Flora of New Zealand Series

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

Type locality: "On reclining and prostrate trees, humid woods, shores of Waikare Lake". Type: W, Colenso, December 1841. Mr Dawbin's specimens, from a "damp sheltered situation, sea-level, rata forest, Waterfall Inlet", have an abbreviated rhizome with close-set fronds; stipes up to 10 cm. long; laminae up to 25 cm. long. Endemic.

Rhizome very stout, up to 1 cm. diam., reduced to a stock, densely clad in long red bristly hairs; stipites close-set to tufted. Stipes 8-15 cm. long, stout, with broad flat wing nearly to base; wing becoming fragmentary in age. Rhachis stout, broadly to rather narrowly winged. Lamina 15-25 cm. long or more, about ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, pale green, 3-4-pinnatifid. Primary pinnae up to 10 cm. long; final segs linear, obtuse to retuse. Sori free. Indusium c. 1 mm. long, oblong to suborbicular, 2-valved to base; valves convex, entire. Receptacle not or hardly exserted.

DIST.: N., S., St., A. (W. Dawbin). Lowland to montane forest from lat. 37º 30' southwards; local east of divide in S. Epiphytic or rarely rupestral.