Flora of New Zealand Series

Polypodium scandens Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 81.

Drymaria scandens Fée Gen. Fil. 1852, 271.

P. pustulatum Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 81 et auct. non

P. pustulatum Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 81.

Rhizome 2-3 mm. diam., far-creeping, much-branched; densely clad in dark brown lanceolate-attenuate squarrose paleae up to 5 mm. long; stipites distant to approximate, articulated to rhizome. Stipes slender, nude or nearly so, very narrowly winged, 1-8 cm. long. Lamina trimorphic, the different forms occurring on the same plant, thin, dull green; main vein stout, prominent, secondary veins and veinlets us. indistinct; anastomoses forming large areoles with included free veinlets: (a) lamina simple, entire, 5-35 cm. × 5-10 mm. linear-lanceolate, tapering to obtuse tip; occasionally bearing sori. (b) lamina 20-30 × 5-10 cm., irregularly pinnatifid, mainly in mid-region; lobes of unequal length sts on one margin only, few to several, sinus wide; lobes 1-5 cm. long, gradually tapering from base up to 10 mm. wide; terminal seg. long; us. bearing sori. (c) lamina repeatedly, less irregularly pinnatifid, up to 35 cm. long; lobes up to 8 cm. long or more, tapering from base 5-10 mm. wide; terminal seg. long; us. with cop. sori. Sori rather distant in a single row on each side of main and secondary veins, near margin; rounded to broad-oblong, 1-2 mm. diam.; slightly sunken, showing as dark spots on upper surface or as bullate protuberances.

DIST.: N., S., Ch. Terrestrial, rupestral, epiphytic in lowland forests throughout, less common in southernmost part of range in S. Also in Australia, Norfolk Is.