Flora of New Zealand Series

Lomaria vulcanica Blume Enum. Pl. Jav. 1828, 202.

L. deltoides Col. in Tasm. J. nat. Sci. 2, 1846, 177.

L. deflexa Col. loc. cit. 178.

L. paucijuga Col. in T.N.Z.I. 20, 1888, 222.

Rhizome stout, erect, invested by bases of fallen stipites, densely clad in dark brown subulate-attenuate paleae c. 1 cm. long; stipites tufted. Stipes pale brown, stiff, paleate towards base, ± asperous, ± compressed, 5-20-(35) cm. long. Rhachis stout, grooved, bearing numerous pinnae. Sterile lamina coriac., dull green, deltoid-oblong to -lanceolate, acute to acuminate, 10-35 × 5-12 cm.; ± softly pilose, margins crenulate to subentire, thickened; pinnatifid in apical portion. Pinnae approximate; lowest hardly diminished in size, often deflexed; largest 3-6 cm. × 5-10 mm., lanceolate-oblong to oblong, acute to obtuse, straight to falcate, attached by widened base; veinlets evident, us. forked. Fertile lamina up to 40 cm. long, with distant linear pinnae up to 5 cm. long, often arcuate; base somewhat widened. Sori covering all but costa, indusium becoming ± erose.

DIST.: N., S., St. Lowland to higher montane forest throughout, but often local. Also Australia, Pacific Islands, Malaya.

The type of L. deltoides Col. in W, from "shaded woods, Te Waiiti, Interior, Dec. 1841," consists of two sterile laminae 26 cm., and 22 cm.; two fertile laminae 20 cm. and 21 cm., with linear pinnae up to 4 cm. long; stipes 29 to 33 cm. long. The type of L. deflexa Col. in W from "clayey banks, country between Poverty Bay and River Wairoa, Dec. 1841" has 3 sterile fronds, lamina 10-18 cm.; 2 fertile fronds, lamina 9-11 cm., pinnae up to 25 mm., stipes 5-10 cm. Neither shows any clear-cut differences from L. vulcanicum.

L. paucijuga Col. from "sides of Mount Tongariro, County of East Taupo; 1887, Messrs. Owen and Hill" is represented in W by two sterile laminae, with one complete and one partial stipes. Stipes 3 cm. long, paleate at base, paleae slender, c. 3 mm. long. Rhachis pilose. Lamina 6-7 × 3·5 cm. Pinnae 5 pairs, broad-oblong, up to 17 mm. long, subcrenulate, finely pilose on costa and veins. Colenso's description was drawn up from 4 sterile fronds: "lamina herbaceous, olive green, 3 in. long, 11/2 in. broad, pinnatifid, lobes 4-5 pairs . . . 9 lines long, 5 lines broad, very obtuse, spreading, rugulose . . . stipes 3 in." Deserves further study, possibly a habitat modification.