76 FILICES. | Pteris. 
Sp. Pterid. (1839) 66; Hook. Ic. Plant. (1854) t. 973; Sp. Fal. 11 (1858) 218 ; 
Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 364, Litobrochia comans Presi Tent. 
Ptervdogr. (1836) 66. 
KerrmMapec Isnanps: Most abundant, McGillivray, T. F. C., Oliver. Norra 
IstAND: From the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape southwards to the Bay 
of Plenty, usually in shaded places near the sea, plentiful on the outlying islands, rare 
and local on the mainland. 
This is often confounded by fern-collectors with large states of P. macilenta var. 
pendula, but is an altogether different plant, with a coarser and stouter habit of growth, 
much-broader less-divided fronds, and usually long and narrow segments, with the 
venation more copiously anastomosing. It is also found in Australia, Tasmania, and 
the Pacific islands. 
3. P. macilenta 4. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. (1832) 82, t. 11—Rhizome 
very short, suberect, clothed with the bases of the old stipites. Stipes 
6-12 in. long, pale yellow-brown, becoming darker towards the base, smooth 
or slightly scaly below. Fronds 1-3 ft. long, 9-18 in. broad, broadly ovate 
or deltoid, membranous, flaccid, pale-green and glistening, quite glabrous, 
2-3-pinnate ; rhachis smooth, stramineous. Primary pinnae numerous, 
distant, the lower ones 6—12 in. long, the upper gradually shorter ; terminal 
pinna 1-3 in. long, acuminate, deeply pinnatifid. Secondary pinnae stalked, 
those on the lower branches again pinnate, on the upper pinnatifid. Pinnules 
1-2 in. long, scattered, often remote, stalked, ovate or deltoid, cuneate at 
the base, pinnatifid, the terminal ones adnate and decurrent. Ultimate 
segments oblong or ovate, deeply and coarsely toothed or incised at the 
apex. Veins anastomosing along the costa, free elsewhere. Sori in the 
notches between the segments, short, not nearly reaching the tips of the 
segments.—A. Cunn. Precur. (1836) n. 202; Raoul Chora (1846) 38 ; Hook. 
Sp. Fil. ii (1858) 219; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii (1855) 26; Handb. N.Z, Fl. 
(1864) 364; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. (1873) 171; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns 
(1882) 61; Field N.Z. Ferns (1890) 94, t. 7, f. 1; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. 
(1906) 973. Litobrochia macilenta Brack. in U.S. Expl. Exped. (1854) 106. 
Var. saxatilis.—Carse in Trans. N.Z. Inst. li (1919) 95.—Smaller and thinner than 
the type, decumbent or suberect. Pinnules much smaller, more deeply toothed, the 
tips of the segments often laciniate. 
Var. pendula.—Not so finely divided. Terminal pinna larger, 3-5 in. long, often 
caudate. Pinnules larger, 2-24in. long, ovate, acuminate; segments longer and 
narrower.—P. pendula Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx (1888) 218. 
Nort Istanp: The type and varieties not uncommon throughout in dry woods. 
Sour Isuanp: Nelson—Near Nelson, 7. Ff. C.; Takaka, Kingsley. Marlborough— 
Buchanan. Also said to occur on Banks Peninsula and near Greymouth, but I have 
seen no specimens. 
28, HISTIOPTERIS Aghard. 
Rhizome long, stout, creeping. Fronds tall, 1-8 ft. high, erect, some- 
times almost subscandent, smooth and glaucous beneath, 2-3-pinnate. 
Primary pinnae horizontally spreading, opposite and sessile; ultimate 
divisions entire or sinuate or pinnatifid. Venation very variable, sometimes 
wholly free or partly united, at others altogether anastomosing. Sori 
marginal, linear, placed on a slender receptacle connecting the tips of the 
veins or their anastomoses. Indusium single, formed of the reflexed margin 
of the frond, membranous. Sporangia stalked, bursting transversely. 
Spores bilateral. 
