eastern Polynesia. 
The possibility remains that many of the 
pan-tropical and other widespread Pacific spe- 
cies, such as those of Nephrolepis, may have 
been aided in their distributions by human 
migrations in the area. 
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— 1962^. Studies on Pacific Ferns, Part 
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1962 A Geographical relationships of 
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