Studies on the New Zealand, and some related, species of Pteris L.

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i.

ABSTilACT

Studies on t h e New Zealand and some r e l a t e d s p e c i e s of P t e r i s

L.

Four New Zealand s p e c i e s a r e recognised:

( 1 ) i', tremula R.Br., ( a l s o i n A u s t r a l i a , Lord Howe Is., Norfolk Is., t h e Kemadecs Is. anrl the Chatham Is. ), ( 2 )

P,

c a r s e i sp. nov. (previously

'P.

comanst ) ( a l s o i n

Australia and t h e Kermadec Is,

1.

( 3 )

^1'. macilentn

A.

Rich. ( p r e v i o u s b P. macilenta var.

s r x a t i l i s Carse) _endemic,

(4)

P, pendula Col, (previously P, mzcilenta Auct. non.

Rich. and P, macilenta var, pendula

((31.1

Cheeseman) endemic

.

The taxonomy and nomenclature of t h e s e s p e c i e s i s discussed i n d e t a i l and t h e nomenclature i s a l s o discussed f o r

P.

kinrjana Endl. ( p r e v i o u s l y sometimes t r e a t e d as F, tremula) and

?

.

zahlbruckneriana &dl. ( previously treated under

'P .

^comans

o r F. endlicheriana i'qardh) both FJorfolk Is. endemics, and t h e taxonomy of P

.

^{sp , af f}

.

^comans

^Li

(previously ^IF', comans ) endemic t o Lord Howe I s l a n d i s a l s o discussed.

Detailed s t u d y of t h e spores and p a l e ~ e using conventional l i ~ h t microscopy and was made f o r t h e s e species and a l s o

P. comans Forst. f . (from t h e New ~ e b r i d e s ) and

P,

novae-caledoniae from ?Tew Caledonia.

Comparisons of t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n , fronds, s t i p e s , venation, rhizomes, paleae, indumentum, apices, s o r i , sporangia and spores have been made and where a p p r o p r i a t e m a t e r i a l of P. d e n t a t a

ssp. f l a b e l l a t a , F. p a c i f i c a and P.

v i t t a t s ,

has a l s o been compared.

Further comparisons have been made with material of 'P, comansl

f r o m other P a c i f i c Islands including F i j i ( t h r e e species )

,

Rlrotonsa, Samoa, T a h i t i (each one species).

P, tremula, P. kin,qiana and p. novae-caledoniae a r e exceptional i n t h e genus because they lack paraphyses i n t h e s o r i . P, kinLana and

P.

novae-caledoniae have a copious waxy deposit around and

among t h e sporan@al s t a l k s but P. tremula has no accessory sporangial features a t a l l .

Germination and yametophyte ,mowth follow t h e n o m l p a t t e r n f o r the genus. Some gmetophytes can be kept alive and growing f o r considerable periods (up t o three years) and become elonqate, ribbon- l i k e and unisexual (female).

Hy5riclisation was achieved between P a c a r s e i and

P.

macilenta.

The progeny resemble the n a t u r a l hybrid swarms suspected of being t h e product of t h e same parents.