Jan., 1923] CAMPBELL — AUSTRALASIAN BOTANICAL NOTES 55 
The Blue Mountains have an extensive and varied pteridophytic flora. 
Over forty species occur in the immediate vicinity of Wentworth Falls, 
and comprise a remarkable number of especially interesting species. On 
the wet rock slopes, and in the crevices, were two species of Lycopodium, 
L. laterale and L. densum, whose gametophytes can usually be found with 
a little searching. Two species of Selaginella, 5 . uliginosa and S. Preissiana, 
were abundant. Tmesipteris tannensis, whose interesting life history has 
recently been revealed, was found in a few places in the gorges, where 
Professor Lawson had frequently collected it. The ferns were very abun¬ 
dant, especially in the gullies and on the wet, rocky banks, but there were 
also a considerable number of more or less xerophilous species, like Schizaea 
bifida already mentioned. The ubiquitous Pteridium aquilinum is abun¬ 
dant, as it is in many parts of Australia. A second Schizaea, S', rupestris, 
was found on the wet rocks in company with Lycopodium, Drosera, and 
other bog plants, and on the somewhat less wet rocks was an abundance of 
Gleichenia spp. Four species occur in this region, and are very common 
and characteristic ferns. 
The finest development of ferns, however, was in the damp, shady 
gullies near the bottom of the gorge. These fern gullies are extraordinarily 
beautiful. Clear streams form series of falls and cascades, and the fern 
growth is very luxuriant and includes some extremely fine species. The 
tree ferns are represented by two species of Alsophila, A. australis and 
A. Cooperi, which formed extensive groves of great beauty. Their slender 
trunks were sometimes twenty feet or more in height, and the crowns of 
fronds were very luxuriant and perfect. Seen from above, this carpet of 
interlaced giant fronds was extraordinarily beautiful. 
Next to the true tree ferns, the magnificent fern Todea barbara was the 
most conspicuous. This sometimes forms a short trunk, but can hardly 
rank as a true tree fern. A second species, T. Fraseri , is very different in 
habit, and is often placed in a distinct genus, Leptopteris. This, like the 
two closely related New Zealand species of Leptopteris, grows in very wet 
places. It was growing where it was constantly wet with the spray of 
the falls, and its thin, translucent foliage much resembles that of the 
Hymenophyllaceae. 
The latter were represented by several small species of Hymenophyllum 
and Trichomanes, but these are said to be much better developed in the 
cooler forests of the higher elevations. 
Most of the widespread genera of Polypodiaceae are well represented, 
e.g., Pteris, Lomaria, Blechnum, Asplenium, Doodia, Polypodium, Aspidium, 
Davallia, and Adiantum. These were abundant in all the moister places, 
often completely carpeting the forest floor. There were not many epiphytic 
species noted, but on the whole both the fern flora and the bryophytes 
were much more in evidence than in most of the places visited in Queensland. 
The bryophytic flora of the gorges was also extremely interesting. In 
