Manual of the New Zealand Flora/Lycopodiaceæ

by Thomas Frederick Cheeseman

Order XCVI. LYCOPODIACEÆ.

Perennials, from a few inches to a few feet high. Stems erect or pendulous, or prostrate or creeping, simple or more usually dichotomously branched, often hard and wiry, usually leafy throughout. Leaves small, simple, entire or serrulate, more or less decurrent at the base, indistinctly 1-nerved, either spreading all round the axis and of the same shape and size, or dimorphous with the larger ones distichously spreading. Sporangia all of one kind, coriaceous, 1-celled in the typical genera, 2–3–4-celled in Tmesipteris and Psilotum, borne singly on the upper base of fertile leaves or sporophylls. Sporophylls either similar to the foliage-leaves and placed all down the stem, or more or less reduced in size and bract-like and aggregated into terminal spikes or cones, in Tmesipteris and Psilotum deeply bifid with the sporangia attached below the fork. Spores all of one kind, numerous, tetrahedral, marked with 3 radiating lines at the tip.

An order containing 4 genera and over 100 species, quite cosmopolitan in its distribution, and without any important economical properties or uses. The germination of the spores has so far been observed in a very small proportion of the species. The prothallium is monœcious, as in ferns, producing both archegonia and antheridia, but the species which have been examined exhibit great diversities in the shape and mode of growth of the prothallium and in its duration; and considerable variety also exists in the development of the embryonic plant. For particulars reference must be made to special text-books or memoirs. As a matter of convenience, I have retained Tmesipteris and Psilotum in the order, but the structure of the sporangia and form of the sporophylls are so distinct that there can be little doubt that Pritzel and other authors are right in placing them in a distinct order.

A. Lycopodiineæ. Fertile leaves or sporophylls (bracts) simple, not forked. Sporangia reniform, compressed, 1-celled, dehiscing by a longitudinal slit.
Minute. Stem reduced to a small tuber crowned by subulate leaves. Sporangia forming a cone-like spike at the top of a naked peduncle	1. Phylloglossum.
Larger. Stem conspicuous, branched, leafy throughout. Sporangia collected into terminal or lateral spikes, rarely scattered along the branches	2. Lycopodium.
B. Psilotineæ. Fertile leaves or sporophylls forked. Sporangia (synangia) 2–3–4-celled and valved, attached to the sporophylls below the fork.
Stems simple or rarely forked. Leaves conspicuous, vertical. Synangia boat-shaped, 2-celled	3. Tmesipteris.
Stems many times dichotomous. Leaves minute, scalelike. Synangia subglobose, usually 3-celled	4. Psilotum.

1. PHYLLOGLOSSUM, Kunze.

A small stemless plant, consisting of an oblong tuber (protocorm) which is annually reproduced, and which bears at its apex a tuft of terete subulate leaves. Roots few, simple, springing from above the tuber directly below the leaves. Peduncle arising from the apex of the tuber and surrounded at its base by the leaves, short, erect, simple or very rarely forked, ending in a short fertile spike or cone. Bracts several, imbricated, broadly ovate, cuspidate, each supporting a single reniform 1-celled sporangium, which dehisces by a longitudinal slit. Spores small, numerous, with three lines radiating from the apex.

A genus of a single species, found in New Zealand, Tasmania, Victoria, and West Australia.

1. P. Drummondii, Kunze in Bot. Zeit. (1843) 721.—Whole plant 1–2½ in. high, green, perfectly glabrous. Tuber small, oblong, producing another (rarely two more) during the growing season, the new tuber remaining dormant during the summer and reproducing the plant the following winter, the original tuber and its leaves shrivelling after the ripening of the sporangia. Leaves usually from 4–10, but varying in number from 1 or 2 to 15 or even 20, ⅓–¾ in. long, linear-subulate, acute, fleshy, cylindrical. Peduncle 2 or 3 times as long as the leaves, stout, erect. Spike ⅙–⅓ in. long, oblong-ovoid, terete; bracts 10–30, broad, the erect cusp overtopping the sporangium.—Hook. Ic. Plant. 908; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 51; Fl. Tasm. ii. 154; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 388; Bak. Fern Allies, 7; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 102. Lycopodium sanguisorba, Spring. Monog. Lycop. ii. 36.

{{smaller block|North Island: Barren clay hills from the North Cape to the Thames Valley and the Middle Waikato (Lake Waikare), not uncommon. South Island: Said to have been gathered near Picton by Helms, and on Banks Peninsula by Armstrong, but I have seen no specimens.

A remarkable little plant, differing from all other Lycopods in its vegetative characters, but with the spike and sporangia of Lycopodium. The tuber and its leaves are so similar in appearance and mode of development to the embryonic plant of some species of Lycopodium, and notably to that of L. cernuum, with its protocorm or embryonic tubercle, and protophylls or primordial leaves, that both Bower and Treub expressed the opinion that Phylloglossum should be regarded as a permanently embryonic form of Lycopod. The important discovery recently made by Thomas that the prothallium and development of the embryo is of the same type as that of Lycopodium cernuum may be regarded as a satisfactory proof of the correctness of this view; and it seems in every war probable that Thomas is correct in considering Phylloglossum to be the most primitive of existing Lycopodiaceæ. For information on the subject the student should consult Professor Bower's two memoirs "On the Development and Morphology of Phylloglossum Drummondii" and "On the Morphology of the Spore-producing Members" (Trans. Roy. Soc. 1886, p. 665, and 1894, p. 508–510); also Treub's paper in the Annals of the Bot. Garden of Buitenzorg, Vol. viii., p. 1 et seq.; and Professor Thomas's "Preliminary Account of the Prothallium of Pylloglossum" (Proc. Roy. Soc, Vol. lxix., p. 285-291, reprinted in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxiv. 402–408).

2.

LYCOPODIUM,

Linn.

Stems erect or pendulous, or prostrate and creeping, copiously branched, rarely simple, often hard and wiry, usually leafy throughout. Leaves small, crowded or imbricate, 1-nerved, entire or denticulate, generally uniform in size and multifarious, but in a few species dimorphous and distichous. Sporangia 1-celled, reniform, compressed, coriaceous, dehiscing by a longitudinal slit, placed singly on the upper surface of the leaves near their base, or more generally at the upper base of imbricated bracts aggregated into terminal spikes, which are either sessile or pedunculated. Spores small, numerous, with three lines radiating from the apex.

A large genus of about 100 species, found in all parts of the world. Of the 11 species indigenous in New Zealand, 3 are widely distributed in both hemispheres, 6 extend to Australia, 2 of them reaching the Pacific islands as well, the remaining 1 or 2 are endemic.

A. Selago. Leaves multifarious. Sporangia at the upper base of unaltered leaves at intervals all down the stem.
Stems 3–12 in., tufted, erect, dichotomously forked. Leaves crowded, erect, subulate-lanceolate, ⅙–¼ in. long	1. L. Selago.
B. Lepidotis. Leaves multifarious. Sporangia aggregated into distinct terminal spikes, at the upper base of bracts differing in shape and size from the leaves.
* Epiphytic or rupestral, rarely terrestrial. Stems often pendulous, dichotomously forked from the base. Spikes slender, tetragonous.
Stems 6–24 in., usually erect, stout, rigid. Spikes 2–6 in., stout, curved; bracts about ⅛ in., the upper decidedly longer than the sporangia	2. L. varium.
Stems 1–5 ft., pendulous, very slender. Spikes 1–4 in.; bracts ⁠1/20⁠–⁠1/12⁠ the upper scarcely longer than the sporangia	3. L. Billardieri.
** Stems erect, rigid, dendroid, simple below, copiously branched above. Spikes terminal, sessile, cylindrical.
Stems 1–3 ft.; branches ascending, dense, fastigiate. Spikes ½–1 in., erect; bracts broadly ovate, acute but not cuspidate	4. L. densum.
Stems ¾–2 ft.; branches spreading. Spikes ¼–½ in., incurved or pendulous; bracts broadly ovate with a long cuspidate point	5. L. cernuum.
*** Stems slender, erect or procumbent, sparingly or diffusely branched: Spikes lateral or terminal on short lateral branchlets.
Stems 4-18 in., erect, simple or dichotomously forked; branches erect. Spikes lateral, sessile, ½–⅔ in. long	6. L. laterale.
Stems 2–9 in., procumbent or prostrate, much branched, often with the branches interlaced. Spikes terminating short lateral branchlets	7. L. ramulosum.
**** Main stem creeping, with erect or ascending branches. Spikes terminal, on long peduncles.
Stems 2–6 in., creeping and rooting, leafy; fertile branches or peduncles simple, strict, erect, 2–6 in. long. Spikes ⅓–½ in.	8. L. Drummondii.
Stems 6–24 in., creeping; branches 3–14 in., erect or ascending, fastigiately branched. Spikes ¾–2 in. long, on peduncles terminating the upper branchlets	9. L. fastigiatum.
C. Diphasium. Leaves distichous and dimorphous. Sporangia aggregated into distinct terminal spikes; bracts small.
Stems 1–3 ft., creeping; branches 3–12 in., ascending or erect, flattened. Spikes 1–2 in., solitary, terminal; bracts with spreading tips	10. L. scariosum.
Stems 2–8 ft., scrambling or climbing; branches flabellately divided, flattened. Spikes 1–4 in., in large panicles at the ends of the branches; bracts with small appressed tips	11. L. volubile.

1. L. Selago, Linn. Sp. Plant. 1565.—Stems 3–12 in. long, usually shortly decumbent and rooting at the base, erect above, several times dichotomously forked, densely leafy throughout; branches 2–9 in. long, ¼–½ in. diam. including the leaves, stout, rigid, erect, cylindric, often uniform in height and forming dense level-topped tufts. Leaves crowded, ascending or rarely spreading, ⅙–¼ in. long, subulate-lanceolate, acuminate, sometimes almost pungent, quite entire or minutely denticulate, firm, dark-green and glossy, sometimes with pedicelled leafy bulbils in the axils. Sporangia solitary on the upper surface of the unaltered leaves near their base, often at intervals all down the stem, but usually most abundant in the upper part, not forming a distinct spike.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 52; Fl. Tasm. ii. 155, t. 170a; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 389; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 674; Bak. Fern Allies, 9; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 103.

North Island: Mountainous districts from Mount Tauhara (near Lake Taupo) southwards to the Tararua Range, apparently local. South Island, Stewart Island: Abundant in mountain districts, usually between 1500 and 5000 ft., but descends almost to sea-level in Stewart Island.

An abundant plant on moors and heaths in cool or damp mountainous localities throughout the world.

2. L. varium, R. Br. Prodr. 165.—Rhizome stout. Stems tufted, ½–2 ft. long, stout, rigid, erect or more rarely pendulous, sparingly or much dichotomously branched, leafy throughout; branches stout, often curved. Leaves crowded all round the branches, ascending or spreading, the lower ones the longest, ⅓–⅔ in. long, lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, coriaceous, dark-green and glossy, midrib usually obscure; upper leaves smaller and more appressed. Spikes terminal, usually numerous, simple or branched, curved or drooping, tetragonous, 2–6 in. long, ⅛–⅙ in. diam. Bracts densely imbricating, about ⅛ in. long, broadly ovate, acute or obtuse, keeled; the lower ones rather longer and more foliaceous, gradually passing into the upper leaves, the upper decidedly longer than the reniform sporangia.—Hook. and Grev. Ic. Fil. t. 112; Hook f. Fl. Antarct. i. 115; Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 52; Fl. Tasm. ii. 155, t. 170b; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 389; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 674; Bak. Fern Allies, 21; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 104.

North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands, Auckland and Campbell Islands, Antipodes Island: Mountainous districts from the Great Barrier Island and Cape Colville southwards, not uncommon. Sea-level to 4500 ft.

Also in Australia and Tasmania. Probably only an extreme form of L. Billardieri, into which it passes by imperceptible gradations, but in its usual state distinguished without much difficulty by the stout rigid habit, stouter curved spikes, and larger bracts. It is usually terrestrial or rupestral, rarely epiphytic.

3. L. Billardieri, Spring. Monog. Lycop. i. 56.—Rhizome short. Stems tufted, pendulous from the branches of trees or from rocks, 1–5 ft. long, excessively dichotomously branched from the base upwards, slender, cylindric, dark-green, leafy throughout; upper branches almost flaccid. Lower leaves laxly placed, spreading or ascending from an erect decurrent base, ½–¾ in. long, linear or linear-ligulate, obtuse or acute, coriaceous, usually with a distinct midrib; upper shorter and more closely placed, more erect, often appressed and imbricating, ¼ in. long, linear-subulate, acute, more or less keeled. Spikes terminating the branches, very numerous, slender, dichotomously forked, tetragonous, 1–4 in. long, ⁠1/12⁠–⁠1/10⁠ diam. Bracts densely imbricating, short, ⁠1/25⁠–⁠1/15⁠ long, broadly ovate, acute or apiculate, keeled, the upper ones sometimes no longer than the reniform sporangia.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 53; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 389; Baker, Fern Allies, 20; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 104. L. varium var. Billardieri, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 377. L. flagellaria, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 60 (not of Bory); A. Cunn. Precur. n. 155; Raoul, Choix, 37. L. Phlegmaria, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 157 (not of Linn).

Var. gracile, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 377.— Stems tufted, 6–12 in. high, slender, pale-green, flaccid. Leaves spreading, about ½ in. long, narrow-linear, acute or obtuse. Spikes lax, slender, 3–6 in. long, simple or forked. Bracts about ¼ in. long, linear, spreading or ascending, 3 or 4 times as long as the sporangia.—(?)L. novæ-zealandicum, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. (1887) 275.

Kermadec Islands, North and South Islands: The typical form abundant in woods from the North Cape to Foveaux Strait. Var. gracile: Mount Egmont, T.F.C.; Wairarapa Valley, J. S. Sandager! Maitai Valley, Dr. Boor and T. Kirk; Westport, Dr. Gaze! Otira Gorge, T.F.C. Sea-level to 2000 ft.

Either the same or a closely allied species is found in Tahiti and others of the Polynesian islands.

4. L. densum, Labill. Pl. Nov. Holl. ii. 104, t. 251.—Rhizome short, stout, creeping. Stems rigidly erect, woody, dendroid, 1–3 ft. high, simple below, much and densely fastigiately branched above; branches repeatedly divided; branchlets slender, ascending, ⁠1/16⁠–⁠1/8⁠ in. diam. Leaves inserted all round the stem and branches, distant towards the base of the stem, densely imbricating above, erect, closely appressed, ⁠1/20⁠–⁠1/12⁠ long, subulate-lanceolate, shortly aristate; in young or sterile plants often larger, squarrose or erectopatent. Spikes solitary and terminal on the branchlets, very numerous, erect, ½–1 in. long, about ⅛ in. diam., cylindric, obtuse. Bracts close-set, broadly ovate, acute but not cuspidate, spreading when mature; margins scarious, jagged. Spores echinate.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 153; Raoul, Choix, 37; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 63; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 389; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 676; Bak. Fern Allies, 24; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 105.

North Island: Abundant from the North Cape to Poverty Bay and Kawhia, usually in light scrub on clay soils. South Island: Marlborough, Buchanan. Chatham Islands: Dieffenbach. Sea-level to 3000 ft.

Also in Norfolk Island, Australia and Tasmania, and New Caledonia.

5. L. cernuum, Linn. Sp. Plant. 1566.—Stems stout, creeping, 1–3 ft. long, leafy throughout; primary branches rigidly erect, 9–18 in. long or more, much branched in the upper portion, usually simple below; lower branchlets copiously divided, short, spreading or ascending, pendulous towards the tips. Leaves inserted all round the stems and branches, crowded, squarrose or incurved towards the tips, ⁠1/10⁠–⁠1/8⁠ in. long, narrow linear-subulate, decurrent at the base, pale soft-green, keeled by the prominent midrib beneath. Spikes numerous, solitary and sessile on the incurved or pendulous tips of the branchlets, ¼–½ in. long, oblong, obtuse, cylindric. Bracts imbricating all round, broadly ovate, narrowed into a long cuspidate point; margins denticulate.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 154; Raoul, Choix, 37; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 54; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 390; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 676; Bak. Fern Allies, 23; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 105. (?)L. polvcephalum, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895) 401.

Kermadec Islands: Sunday Island, in the large crater-basin, not common, T.F.C. North Island: From the North Cape to the East Cape and Taupo, abundant to the north of the Thames and Waikato Rivers, and in great profusion in heated soil in the thermal-springs district, from Rotorua to Taupo. Sea-level to 2500 ft.

A common tropical plant all round the world. Frequently luxuriating in the neighbourhood of hot springs.

6. L. laterale, R. Br. Prodr. 165.—Rhizome long, stout, white, creeping. Stems numerous, erect or decumbent at the base, 4–18 in. high, stout or slender, simple or sparingly branched, the branches erect, cylindric, pale-green, sometimes tinged with reddish-brown, leafy from the base. Leaves close-set, spreading all round or the upper ascending, ⅛–¼ in. long, subulate-lanceolate, acuminate, decurrent at the base, firm but hardly coriaceous; midrib evident; margms revolute. Spikes 2–8 to a branch, lateral, sessile, simple, erect, ⅓–⅔ in. long, oblong, obtuse, often brown or reddish-brown. Bracts imbricated, spreading at maturity, broadly ovate, suddenly narrowed into a rather long acuminate point; margins jagged.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 156; Raoul, Choix, 37; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 53; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 389; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 675; Bak. Fern Allies, 28; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 106. L. consimilis, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 348.

North and South Islands, Chatham Islands: Abundant in swampy or peaty ground throughout. Sea-level to 2500 ft.

Also found in Australia, from Queensland to Victoria, and in New Caledonia.

7. L. ramulosum, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xi. (1879) 456, t. 19b.—Rhizome creeping, branched. Stems 2–9 in. long, prostrate or procumbent, usually much branched and densely intermatted, but sometimes lax and open; branches ascending at the lips, pale-green, often tinged with reddish, leafy throughout. Leaves rather close, spreading or ascending, about ⅙ in. long, subulate-lanceolate, mucronate, decurrent at the base, keeled, firm but scarcely coriaceous, quite entire. Spikes solitary and sessile at the end of short leafy branchlets, sometimes terminating the main branches; occasionally the branches are so much reduced that the spike becomes lateral as in L. laterale, ¼–½ in. long, oblong, obtuse, brown or reddish-brown. Bracts imbricated, ascending, broadly ovate, abruptly acuminate or cuspidate, coriaceous; margins entire or slightly toothed.— Bak. Fern Allies, 25; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 105.

South Island: Nelson—Vicinity of Westport, W. Townson! Westland—Near Hokitika, W. Tipler; Kumara, J. W. Brame! Okarito, A. Hamilton! Stewart Island: Paterson's Inlet, Kirk! Usually in open peaty land or in swampy woods. Sea-level to 2000 ft.

Differs from L. laterale and the Australian L. diffusum in the procumbent and densely matted habit, and in the usually terminal spikes.

8. L. Drummondii, Spring. Monog. Lycop. ii. 35.—"Main stem trailing, branched, 2-4 in. long or more, sending out rootlets and distant stiffly erect simple fertile branches 2–6 in. long. Leaves of trailing stem crowded, lanceolate, ascending, much imbricated, glossy, pale -green, entire, firm in texture, ⅛ in. long; midrib obscure; those of the peduncle much laxer, stiffly erecto-patent, very decurrent. Spikes simple, ½–⅓ in. long, sometimes interrupted; bracts rigid, deltoid- cuspidate, erecto-patent, greenish-yellow, ⁠1/12⁠–⁠1/8⁠ in. long."—Bak. Fern Allies, 19. L. carolinianum, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 54; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 390; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 675; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 106 (not of Linn.). L. serpentinum, Kunze in Pl. Preiss. ii. 108.

North Island: Auckland—North Cape district, in some locality between Ahipara and Cape Maria van Diemen, Colenso.

This has not been collected since its first discovery by Mr. Colenso in 1839, and in the absence of further information I have reproduced the description given by Mr. Baker in his "Fern Allies." It is also found in Australia, and is very closely allied to the tropical L. carolinianum, Linn., principally differing in the stem-leaves being all similar, and not dimorphic.

9. L. fastigiatum, R. Br. Prodr. 165.—Main stem or rhizome stout, creeping, subterranean, 6–24 in. long or more; primary branches rather distant, 3–14 in. long, stout, erect, rigid, often naked below, copiously fastigiately branched above; branchlets crowded. Leaves imbricated all round the branches, crowded, spreading and then incurved at the tips, ⅛–⅙ in. long, linear or linear-lanceolate, acute or shortly mucronate, not hair-pointed, entire, firm, midrib indistinct. Spikes peduncled, often two together, terminating the upper branchlets or several in a central panicle, ¾–2 in. long, rarely more, about ⅙ in. diam., erect, cylindric. Bracts closely imbricate, broadly ovate at the base, narrowed upwards into a long spreading or recurved cuspidate point.—Bak. Fern Allies, 27. L. clavatum var. magellanicum, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 113; Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 54; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 390; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 106, but scarcely L. magellanicum, Swartz. L. clavatum var. fastigiatum, Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 675. L. curvifolium and L. scopulosum, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 234, 235. L. decurrens, Col. l.c. xxviii. (1896) 617.

North Island: Hilly and mountainous localities from Cape Colville to Cook Strait, but local to the north of the East Cape. South Island, Chatham Islands, Stewart Island, Auckland and Campbell Islands, Antipodes Island: Abundant throughout. Sea-level to 5000 ft.

Also in Victoria and Tasmania, and very close to some forms of the widely distributed L. clavatum, Linn., from which it is chiefly distinguished by the absence of hair-points to the leaves and their entire margins.

10. L. scariosum, Forst. Prodr. n. 484.—Main stems prostrate or creeping, stout, branched, 1–3 ft. long; branches numerous, rigid, erect or ascending, copiously divided, 3–12 in. long; branchlets flattened, ⅛–⅙ in. broad including the leaves. Leaves of the main stem inserted all round, appressed, lanceolate or subulate-lanceolate, with acute scarious tips; of the branchlets dimorphous, the larger distichously spreading and flattened, about ⅛ in. long, ascending, much decurrent at the base, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, falcate, coriaceous, dark-green or yellow-green; smaller leaves on one side of the branchlets, subulate-lanceolate, appressed, usually with scarious tips. Spikes solitary at the end of the branchlets, 1–2 in. long, about ⅙ in. diam., on long or short peduncles clothed with appressed imbricate leaves. Bracts closely imbricated, broadly ovate at the base, narrowed upwards into a long spreading or recurved scarious tip; margins often toothed.—Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 966; Raoul, Choix, 37; Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 112; Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 55; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 390; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 676; Bak. Fern Allies, 29; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 107. L. Lessonianum, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 69; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 152. L. distans, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 236.

North and South Islands, Chatham Islands, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands: From the Great Barrier Island and the Manukau Harbour southwards, but often local. Sea-level to 5000 ft.

A handsome and distinct species, a slightly different form of which is found in Victoria and Tasmania. It is also very closely allied to the South American L. Jussiæi, Desv.

11. L. volubile, Forst. Prodr. n. 482.—Stems 2–8 ft. long or more, branched, scrambling over bushes or rocks, slender, wiry, flexuose, with distant minute linear-subulate appressed leaves. Branches numerous, leafy, compressed, pinnately or flabellately decompound; branchlets forked, the ultimate ones ½–3 in. long, ⅙–¼ in. broad including the leaves. Leaves dimorphous, the larger distichously spreading, ⅛–⅙ in. long, with a broad adnate decurrent base, ascending, lanceolate, strongly falcate, acuminate, midrib evident, oblique, texture firm; smaller leaves much reduced in size, linear, appressed. Spikes very numerous, 1–4 in. long, ⁠1/12⁠ in. broad, cylindrical, pendulous, arranged in large terminal much-branched panicles 6–24 in. long. Bracts imbricating, small, not much longer than the sporangia, broadly ovate or almost orbicular, suddenly narrowed into an erect subulate point.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 158; Raoul, Choix, 37; Hook. and Grev. Ic. Fil. t. 170; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 55; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 391; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 677; Bak. Fern Allies, 29; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 107; L. D'Urvillei, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 60 (not of Bory).

North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands: Abundant throughout, usually forming entangled masses among low scrub. Sea-level to 3000 ft. Waewaekoukou.

By far the most beautiful species of the genus. It extends to Polynesia, New Caledonia, North Australia, the mountains of New Guinea, Java, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula.

3. TMESIPTERIS, Bernh.

Rhizome creeping, sparingly branched; true roots wanting. Stems simple or rarely forked, pendulous or ascending, leafy. Leaves vertically placed, of two kinds; the foliage-leaves sessile and decurrent, simple and entire; the fertile leaves or sporophylls mixed with the foliage-leaves and about the same size, shortly petiolate, bipartite. Sporangia (or synangia) attached to the petiole of the fertile leaf just below the lobes, boat-shaped or spindle-shaped, coriaceous, pointed at both ends, slightly constricted about the middle, 2-celled with the septum across the narrow diameter, dehiscing longitudinally; rarely the sporangia are 3-celled or 1-celled. Spores minute, oblong.

A genus consisting of one highly variable species, found in New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania, and some of the Pacific islands. By some authors it is split up into 3 or 4, distinguished mainly by the shape of the apex of the leaf {which I find to be variable even in the same individual) and by certain histological details, the constancy of which has yet to be established.

1. T. tannensis, Bernh. in Schrad. Journ. Bot. ii. (1800) 131, t. 2.—Stems 4–18 in. long or more, simple or rarely once or twice forked, usually pendulous, slender, naked towards the base. Foliage-leaves rather closely placed, ⅓–1 in. long, obliquely oblong or oblong-lanceolate, sessile and strongly decurrent at the base, obtuse or truncate or acute at the tip, the midrib usually produced into a mucro of variable length, coriaceous, dark dull-green. Fertile leaves rather shorter than the foliage-leaves and replacing them at intervals down the stem, on short petioles sometimes ¼ in. long, deeply 2-partite, the divisions usually similar to the foliage-leaves but smaller. Synangia sessile or very shortly stalked, ⅙–¼ in. long, parallel to the petiole, brown, coriaceous.—Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 680; Bak. Fern Allies, 30. T. Forsteri, Endl. Prodr. Fl. Norfolk, 6; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 151; Raoul, Choix, 37; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 51; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 391; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 108. T. truncata, Desv. in Ann. Soc. Linn. Par. vi. 192; Hook. Gen. Ferns, t. 86.

Kermadec Islands, North and South Islands, Chatham Islands, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands: Common in forests throughout, usually epiphytic on the stems of tree-ferns, more rarely on rocks. Sea-level to 3000 ft.

For a discussion on the morphology and systematic position of this plant see Professor Bower's memoir "On the Morphology of the Spore-producing Members" (Trans. Roy. Soc. 1894, p. 541–548) and the more recently published paper by Professor Thomas entitled "The Affinity of Tmesipteris with the Sphenophyllales" (Proc. Roy. Soc, Vol. lxix., p. 343–350).

4. PSILOTUM, Swartz.

Rhizome short, creeping, branched; true roots wanting. Stem erect or pendulous, simple below, repeatedly dichotomously branched above; branches angled or flat. Leaves very minute, scale-like, laxly placed, trifarious or distichous. Sporangia (or synangia), coriaceous, almost globular, usually 3-lobed and 3-celled, rarely 2- or 4-celled, in the axil or attached below the fork of a minute bifid scale-like fertile leaf or sporophyll, which is either sessile or raised on a short petiole. Spores minute, oblong, curved.

A small genus of two species, widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. The New Zealand species has the range of the genus.

1. P. triquetrum, Swartz, Syn. Fil. 117.—Stems 4–18 in. long, erect or pendulous when growing on trees, stout or slender, simple below, many times dichotomously branched in the upper part; branchlets triquetrous, the ultimate ones ⁠1/35⁠–⁠1/20⁠ diam. Leaves placed on the angles of the stems and branches, distant, minute, scale-like, ovate-subulate, ⁠1/12⁠–⁠1/8⁠ in. long. Fertile leaves bifid, rather smaller than the foliage-leaves, sessile or shortly petiolate. Synangia ⁠1/10⁠–⁠1/15⁠ in. diam., globose or broader than long.—Hook. Gen. Fil. t. 87; Fil. Exot. t. 63; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 56; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 391; Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 681; Bak. Fern Allies, 30; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 108. P. heterocarpum, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 237.

Kermadec Island: Not uncommon, T.F.C. North Island: Rangaunu Harbour, R. H. Matthews! Rangitoto Island, Colenso! and many others; Auckland Isthmus, very rare, T.F.C.; Motuhora Island (Bay of Plenty), Joliffe; near Maketu, Kirk; soil heated by hot springs at Orakeikorako, Kirk! Wairakei, C. J. Norton! and Tokaanu, T.F.C. Sea-level to 1800 ft.

In all tropical and subtropical regions as far north as Japan and Florida.