Flora of New Zealand Series

Mecodium villosum (Col.) Cop. loc. cit. 67, 1938, 24.

Type locality: "On reclining and prostrate trees, dense shaded forests near Ruatahuna, Jan. 1842". Type: W, "near Ruatahuna", Colenso. Endemic?

Rhizome slender, much branched, ± clad, especially when young, in bristly hairs; stipites us. crowded. Stipes slender, 2-8 cm. long, narrowly winged above, villous when young, glabrate in age. Rhachis narrowly winged, slender, hairs often cop. Lamina 3-10 cm. long, broadly to narrowly ovate, dull green, 3-4-pinnatifid; final segs narrow-linear, crowded, obtuse. Sori free, us. ∞ Indusium 1 mm. long, broad-ovate, 2-valved to base; valves smooth, entire. Receptacle not exserted.

DIST.: N., S., St., A., C. Montane to subalpine forest, scrub, herbfield from Mount Moehau southwards, descending to sea level in southern part of range.

Of uncertain status; subalpine forms are distinct in appearance from the larger, less hairy, forest forms (including the type specimen). How far the differences are due to habitat conditions and how far to hybridism with H. sanguinolentum has not been certainly determined.