A group of xerophytic ferns of the Port Hills, Canterbury

Abstract

Projecting from the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand is a peninsula known as Banks Peninsula. (Fig. 1.) Cutting deep into the land on the northern side, is the Lyttleton Harbour, (Fig. 2 and 3.) surrounded on three sides, by a horse-shoe shaped range of hills (Fig 3.) The portion of this range that separates Port Lyttleton from the city and suburbs of Christchurch, is known as the Port Hills. (Fig 4.) Banks Peninsula has a characteristic vegetation, not the least interesting part of which is its fern flora. On the Port Hills in particular, are to be found many interesting forms. Certain of these ferns, growing on spurs and valleys of the hills in the vegetation of Christchurch, have been investigated by the author. It is the main object of this paper to give a general account, morphological, anatomical, and ecological, of these ferns, together with a brief summary of the general fern vegetation of Banks Peninsula and the Port Hills. The species under special consideration are: Cheilanthes sieberi, Kunze; Nothoclaena distans, R. Br; Pleurosorus rutaefolius, Fee; Anogramme leptophylla, Link; Gymnogramme rutaefolia, Hook and Grev.; Gymnogramme leptophylla, Desv.