Flora of New Zealand Series

Polypodium dentatum Forsk. Fl. aegypt.arab. 1775, 185.

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

Aspidium molle Swartz Syn. Fil. 1806, 49.

Nephrodium molle R. Br. Prodr. 1810, 149.

Cyclosorus dentatus (Forsk.) Ching.

Dryopteris parasitica auct. non  L. Sp. Pl. 1753, 1090.

Rhizome erect or very shortly creeping; stipites approximate. Stipes 10-60 cm. long, slender, clad in spreading hairs when young. Rhachis pale brown, us. rather densely clad, as are costae, in slender hairs. Lamina up to 1 m. × 3 dm., pale green, oblong-lanceolate, membr., at first ± pilose, later glabrate. Lower pinnae reduced. Pinnae ∞, rather distant, patent, tapering from base to acuminate apex, up to 15 × 2 cm.; pinnatifid to halfway or more. Segs close-set, lowest up to 1 cm. long, oblong, obtuse to subacute, subfalcate. Lower veinlets uniting at or near narrow sinus. Sori us. cop., 1-1·5 mm. diam., close-set but not coalescing, up to 7 pairs per seg., about medial, often none or few on lowest segs. Indusium cordate-reniform, at first bearing delicate hairs.

DIST.: K., N. By streamsides or near hot springs from near North Cape to lat. 39º. Widespread in tropical and subtropical regions.