Ss 
60 FILICES. [ Blechnum. 
falcate, narrowed upwards into a finely acuminate point, shortly stipitate 
and truncate or rounded or cordate at the base, margins regularly and 
finely crenate-dentate. Fertile fronds from near the top of the rhizome, 
ovate or ovate-oblong in outline; pinnae numerous, 3-6in. Jong, fin. 
broad, very narrow-linear or almost filiform. Indusium very narrow.— 
Lomaria filiformis A. Cunn. Precur. (1836) n. 183; Raoul Choix (1846) 
37; Hook. Sp, Ful. ii (1860) 33, t. 149; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 
366; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. (1873) 180; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns (1882) 
68; Field N.Z. Ferns (1890) 109, t. 10, f. 3, 34, 3p; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. 
Fl. (1906) 982. L. propinqua A. Cunn. Precur, (1836) n. 184. L. pimpi- 
nellifolia Hook. f. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. iii (1844) 412. Stenochlaena 
heteromorpha J. Smith in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. iv (1845) 149; Hook. 
Jf. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii (1855) 46; Brack. Bot. U.S. Expl. Exped. (1854) 77. 
Osmunda reptans Forst. f. Prodr. (1786) n. 93 (nomen). 
NortuH AND Sout Jstanps: In forests from the North Cape southwards to Nelson 
and Marlborough, abundant. Sea-level to 2000 ft. 
Also recorded from the Fiji Islands. A most distinct species, remarkable for its 
very long climbing rhizome and dimorphic sterile fronds. 
11. B. nigrum Metten. in Ann. Scr. Nat. xv (1861) 69.—Rhizome 
short, stout, suberect, clothed with the bases ot the old stipites mixed with 
chafty scales. Stipes slender, densely scaly, 1-3in. long. Sterile fronds 
tufted at the top of the rhizome, spreading, 3-8 in. long, 1-14 in. broad, 
linear-oblong, membranous, blackish-green or lurid-green, brittle when 
dry, glabrous or the margins and under-surface more or less clothed with 
short rufous hairs, lyrate-pinnatifid, pinnate at the base; rhachis usually 
densely pubescent. Pinnae 4-8 pairs, unequal in size; the terminal one 
much the largest, 1-2 in. long, oblong, obtuse, irregularly lobed or sinuate ; 
the lateral }-$in. long, oblong to orbicular-oblong, irregularly sinuate, 
the lowest pair larger than those immediately above, and often stipitate 
and deflexed. Fertile fronds few, erect, pinnate; pinnae few, distant, 
harrow - linear, apiculate, the terminal one elongated, the lateral much 
shorter—Lomaria nigra Col. in Tasm. Journ. Nat. Sci. ii (1846) 176 ; 
Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 960; Sp. Fil. iti (1860) 35; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii 
(1855) 31; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 369; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. (1873) 
181; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns (1882) 69; Feld N.Z. Ferns (1890) 110, t. 25, 
f, 4, 4a; Cheesem. Ill. N.Z. Fl. ii (1914) t. 241. Polybotrya nana Fée 
Aerost. (1845) 75, t. 38, f. 1. 
NortH Istanp: Dark gloomy forests from Hokianga and Mangonui southwards, 
not common. SourH IsnAnpD: Nelson—Collingwood, D. Grant; Takaka and West 
Wanganui, Kingsley. Westland—-Abundant at low elevations, Hnys/ A. Hamilton! 
J. W. Brame! &c. Otago—-Milford Sound, Bligh’s Sound, Lyall, Hector aud Buchanan. 
STEWART Isnanp:; Rare, Cockayne! Sea-level to 3000 ft. 
Kasily recognized by the enlarged terminal portion of the frond, which is often only 
shallowly lobed, while the lower pinnae are usually distinct from one another. The 
surface of the frond is often overgrown with mosses or hepaticae, in the same manner as 
in T'richomanes elongatum. 
12. B. fluviatile Salom. Nomencl. (1883) 115—Rhizome stout, sub- 
erect, often woody, densely clothed with the bases of the old stipites and 
with chestnut-brown subulate scales. Stipes very short, densely scaly. 
Sterile fronds very numerous, forming a broad spreading crown at the 
cop of the rhizome, 1-24 ft. high, #-14 in. broad, linear or linear-lanceolate, 
