Flora of New Zealand Series

G. rigida Hombron in Voy. Pôle Sud 1852, t. 2, f. F. an

G. humilis Hombron loc. cit. t. 2, f. H.? (possibly a dwarfed form).

Polypodium billardieri var. rigidum (Homb.) Ckn. Rep. Bot. Surv. St. Id 1909, 47.

Type locality: A. Endemic.

Rhizome stout, up to 15 mm. diam. including paleae; ascending, up to 10 cm. long, crowned by closely approximate stipites; paleae dark brown, ovate-lanceolate to long-attenuate, c. 1 cm. long, ascending. Stipes up to 2 cm. long, narrowly winged, wings merging into lamina, glab. Lamina 10-20 cm. × 10-15 mm. (sts reduced to 3 cm. × 5 mm.) rigid, very coriac., dull green, oblong to lanceolate-oblong, entire, acute to subacute, or margins faintly sinuate; main vein stout, prominent; veinlets obscure to fairly evident, simple or forked, sts with a few anastomoses. Sori about medial, 5-3 mm. long, oblong, oblique; up to 20 pairs in upper half of lamina; paraphyses absent or few.

DIST.: A., St., S. (known from Preservation Inlet, Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound). Coastal and lowland forest. Rather similar forms of doubtful status have been collected in N. (Ruahine Range, Waimarino).