Flora of New Zealand Series

Rhizomes stout, erect, often covered with dead stipe bases. Stipes 10-35 cm long, pale brown. Stipes and rachises sparsely covered in scales with dark brown centres and pale margins. Laminae ovate to 5-angled, 3-pinnate at base, 20-50 × 10-35 cm, dark green above, paler below. Primary pinnae in 15-25 pairs, ± oblong at apex to ovate at base, shortly stalked, the longest 7-18 cm long, the broadest 4-12 cm wide. Secondary pinnae in 10-20 pairs, ± oblong or ovate, the longest 2.5-7 × 1-3 cm; lowest basiscopic secondary pinnae on basal pair of primary pinnae markedly > corresponding acroscopic secondary pinnae. Tertiary pinnae in up to 10 pairs, ovate or elliptic, to 15 × 7 mm, serrate with toothed apices. Sori round, present on all pinnae, protected by reniform indusia.

S.: Nelson (Bainham), Canterbury (Christchurch), Otago (Dunedin).

Europe, Asia 1958

Damp, modified indigenous forest and plantations.

D. dilatata is much less common in N.Z. than the other 2 Dryopteris spp.; it is sometimes known as D. austriaca.