Common names: variety of an indigenous species laukahi

Endemic

Latin repens, creeping, probably in reference to the long-creeping rhizomes. Name honors James Macrae (died 1830), who as botanist on the Blonde under Capt. George Anson collected plants in Hawai 'i in 1825.

Plants medium-sized, terrestrial or epiphytic. Rhizomes long-creeping. Fronds 20-50 cm long x 2-4 cm wide at widest point. Stipes tan, about 1/10 the length of the frond. Blades 1-pinnate, linear-lanceolate, tapering at both ends. Pinnae, more than 30 pairs, dimidiate, with costules near lower margins, lower margins straight to slightly curved, upper margins rounded and crenulate. Veins free, forking. Sori numerous on acroscopic margins, marginal on vein tips, discrete, well separated, less than 1 mm long. Indusia small, curved, opening toward reflexed margins.

Scattered in wet mossy forests, 180-765 m, all major islands. This beautiful, delicate-appearing fern, which Hillebrand considered rather common in 1888, is now rather uncommon, although scattered healthy local populations are still found.

Lindsaea repens var. macraeana may be recognized by its long, narrow, 1-pinnate fronds tapering at both ends; short stipes; pinnae appearing as half pinnae with the lower parts much narrower or absent, with entire margins. The pinnae upper parts are larger with rounded, crenulate margins. The many short sori near the upper margins are covered by small, curved indusia opening outward.