Gleichenia Sm.

Volume I (1961) - Flora of New Zealand Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons

GLEICHENIA J. E. Smith, 1793

Characters as given for family; fronds always bipinnate or more compound.

Final segs not over 4 mm. long

GLEICHENIA sens. strict.

Final segs 10 mm. or more long

Lower veins more than once forked; sporangia rarely as few as 6 per sorus; rhizome with hairs not scales- Dicranopteris Bernhardi 1806, as genus

DICRANOPTERIS

Lower veins once forked; sporangia not more than 6; rhizome when young, bearing scales--Sticherus Presl 1836, as genus

STICHERUS

Final pinnules not over 4 mm. long

Final pinnules 10-30 mm. or more long

Pinnules flat or nearly so, oblong-triangular; sporangia 2-4, shining, bright to brownish yellow

1. microphylla

Pinnules strongly recurved or cucullate, suborbicular; sporangia 1-2, white to dull yellowish-white

2. circinata

Veins, at least lower ones, several times forked; a pair of accessory pinnae at base of lower forks; sporangia mostly more than 6 per sorus

5. linearis

Veins all only once forked or simple, no accessory pinnae; sporangia not more than 6

Pinnae spread in a sub-horizontal plane; pinnules entire, glaucous below

3. cunninghamii

Pinnae ascending, flabellately arranged; pinnules minutely serrulate towards tips, green below

4. flabellata