Flora of New Zealand Series

L. trilobata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 16, 1884, 345.

Rhizome creeping, stiff, branching, c. 1 mm. diam., densely clad in light brown linear-attenuate paleae; stipites rather distant to approximate, paleate at base. Stipes 5-30 cm. long, slender, wiry, erect, dark brown, shining, glab. Rhachis similar. Lamina 3-20 cm. long, linear, pinnate, membr. Pinnae of sterile fronds c. 5 × 4 mm. (rarely up to 10 mm. long), obliquely cuneate-flabellate, patent, opp. to subopp.; veinlets forked; upper margin shallowly to rather deeply lobed or toothed, lower entire. Pinnae of fertile fronds cuneate-oblong, c. 5 × 4 mm. (rarely longer) deflexed; margins becoming strongly reflexed, entire or nearly so. Sori extending along upper margin of pinna; indusium broad, delicate, minutely toothed.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch. Common in lowland to lower montane shrubland, open ground, and boggy places from near North Cape to lat. 41º. Rare in rest of N. Also in E. Australia, Tasmania, Norfolk Id, New Caledonia.

Varies greatly in stature according to habitat conditions. Colenso's L. trilobata has rather deeply lobed pinnae. Type locality: "In hollows on high land, tops of hills near the north head of Wellington Harbour (but not plentiful), 1846-7: W.C." The specimen in W lacks a Colenso label or annotation.