Flora of New Zealand Series

T. pellucida Hook. et Grev. in Bot. Misc. 3, 1832, 232.

Leptopteris hymenophylloides (A. Rich.) Presl Supp. Tent. Pterid. 1845, 71.

Heruheru, Prince of Wales Feather.

Type locality: "Crescit in Nova-Zeelandia". Described from a dried specimen. Type: P.

Stock stout, often forming a distinct caudex up to 6 dm. tall, invested by bases of stipites. Fronds crowded, spreading, up to 1 m. long; stipites greenish brown, nude or with lines or patches of woolly brownish hairs, up to 30 cm. long and 5 mm. diam. or more; rhachides similar. Lamina up to 80 cm. or more long, about ovate-deltoid in outline, acuminate. Primary pinnae 2-3 cm. apart, uppermost under 3 cm. long, mid up to 15 cm., lowest c. 6 cm. long. Pinnules pellucid, pinnately dissected, 5 mm. apart, in one plane not overlapping, up to 20 mm. long, segs linear. Sporangia along vein of pinnules, mostly in lower ⅔ of pinnae.

DIST.: N., S., St. From near North Cape southwards in lowland to montane forest.

The two spp. are very distinct, but in places are linked by a series of intergrading forms, the more marked of which are often spoken of as "intermedia". There is field evidence that the intergrades are hybrid forms, as suggested by Cockayne and Allan (Ann. Bot., Lond. 48, 1934, 9) but further study is required. T. marginata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 29, 1897, 419, was based on specimens collected in "Forests near Dannevirke; 1888-96: W.C.". Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 419) refers it to T. hymenophylloides, but it appears to belong to the series of intergrades.