Flora of New Zealand Series

L. gracilescens Col. in T.N.Z.I. 28, 1896, 620.

Mangemange.

Type locality: "Crescit in Nova-Zeelandia". Type: P. Colenso describes his L. gracilescens as having "4-8 sori" to the spikelet. The type specimen at W, without locality, is scrappy.

Rhizome slender, clad in shining brown hairs, emitting numerous slender stipites, climbing to 10 m. or more. Primary pinnae numerous, dichotomously branched; pinnules 4-16 cm. × 5-20 mm., oblong-obtuse to lanceolate-acute, thinly coriac., bright green, sometimes glaucous below; veins free, forking. Fertile pinnae compoundly divided; final pinnules flabellately divided, short, ending in spikes of sporangia 5-10 mm. long, bearing 8-12 close-set sporangia.

DIST.: N. Lowland to lower montane forest from near North Cape to lat. 38º.