Flora of New Zealand Series

Osmunda discolor Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 78.

Onoclea discolor Swartz Syn. Fil. 1806, 3.

Lomaria discolor Willd. Sp. Pl. 5, 1810, 293.

Stegania discolor A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z. 1832, 87.

Rhizome very stout, often produced into an erect caudex up to 30 cm. or more tall, invested by bases of fallen stipites; clad in dark subulate-attenuate paleae up to 3 cm. long; emitting stolons bearing offset plants; stipites numerous, tufted, paleate at base. Stipes stout, brown, smooth, shining, 7-20 cm. × 2-4 mm., ± pilose, becoming nude. Rhachis stout, grooved, pale brown, ± pilose. Sterile lamina thinly coriac., about lanceolate, 30-100 × 5-15 cm.; pinnate below, pinnatifid above, pinnae numerous. Pinnae diminishing upwards and downwards from mid-region; ± paleate and pilose when young; apical pinnae sts ± fertile. Larger pinnae 3-8 cm. × 5-10 mm. or more, close-set, meeting at dilated bases, narrow-oblong, straight to subfalcate, acute to subacuminate, crenulate, green above, whitish to brownish below. Veinlets evident, us. forked. Fertile lamina up to 70 × 5 cm., narrow lanceolate, erect; pinnae 2-3-(4) cm. long, linear to oblong, attached by widened sterile base, rather distant, bearing slender hairs. Sori covering all but costa, indusium becoming erose.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch., A., C. Coastal to montane forest throughout, often forming dense extensive colonies. Endemic; related to B. nudum (Labill.) Mett. of Australia and S. Africa.