86 FILICES. [Gletchenia. 
As a species, G. dicarpa stands very near to G. circinata, principally differing in the 
smailer segments of the pinnae, which have their margins incurved almost to the costa, 
leaving only a narrow slit open, through which the sori are visible unless masked 
by the ferruginous tomentum. I have followed the “ Synopsis Filicum” in placing 
Cunningham's G. hecistophylla under G. dicarpa, but it has equal claims to be included 
with G. circinata, which was the position given to it by Sir J. D. Hooker, both in the 
Flora and the Handbook. The late Baron Mueller justly observed (Veg. Chath. Isl. 63) 
that it obliterates the limits of the two species. The typical form of @. dicarpa occurs 
in eastern Australia, New Caledonia, and Malaya, and var. alpina in Tasmania... | 
~ 3. G. Cunninghamii Heward ex Hook. Sp. Fil. i (1846) 6, t. 6B-— 
Usually from 1-8 ft. high, but taller plants are sometimes seen. Rhizome 
long, branched, creeping, stout and woody, clothed with red-brown lanceo- 
late scales. Stipes stout, erect, grooved down one side, in the young 
state densely clothed with large deciduous scales, becoming almost glabrous 
when old. IHronds several times dichotomously branched, the branches 
usually spreading all round in a horizontal plane and forming an umbrella- 
hike top to the stipes, in large specimens proliferous from the centre, so that 
frequently there are 2-4 superposed tiers of branches. Ultimate branches 
or pinnae 3-12 in. long, 4-1} 1n. broad, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, deeply 
pectinate-pinnatifid above, pinnate below; rhachis usually clothed with 
deciduous scales and pilose. Segments 4-2in. long, 4-}in. broad, linear, 
straight or often falcate, acute, quite entire, coriaceous, dark-green and 
glabrous above, glaucous and usually pilose beneath; margins flat or 
recurved. ‘Transverse veins numerous, forked near the base. Sori copious, 
solitary on one of the veinlets, of 2-5 sporangia.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii 
(1855) 6, t. 71; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 348; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. 
(1873) 13; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns (1882) 26; Field N.Z. Ferns (1890) 39, 
t. 7, f.3; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 1019. G. ciliata Col. in Trans. 
N.Z. Inst. xxix (1897) 414. 
NortH anp SoutH Istanps, SrEwart Istanp: In forests from the North Cape 
southwards, abundant in the North Island, local to the south of Cook Strait. Sea- 
level to 4000 ft. Umbrella Fern ; Tapuwaekotuku. 
Allied to G. flabellata, but the fronds spread in a horizontal plane, and are much 
more rigid and coriaceous, and the segments are shorter and narrower, quite entire, 
and glaucous beneath., It appears to be confined to New Zealand. : 
4. G. fiabellata R. Br. Prodr. (1810) 161.—From 1-4 ft. high.  Rhi- 
zome long, stout, branched, more or less clothed with reddish-brown 
laciniate scales. Stipes erect, cylindrical below, subcompressed above, 
slightly scaly or almost glabrous. Fronds several times dichotomously 
branched, ascending and fan-shaped, not spreading in a horizontal plane, 
often proliferous from the lower forks, so that there are sometimes 2-3 
tiers of superposed branches. Ultimate branches or pinnae 4-12 in. long, 
1-2 in. broad, lanceolate, acuminate or caudate, deeply pectinate-pinnatifid 
or pinnate towards the base. Segments close-set, ascending, }-l-in. long, 
narrow-linear, subacute, serrulate towards the tip, dilated at the base, 
green on both surfaces, glabrous above, often more or less scaly-pubescent 
beneath. Transverse veins numerous, forked near the base. Sori copious, 
solitary on one of the veinlets, of 3-5 sporangia.—A. Cunn. Precur. (1836) 
n. 164; Raoul Choe (1846) 37; Hook. Sp. Fil. i (1846) 6; Fal. Hzot. 
(1857-59) t. 71; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii (1855) 6; Handb. N.Z. Fi. 
(1864) 348; Hook. and Bak. Syn.4 fil. (1873) 12; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii 
(1878) 698; Lhoms. N.Z. Ferns (1882) 26; Field N.Z. Ferns (1890) 41, 
t. 8, f. 1; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 1020. G. littoralis Col. in Trans. 
N.Z. Inst. xvi (1884) 344. 
