Abstract
The species described by Georg Forster as Pteris comans was once thought to be widespread across the Pacific. However, previous molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that a subclade within Pteris subgenus Campteria section Tripedipteris comprises a group of Oceanian species with anastomosing veins, and that the species described by Forster is actually a complex of many different species. P. zahlbruckneriana from Norfolk Island, P. microptera from Lord Howe Island, P. laevis from New Caledonia, and P. litoralis from Samoa have long been recognised as distinct entities. The New Zealand representatives were first recognised as belonging to an endemic species more than 40 years ago, but have not been formally described until now. It is described here as Pteris carsei and occurs on the Kermadec Islands, Three Kings Islands, Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel islands, and in coastal habitats of the North Island from Te Paki to Coromandel Peninsula on the east coast, and to Manukau Harbour on the west coast, with outlying populations near Ōpōtiki and at Ngarupupu Point north of Mokau. It is distinguished morphologically from other indigenous New Zealand species, and from the Pacific species, P. comans sensu stricto , P. laevis , P. litoralis , P. microptera and P. zahlbruckneriana . The status of Australian plants referred to P. comans requires further investigation.