Flora of New Zealand Series

A. forsterianum Col. in Tasm. J. nat. Sci. 2, 1846, 171.

Rhizome stout, shortly creeping to ascending, densely clad in slender dark lanceolate-attenuate paleae; stipites crowded. Stipes 15-30 cm. × 3 mm., stiff, densely paleate at base, ± densely paleate elsewhere, becoming glab. Rhachis stout to slender, smooth, paleate when young, with rather distant alt. pinnae. Lamina (15)-20-50-(100) × (5)-15-(20) cm., ± pend., coriac., dark green, lanceolate-attenuate, ± paleate when young; veins conspicuous, simple or forked from about halfway. Pinnae up to 50 or more, ascending, shortly stalked, decreasing towards terminal pinna, (5)-10-(15) cm. × 15-25 mm.; lanceolate, acuminate, inciso-serrate, us. with broadly rounded toothed lobe on upper edge near obliquely cuneate base. Sori us. cop., linear, up to 2 cm. long, often almost reaching margin; indusium firm.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch. Lowland to montane forests throughout, epiphytic to terrestrial. Also Australia and Old World tropics.