5. H. atrovirens, Col. in Tasm. Journ. Nat. Sc. (1845) 26.—Usually terrestrial. Rhizome slender, wiry, creeping. Fronds few, somewhat rigidly erect, membranous, dull dark-green, 2–6 in. high, ½–1 in. broad, linear-oblong or lanceolate, quite glabrous, 2-pinnatifid. Stipes about half the length of the frond, winged almost to the base; rhachis fiexuose, winged throughout, wings flat, not crisped. Pinnæ 5–10 on each side, alternate, the lowest usually the largest, ⅓–⅔ in. long, erecto-patent, irregularly pinnatifid. Segments simple or forked, linear, obtuse, flat, quite entire. Sori few, terminating the segments, quite free. Indusium small, ovate, 2-valved almost to the base, slightly broader than the segments; valves obtuse or subacute, entire or jagged.—H. javanicum var. atrovirens, Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. 60. H. montanum, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 394; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 40; Field, N.Z. Ferns, 61, t. 28, f. 1.
North Island: Auckland—Bay of Islands, Miss Clarke! Whangarei, T.F.C.; ravines at Mamaku, near Rotorua, J. Stewart! Lake Waikaremoana, Colenso! South Island: Nelson—Blind Bay, Kingsley. Otago—Mountains at the head of Lake Wakatipu, Mrs. Mason! Sea-level to 2500 ft.
I have ventured to restore Mr. Colenso's H. atrovirens to the rank of a species, for although undoubtedly very close to A. australe it appears to differ sufficiently in the much smaller and narrower more sparingly divided frond, in the flat (not crisped) wings to the rhachis and stipes, and in the narrower segments and smaller ovate indusia. Mr. Kirk's H. montanum is clearly the same plant, with the indusia conspicuously jagged. Whether the Australian plant included under atrovirens by Baker is also identical I am unable to say, not having seen specimens.
6. H. pulcherrimum, Col. in Tasmanian Journ. Nat. Sci. (1845) 25.—Forming dense tufts on the branches and trunks of trees.
Rhizome short, stout, densely clothed with shining red-brown bristly scales; rootlets woolly. Fronds very handsome, pale-green, erect or pendulous, 9–30 in. long including the stipes, 2–6 in. broad, ovate-lanceolate or linear-oblong, acuminate, membranous, flaccid, quite glabrous, 3–4-pinnatifid. Stipes 2–6 in. long, winged to the base; rhachis also with a narrow wing throughout its length, wings not crisped. Primary pinnæ 1½–3 in. long, rhomboidal-lanceolate, 2-pinnatifid down to a narrowly winged flexuous rhachis. Ultimate segments simple or forked, linear, flat, obtuse or retuse, quite entire. Sori terminating short lateral segments, sometimes apparently axillary, quite free. Indusium orbicular, 2-valved to the base; valves convex, quite entire.—Hook. Sp. Fit. i. 103, t. 37a; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 13, t. 74; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 354; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. 62; Thoms. N.Z. Ferns, 41; Field, N.Z. Ferns, 60, t. 20, f. 6.
North Island: Mountainous forests of the interior, from Te Aroha and Lake Waikaremoana southwards. South Island: Rare and local in Nelson, Marlborough, and Canterbury; abundant in Westland and Otago. Stewart Island: Paterson's Inlet, Kirk! Sea-level to 3000 ft.
A very distinct species, confined to New Zealand.
