Flora of New Zealand Series

Polypodium vestitum Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 82.

Aspidium vestitum Swartz Syn. Fil. 1806, 53.

Polystichum venustum Homb. et Jacq. Voy. Pôle Sud 1853, t. 5, f. N. A. pulcherrimum Col. in Tasm. J. nat. Sci. 2, 1846, 167.

A. waikarense Col. loc. cit., 168.

A. aculeatum var. vestitum Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 375.

A. (Polystichum) perelegans Col. in T.N.Z.I. 29, 1897, 416.

Rhizome stout, ascending, branched, sts forming a caudex up to 15 dm. tall, densely clad in paleae up to 2 cm. or more long; stipites numerous, densely tufted. Stipes stout, us. densely paleate, 15-45 cm. × 5-10 mm. dark to pale brown. Paleae of diverse shape, us. on different plants: ovate- to lanceolate-attenuate, sts laciniate; pale brown to almost black, with or without a paler margin, spreading, mingled with linear paleae and slender hairs. Rhachis stout, grooved, paleate and hairy, with numerous us. close-set pinnae. Lamina 30-75-(100) × 104-25 cm., about oblong-lanceolate, dark green above, paler below, rather harsh, bipinnate. Larger pinnae 5-12 cm. × 15-25 mm., lanceolate-oblong, acute to acuminate; costa grooved, ± paleate and hairy. Pinnules us. close-set, very shortly stalked, up to 15 mm. long, ovate-oblong to subrhomboid. Toothing diverse on different plants: deeply toothed, teeth aristate; lower teeth acute to obtuse; all teeth obtuse. Sori in two rows, || and near mid-vein, up to 8 per pinnule, c. 0·5-1 mm. diam.; indusium small, flat.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch., A., C., Ant., M., Sn. Lowland to montane forest from lat. 36º 30' southwards. Often persistent after destruction of forest. Also in Tasmania, Fuegia.

An ill-resolved aggregate of forms. Campbell and Auckland Island specimens often have the pinnules crenate to subentire. Specimens from the Sn., with similar pinnules, have linear-attenuate basal paleae up to 4 cm. long.

A. pulcherrimum Col. from "decomposed sandstone soil, dense shaded forests, on the mountain-range near Waikare Lake, Dec. 1841" is represented in W by a single frond: stipes 30 cm. long; paleae linear-attenuate, dark brown, c. 3 cm. long. Lamina 72 × 18 cm. Pinnae rather distant, up to 9 cm. long; pinnules deeply aristately toothed. A. waikarense Col. "in forests near Waikare, with preceding, Dec., 1841." The type in W consists of two fronds: stipes 8-9 cm. long; paleae linear-attenuate, dark brown, up to 2 cm. long. Lamina 19-37 × 8-10 cm.; pinnae up to 8·5 × 1·5 cm.; pinnules deeply aristately toothed. A. perelegans Col. from "forests south-west of Dannevirke; 1896: W.C." is represented in W by a single frond. Stipes 36 cm.; paleae linear-attenuate, dark brown, c. 2 cm. long (upper ones paler); hairs cop. Lamina 61·5 × 17 cm., acuminate; pinnae up to 9 × 2 cm., acuminate. Pinnules 15 mm. long, narrow, deeply aristately toothed.

Proliferous forms have been noted, but appear to be very rare.