Kermadec Islands, North and South Islands, Chatham Islands, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands: Abundant in woods throughout. Sea-level to 3000 ft.
Also found in Polynesia, Java, and the Philippine Islands. The veinlets often fork towards the tips of the segments, and in profusely fruited specimens there is usually a sorus at the tip of each veinlet. When the fork of the veinlet is very close to the tip of the segment the two sori are often included in a single indusium, the valves of which, however, are more or less cleft at the apex. All gradations can be traced between two indusia placed side by side, and a single indusium containing 2 receptacles. Mr. Colenso's H. megalocarpum and H. polychilum, named specimens of which appear to me to be identical, are founded mainly on this peculiarity, and show no other differences. His H. erecto-alatum was separated on account of the broader crisped wing of the rhachis, but the type specimens prove this character to be a very obscure and uncertain one.
9. H. scabrum, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 90, t. 14, f. 1.—Usually clothiing the trunks of trees, rarely terrestrial. Rhizome long, creeping, wiry, more or less bristly with reddish-brown scales. Fronds very variable in size, usually from 6 in. to 20 in. long, but luxuriant specimens sometimes attain 30 in., 2–5 in. broad, ovate-deltoid or ovate-lanceolate or linear-oblong, acuminate, membranous, dark olive-green or olive-brown, erect or pendulous, 3–4-pinnatifid. Stipes 2–6 in. long, not winged, more or less densely clothed (as are the primary and secondary rhachides and costæ) with reddish-brown jointed hairs; rhachis winged above, wingless below. Primary pinnæ 1–3 in. long, close or rather distant, spreading or erecto-patent, rhomboidal-lanceolate or -oblong, acuminate; secondary deeply pinnatifid or 2-pinnatifid. Ultimate segments linear, obtuse, flat, quite entire. Sori numerous, terminal on the lateral segments on both sides of the pinæ. Indusium rather small, orbicular or ovate-orbicular, 2-valved to the base; valves usually toothed.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 235; Raoul, Choix, 39; Hook. Sp. Fil. i. 110; Hook. f. Ft. Nov. Zel. ii. 15; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 355; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. 61; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 42; Field, N.Z. Ferns, 62, t. 17, f. 4. Sphærocionium glanduliferum, Presl. Epimel. 23, t. 12.
North and South Islands, Chatham Islands: Moist forests from Hokianga southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 3000 ft.
A distinct and beautiful species, easily recognised by the reddish hairs on the stipes, rhachis, and costæ, and by the dark colour of the frond. It is confined to New Zealand.
10. H. flabellatum, Lab. Pl Nov. Holl. ii. 101, t. 250.—Densely matted, usually clothing the trunks of trees. Rhizomes long, wiry, creeping, often much branched and interlaced, more or less clothed with yellow-brown woolly hairs. Fronds very variable in size and shape, usually 3–9 in. long, but sometimes reduced to less than 1 in., at other times attaining a length of 12 in., the smaller specimens generally ovate and erect, the longer ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate or linear-oblong and pendulous, pale shining-green or
