738 THE FLORA OF NORFOLK ISLAND, 



Ferd. Bauer,* nor has it been since observed by other botanists. Mr. Brown 

 has ascertained that it is not noted by Forster, in his herbarium, as a native 

 of Norfolk Island, and it is therefore probable that Endlicher on reading 

 Lieut. -Govr. King's remarks in Hunter's Voyage, p. 313, had concluded that 

 it referred to Cijathea medullaris, a plant found only in New Zealand, and 

 has on this conclusion inserted it. Lieut. -Govr. King thus describes the 

 Norfolk Island plant :— 'This tree grows to the height of 80 feet (one trunk 

 which I felled in 1830 measured 57 feet without the fronds, A.C.) and the 

 branches, which resemble those of the palm tree in their growth, fall off 

 every year, leaving an indentation on the trunk. The leaves of these 

 branches, which are twelve in number, are much like the heath fern, from 

 whence this tree obtained the name of the fern-tree. The middle of the tree, 

 from the root to the apex, consists of a white substance resembling a yam, 

 and when boiled it tastes like a bad turnip; this the hogs feed on very eagerly; 

 the outside of the trunk is hard wood, and full of regular indentations from 

 the top to the bottom. The tree is found in great plenty in all parts of the 

 Island.' This is the Alsophila excelsa of Mr. Brown, of which the late Ferd. 

 Bauer made some magnificent drawings during his stay on the Island in 

 1804 " (Reward). 



" I explored some of the gullies on the south of Mount Pitt. Here two 

 tree-ferns, AUopliila excelsa and Ct/atJtea medullayis were very fine; the 

 former measured 40 feet, and the latter 20 feet, in height; both had magni- 

 ficent circular crests of fronds : those of the CyatJieu were 11 feet in length" 

 (Backhouse, p. 273). 



Under C. medullaris, Swartz, Hooker (Hdbk. N.Z. Flora, 349) 

 says of the New Zealand plant : — 



" This differs from the Norfolk Island and Pacific Island allied species in 

 the fertile pinnae being always lobulate, or almost pinnatifid. The thick 

 mucilaginous pith was once au article of food with the natives." 



Bentham (^B.FI. vii. 709) includes in the range of this species 

 " Malayan Archipelago and the fSoutli Pacific Islands.'' 



50. Alsophila excelsa, R.Br., Endl., Prod. Norf. 48. — A 

 MS. says : — 



"Tree fern Alsophila excelsa measures 40 feet in height and has a 

 magnificent crest of fronds; the black portion of the trunks is used for 

 stringing by cabinetmakers." 



* A letter from Mueller contains the passage: — '' Cyathea medullaris. 

 This tree-fern, besides Alsopliila excelsa, was found by Bauer." I could not 

 find it at Norfolk, and believe there is only one tree-fern on the Island. I do 

 not understand Backhouse's specific statement that he saw two. 



