Art. XXXIV.—A Description of some New Indigenous New Zealand Forest Ferns.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 29, 1896, Page 414

Art. XXXIV.—A Description of some New Indigenous New Zealand Forest Ferns. By W. Colenso, F.R.S., F.L.S. (Lond.) [Read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 12th October, 1896.] Gleichenia, Smith. 1. G. ciliata, sp. nov. Plant erect (rhizome not seen). Stipe 5in.-7in. long, slender, 1/10in. wide, subterete and obsoletely angled, somewhat concave above, dry, woody, light-brown, smooth. Frond largely flabellate, 8in.-9in. broad, 4in.-6in. long, forked and dichotomous; main branches spreading, each main branch bearing 2–3 branchlets (in all, 5–7 simple ones in each), sub-coriaceous, dark red-brown above; branchlets linear-acuminate, 5in. long, 6–8 lines broad, pinnate (or pinnato-pinnatifid cut quite down to rachis), tips very acuminate, narrow, acute. Segments linear, deltoid, 4 lines long; sub 1 line broad at base, opposite and subopposite, acute, margins entire, revolute throughout, glabrous above, glaucous and floccose below; hairs fine, long, entangled, white; veins distinct, pinnate, forked; costa stout, prominent, pale-brown, with large ovate scales on rachis, adpressed, horizontal and lateral, covering segments at base. Scales flat, finely reticulated, red-brown with white margins and much ciliated. Sori biserial, close, on the middle of outer veinlet, 20–25 on a segment; capsules 2–3 together, yellow, flattened on top. Hab. On east side of Mount Ruapehu, Taupo district; 1895: Mr. E. W. Andrews. Obs. I. This species differs pretty much from G. cunninghamii, Hew., in several characters, as well as in size. A fine and correct drawing of G. cunninghamii (made, too, by Fitch), with dissections, is given by Sir W. J. Hooker in his “Sp. Filicum,” vol. i., tab. vi., B, that represents the type species discovered by Cunningham in 1838, in the great interior forest leading from Waimate to Kaitaia, of which, from him at the time, I received a specimen, named by him G. arachnoidea. In the accompanying description by Hooker lie says, “Stipes clothed with large deciduous scales” (well shown in figure), “fronds of a thick coriaceous texture, the apex of the branches not running out into a tail-like point, but pinnatifid to the extremity, “segments linear,” and (as there shown) “margins not revolute.” Sir W. J. Hooker at that time bad only received specimens from the extreme north

(from, myself, among others). There is also a much larger and coloured drawing, with dissections, of G. cunninghamii (also executed by Fitch) given in the “Flora of New Zealand,” by Sir J. D. Hooker, which differs (in some respects) from the former figure, particularly in the stipe and frond entirely wanting both bullate scales and woolly hairs (which are such an important character in the type); yet in his description these are prominently mentioned; also, “branches pinnatifid, segments decurrent on the branches, falcate, linear, 1/3in.-2/3in. long, -1/6in.-¼in. -broad, plane, &c. Capsules 2–6′ (in the figure shown in clusters of 4 and 3). Sir J. D. Hooker's work was published ten years later, and then he states, “North Island, as far south as Queen Charlotte Sound.” II. I have given (supra) some of those differential characters of G. cunninghamii not found in this species; and I do this for two reasons: (1.) I have never found G. cunninghamii (vera) in any of my frequent travelling in woods and districts south of the Thames, though I have of species (or vars.) allied to it. Some I sent from time to time (as collected many years ago) to Kew; and I see that Moore, in his “Index Filicum,” has noticed them under G. cunninghamii, giving my MS. names of G. intermedia and G. venosa; I had no time then in those days to closely examine them. (2.) I have more lately seen both specimens and drawings (these latter imperfect) of Gleichenias collected south of Auckland, and named by the collectors, growers of ferns, and amateurs G. cunninghamii, which I believe to be wrongly named, not representing the much larger and peculiarly-marked northern plant. Davallia, Smith. 1. D. (Microlepia) pinkneyi, sp. nov. Rhizome densely clothed with spreading hairs (also stipe rachis and subrachises, and veins below), hairs straight, subulate, acute, articulate, whitish, clear, shining at nodes. Stipe erect, 7in.-11in. long, slender, dry, deeply channelled, margins pale raised and rounded, pale-brown, dark at base; hairs reddish-brown at base, fugacious and then stipe slightly submuricatulate. Frond deltoid - acuminate, 8in.-9in. long, 5in.-8in. broad at base, glabrous above, pale-yellowish-green, texture membranaceous, bipinnate, main rachis free throughout; pinnæ subovate-oblong acuminate, alternate, distant, sub 20-jugate, horizontal, subfalcate, spreading, lowest pair opposite; tips lobed, subacute, crinite. Pinnules rather distant, alternate, subovate-oblong, obtuse, toothed tridentate, petiolate, dimidiate, lateral margins lobed and toothed above, teeth large subacute, lower margin entire, oblique, slightly decurrent; the upper basal pinnule largest, 1in.

long, ½in. wide, pinnatifid-pinnate at base. Veins numerous, clear, prominent, pinnate, forked, regular not extending to margin. Sori few, 4–8 to a pinnule, distant, intramarginal on tip of veinlet at or near base of serrature, opposite in 4 pairs on the larger pinnules. Involucre very small scale-like, thin, greenish, hairy, margin entire ciliolate. Capsules produced, red. Hab. In a dry wood near margin of Mangatera Stream, south of Dannevirke; 1895: Mr. Pinkney. Obs. I. A species allied in some respects, though not closely, to D. (Microlepia) ciliata, Hook., and to D. (Microlepia) strigosa, Sw. (D. khasiyana, Hook.). II. I look upon the finding of this fern as a special acquisition to our known New Zealand ferns, seeing we had only one species* I am aware, from “Appendix Synopsis Filicum,” of a second species of Davallia (D. forsteri, Carruth.) having been discovered in New Zealand by Forster, during Cook's second voyage, at Dusky Bay, in the extreme south, but not detected since. of this large genus described. It has also a little history, worth briefly relating, as encouragement towards the detecting of other new forms in our little-known woods. A few years ago Mr. Pinkney (a member of the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute) told me, that he had a fern from the bush growing in his private fernery which he did not know, it being barren, yet supposed it might be Asplenium umbrosum. At my request he, shortly after, kindly brought me a barren frond, and I found, on close examination, it was not Asplenium umbrosum, neither was it known to me; so we waited, in hopes of a fertile frond being produced; there were at that time several barren fronds on the plant. Last year (1895) a fertile frond was developed, which, when full grown, Mr. Pinkney also kindly gave me for examination. He had previously revisited the spot where he had found it (and so did I), but the wood had been lately felled and burnt. Curiously enough, I found in my “Synopsis Filicum,” at the place containing the sub-genus Microlepia, the terminal portion (one-third or one-fourth) of a fertile frond (or pinna) of, apparently, this same species of fern, which I must have laid there some years ago; but I have no recollection as to where or when I got it. Last month I sent one-half of my fertile frond and two barren ones to Kew. Aspidium, Swartz. 1. A. (Polystichum) perelegans, sp. nov. Caudex coalescent, stout, 8in.-12in. high, 3in. broad, bearing 10–12 fronds. Stipe 12in.-13in. long, very stout, 3–4 lines diameter, dry hard channelled, scales very numerous

(also on rachis and subrachises). Frond erect, slightly drooping and spreading, 2ft. 3in.-2ft. 6in. long, 7in.-9in. wide at middle, sublinear - lanceolate, base abruptly truncate, tip narrow, very acuminate; bipinnate, bright-green above, paler below, glabrous, flaccid, fresh, chartaceous when dry; pinnæ horizontal, alternate and subopposite above, very close but not imbricate, sublinear-lanceolate, base truncate, 4in.-5in. long, 9–12 lines wide at middle of frond; tips sharply acuminate, subcaudate, finely serrate, 5–6 pairs below opposite and gradually decreasing in size and falcate, the lower 2–4 pairs much deflexed. Pinnules numerous (17–18 jugate), patent very regular, petiolate, alternate, free rather distant, striate when dry, subrhombic-triangular, sometimes sub-trapeziform, and again in other fronds somewhat parallelogrammatic, but always truncate at lower base excised dimidiate, sharply and. closely serrate above and below on two principal sides; tips produced sharply acuminate aristate; margins thickened darker green and slightly incurved; the lowest pair of pinnules on pinna much larger, pinnatifid, 6–7-lobed, reclining on rachis and meeting above on upper side concealing it, the lowest pinnule largest, pinnate or trifoliolate; veins pinnate. Sori very small, distant, biserial, usually six on a pinnule, sometimes seven on the larger ones but rarely, situate on middle of inner veinlet nearer costa than margin, on a small dark oval half-punctured tubercle in pinnule; involucre small, bright-brown, orbicular, laciniate, much stipitate and soon possessing an everted obconical shape resembling an umbrella blown inside out. Scales of various shapes and sizes: (1) Large, 1in.-1 ¼in. long, 1 line wide at base, subulate, tip much acuminate and filiform, glossy, striate, curly, with a rich dark brown-black centre and broad pale margins; margin entire and minutely crisped; (2) smaller, thinner, subulate, ½in.-¾in. long, light-brown; (3) filiform, hair-like, reddish, with large branched spreading root-like bases. Hab. Forests south-west from Dannevirke; 1896: W. C. Obs. This handsome fern is allied to our well-known New Zealand fern Aspidium aculeatum, Sw., var. vestitum, Hooker; but I believe (after a prolonged and careful examination) differs from, that fern—and from others also, its near allies, A. aculeatum, A. lobatum, A. intermedium, and A. angulare—in several characters. I possess first-class botanical drawings of all of them, with descriptions, in Hooker's “British Ferns.” A particularly fine plate of Aspidium aculeatum, with dissections, is also given in Beddome's “Ferns of South India,” tab. 121. In Aspidium aculeatum the pinnæ want the lowest pinnule below on costa (and so in all its allies, supra, including var. vestitum of Hooker), which

in this fern always form a prominent pair with the upper pinnule, and is also the largest, being 6–7-lobed, and overlapping rachis; all its pinnules also are much more stipitate and distant. Beddome says of the pinnules of A. aculeatum, “Subpetiolate or decurrent at the very base with the adjacent ones” (l.c., p. 429); moreover, the sori on A. aculeatum are usually eight on a pinnule, and their involucres larger; the hairs on upper rachis and subrachises simple, very short, and patent, without scales, and the scales on the stipe are also widely different, broader and shorter and of one form only. Sir W. J. Hooker says of A. aculeatum and its varieties, “Segments superior, base larger and more or less auricled” (l.c., passim). Hooker fil. also says of A. (P.) aculeatum, var. vestitum, “Segments lower, outer margin auricled” (Flora N.Z., vol. ii., p. 38), well shown in their respective drawings; and again, “The lower outer margin produced into a short broad blunt auricle” (Flor. Tasm., vol. ii., p. 148)—a family feature common to all varieties supra; which character, however, is wholly wanting in this fern. 2. A. (Polystichum) zerophyllum, sp. nov. Plant suberect and drooping; caudex coalescent from old stipites. Stipe 15in. long, slender, woody, dry, deeply sulcated on upper surface (rachis also to tip), pale-straw-coloured above (with rachis), red-brown at base, paleaceous, roughish with minute brownish tubercles from fallen hairs and scales. Frond oblong-lanceolate, 14in.-17in. long, 7in.-8 ½in. wide at middle; tip subacuminate acute; base truncate; bipinnate, glabrous, subcoriaceous, harsh; dull light-green above, paler below (when dried); rachis and subrachises paleaceous and hairy. Pinnæ alternate distant petiolate oblong-lanceolate, 3 ½in.-4in. long, 1 ¼in.-1 ½in. wide at middle, acuminate; tips narrow, very acute, broadest at bases, patent and slightly subfalcate; costa very slender. Pinnules distant alternate petiolate, 10–11-jugate, ovate-acuminate, ¾in. long, coarsely and sharply serrate above, tip aristate, semi-lobed and produced at base on the upper side rounded, margin entire; the base at lower side excised; the basal pair opposite much larger, 1in. long, their sides more regular and subpinnatifid, the upper one overlapping rachis above. Veins few, pinnate in pinnule, simple, distant. Sori rather large, distant on middle veinlet, biserial, usually seven on a pinnule, but on each of the larger basal pair 14–15. Involucre ample 5-angled, light-reddish-brown with a large black centre, reverted in age, subsessile. Scales of two kinds: (1) Long subulate very narrow, dark-brown glossy; tips capillary curved and twisted; (2) smaller light-reddish-brown, thin, weak, crumpled, and hair-like.

Hab. Hilly woods south-west of Dannevirke; 1896: W. C. Obs. I. A species having affinity with A. (Polystichum) richardi, Hook., but differing in several characters, as in larger size and form and different colour, in being bipinnate with pinnæ and pinnules distant larger and much more acuminate, in shape and size of pinnules largely and sharply serrated, particularly basal pair on pinnæ which are subpinnatifid, in its slender pale stipe and. rachis, in it not being mealy or subfurfuraceous below, and also wanting those curious ciliated scales beneath on segments. II. Sir W. J. Hooker says of A. (P.) richardi, “Fronds oblong-ovate, suddenly and finely acuminate, subfurfuraceous beneath with minute subulate scales ciliated at their broad bases; pinnate (scarcely sub-bipinnate), pinnæ 2in.-3in. long, close and compact, deeply pinnatifid nearly to the costa; segments lanceolate, numerous, close-placed, margin entire or obsoletely crenate rather than serrate” (“Sp. Filicum,” vol. iv., p. 23). His figure with dissections of the same fern, pl. 222, l.c., are very good. Baker also, in subsequently describing it, adds, “Differs from A. aculeatum by its more rigid texture, shorter teeth, and lower pinnæ not reduced” (“Syn. Filicum,” p. 253). Sir J. D. Hooker also, in his coloured drawing of A. richardi (tab. 78, “Flora of New Zealand”)— although the pinnæ of his figure are more distant than those of that one in “Sp. Filicum” (supra), and the drawing in “Sp. Filicum” was made after that in the “Flora of New Zealand,” and more particularly to represent A. richardi— nevertheless the pinnules are also sessile, crowded, and scarcely serrate—just as Sir William has them; all which, as we well know, truly represents our New Zealand fern A. (P.) richardi (vera); of which species there are also several sub-varieties, in size all more or less closely resembling the type. Todea, Willdenow. 1. T. marginata, sp. nov. Plant suberect, tufted, sometimes with short caudex composed of coalescent stipites. Stipe 5in.-7in. long (or more), stout, deeply sulcated above, dull dark-green, thickly covered with red-brown matted floccose hairs (also the same, but more slightly on rachis and subrachises below). Frond oblonglanceolate, 2ft. 5in. long, 9in. - 10in. broad at middle, tip acute, base truncate (5in. -wide); lower rachis stout as stipe but very slender above, bipinnate, glabrous, dark - green, stoutish - membranaceous. Pinnæ numerous, sub-30-jugate, oblong (or subdeltoid), acuminate, broadest at base, 4 ½in.— 5in. long, 1 ¼in. wide, pinnate, subfalcate, subopposite above, opposite below, somewhat distant, 2in. apart below, decreasing in size from middle downwards. Pinnules, oblong, 6–7 lines

long, 3–4 lines wide, pinnate, free, subfalcate, pinnatifid to costa, deeply forked, lobes long, linear, equal, subacute; tips callous; margins entire, thickened, lighter green; the upper basal pinnule three-lobed. Veins simple, thickish, prominent, extending to margin; white strangulated hairs patent on subrachises among red woolly ones. Sporangia throughout numerous, close, compact, covering pinnule; capsules pitted, red-brown, subsessile. Hab. Forests near Dannevirke; 1888–96: W. C. Obs. This fine fern I had often noticed and admired in my annual visits to the woods, but, without closely examining it, had considered it to be a larger plant of the more common species T. hymenophylloides, which also grew plentifully there. However, while in those woods in September of this year (having more spare time), I procured a frond for a closer examination, and I find several characters differing from those of T. hymenophylloides. Not only in its much larger size, form, habit, darker colour and texture—all apparent at first sight—does it differ, but in several minute characters given above in its description; as its numerous sporangia thickly covering the pinnules, and their being truly pinnate and free, with thickened and coloured margins and veins; and its pinnæ decreasing in size and very distant on rachis towards base. In the early drawings of the typical specimens of T. hymenophylloides these characters do not appear; the forked lobes of the pinnatifid pinnules are shown to be shorter and greatly unequal, with few and scattered sori confined to their bases, while “sporangia sparsa” is given as a character pertaining to it (Hook, et Grev., “Genera Filicum,” tab. xlvi., B.); and in Sir W. J. Hooker's faithful drawing (“Icones Plantarum,” vol. i., tab. viii.) a portion of the highly-membranous frond is also separately given to “show the reticulated structure of the frond,” which I have failed to detect in this fern. Baker also (in “Syn. Filicum,” the latest authority) says, “Tripinnatifid, with pinnules cut down nearly to the rachis,” adding (in a note), “There is a form which quite agrees with this in the size and cutting of the pinnæ, but which has the lower ones reduced very gradually, thus receding from the type in the direction of the next species” (T. superba, Col., l.c., p. 428), which may possibly be this one here now described, though I doubt it. In a fine specimen of T. hymenophylloides (vera) I have now before me, I find the pinnules on its middle pinnæ to be largely pinnatifid on their costa, with the lobes on their sides nearer the rachis simple and single instead of forked. Genus:Unknown. Plant large, erect, slightly drooping; stipe 10in.-11in. long, 2–2 ½ lines thick, rather slender, dry, sulcate and striate

(also rachis to tip), brownish below, pale-straw colour above, hairy; hairs red-brown, shining, copious, short (also on rachis and subrachises, and midrib below), 1in. long, and straight at base. Frond broadly ovate-lanceolate, 22in.-23in. long, 13in. broad at middle, tip acuminate, bipinnate, subcoriaceous, slightly harsh, glabrous, dull-darkish-green above, paler below. Pinnæ oblong - acuminate, broadest at base, gradually decreasing to tip, 6in.-6 ½-in. long, 1in.-1 ½in. broad, alternate, distant, petiolate, horizontal, spreading; tips narrow, much acuminate; the ultimate lobes long, serrate, acute; lowest pinnæ deflexed. Pinnules sublinear - oblong, acute, ¾in, long, ¼in. wide, 20–23-jugate, alternate, petiolate, rather distant, falcate, deeply (6–7) lobed or subpinnatifid; lobes nearly as broad as long, somewhat square, each lobe coarsely and sharply serrate, with 4–6 teeth, slightly recurved; midrib stout prominent, whitish above, wavy, free. Veins numerous, pinnate in each lobe, free, reaching to margin. Hab. Dense forests south-west from Dannevirke; 1896: W. C. Obs. It is wholly against my practice and mind to describe a barren and unknown fern; but this is a very striking and peculiar one. Unfortunately I have not yet succeeded in obtaining it in fruit, but hope to do so on my next visit to these woods this summer. In general appearance it resembles no New Zealand fern known to me, therefore I cannot venture to place it under any of our known genera. It may, however, prove to be a species of Polystichum (including Lastrea), or a Dicksonia, though unlike our known species of those genera.