Flora of New Zealand Series

Aspidium coriaceum var. acutidentatum A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z. 1832, 71.

P. aristatum Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 2, 1855, 37, t. 78, non Presl.

Aspidium richardi Hook. Sp. Fil. 4, 1862, 23, t. 222.

A. (Polystichum) zerophyllum Col. in T.N.Z.I. 29, 1897, 418.

Rhizome stout, erect, clad in very dark brown linear-subulate paleae, sts with narrow pale margin, up to 1 cm. long; stipites densely tufted. Stipes stout, 15-30-(45) cm. × 3-4 mm., clad, especially in lower part, in linear-subulate paleae, mingled, especially in upper part, with slender scurfy hairs. Rhachis stout, ± paleate and hairy, with numerous approximate to rather distant pinnae. Lamina (20)-25-30-(40) × (7)-10-15-(25) cm., coriac., lanceolate to deltoid-oblong, acuminate; very dark green and glab. above, paler and ± scurfy below; bipinnate. Larger pinnae 5-10 × 2-4 cm., about lanceolate, acuminate; lower pinnules very shortly stalked, upper decurrent and confluent. Pinnules diverse on different plants, up to 15 × 5 mm., lanceolate- to ovate-oblong: (a) sharply serrately toothed (b) lower teeth crenate (c) all crenate to subentire, obtuse to subacute. Sori up to 8 in two rows about half way between midvein and margin, c. 2 mm. diam.; indusium flat, becomes concave upwards, with dark centre and pale margin.

DIST.: N., S. Coastal to lower montane forest throughout. Also in Fiji.

Aspidium oculatum Hook. Sp. Fil. 4, 1862, 24, t. 228, as described by Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 376, from specimens collected in Wairarapa Valley by Colenso and at Akaroa by Raoul, shows no certain points of difference from P. richardii as here described. The rhizome is said to be absent, the paleae white-margined, the pinnules obtusely toothed or subpinnatifid, the indusium with a large black disk. J. B. Armstrong (T.N.Z.I. 13, 1881, 364) referred it to Polystichum, but without formal citation.

Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 29) places the name A. zerophyllum Col. as a synonym of P. vestitum. Colenso described his sp. from specimens (not seen by me) collected in "hilly woods south-west of Dannevirke; 1896: W.C." He compares it with P. richardii, but gives as points of difference: "Stipe 15 in. long, slender . . . Frond oblong-lanceolate, 14 in.-17 in. long, 7 in.-81/2 in. wide at middle . . . dull light green above . . . Pinnae distant . . . 31/2 in.-4 in. long, 11/4 in.-11/2 in. wide at middle . . . Pinnules distant . . . ovate-acuminate, 3/4 in. long, coarsely and sharply serrate above, tip aristate . . ." He also stresses that the lamina is not mealy or sub-furfuraceous below.