18 4. CYATHEA. 



and scaly (on the upper side) with firm, intensely black, lanceolate, very long- 

 pointed scales having a pale margin ; fr. large, glabrous, bipinnate, petiolate ; 

 pinnl. firm-coriaceous, 4-G in. 1., 1-1| in. w., from a broad base oblong, acuminate, 

 deeply pinnatifid ; lobes rather distant, oblong-falcate, acute, subserrated ; sori 

 costal, numerous ; invol. membranaceous, fragile, soon breaking in a very irre- 

 gular manner. SJc. Sp. I. p. 19. t. 11. A. 



Hab. Peru, Ecuador, alt. 11,000 ft., Spruce, n. 5367. N. Grenada, Schlim, n. 480. 

 " Gaud, arboreous, 40 ft. high, 1 ft. in diain. Fr. 7 ft. long, including the stipes. 

 Pinnae 12 on each side, excluding the few minute terminal ones." Spruce. 



11. C. gracilis, Griseb. ; st. strongly mnricated at the base ; fr. bipinnate, 

 glabrous ; prim, and second, pinnce long-petioled, deltoideo-acuminate, the latter 

 3-4 in. 1., 1-1| in. w. at the base, deeply pinnatifid ; lobes oblong, obtuse, serrated, 

 sori copious, generally confined to the superior half of the lobes ; invol. dark- 

 brown, bursting into somewhat regular valves or lobes to near the cup-like base. 

 Griseb. Fl. B. \V. Ind. p. 704. 



Hab. Jamaica, Wilson, Purdie. Antioquia, Jervise. Allied, as Dr. Grisebach says, 

 to C. divergent, but very distinct. A peculiar feature is given to this plant by the 

 unusual length of the petioles, generally 2-2^ in. 1., and by the pinnules being truncated 

 at the base. Next to this species, Griesebach, /. c. y places " C. tenera,, Hook.," as a 

 W. Indian Fern, by which he probably intends Alsophila tenera, of J. Smith, which I 

 have placed among "species dubise," in Sp. Fil. p. 49. But the original specimens are 

 very imperfect ; and, unless better known to Dr. Griesebach than to me, I should doubt 

 the correctness of its being identical with Hemitdia multiflora, Br. ; the latter, I believe, 

 is a very dubious plant. 



12. C. Mettenii, Karst. " caud. arborescent bald (not clothed with the bases of 

 old leaves), squamose above ; st. brunneo-squarrose at the base, unarmed ; fr. 

 lanceolate, ft. and more long, 3-4 ft. w., ovate-lanceolate, acute, bipinnate ; 

 pinnl. 2 in. ]., from a broad base lanceolate, deeply pinnatifid, deciduous ; costas 

 and veins on both sides squamoso-pilose ; lobes falcate, oblong, obtuse, obsoletely 

 serrated, glaucous beneath ; veins generally forked, soriferous at the fork ; 

 invol. globose, breaking open irregularly." Karst. Fl. Columb. 1. p. 113. t. 56. 



Hab. Andes of Bogota, alt. 14,200 ft., Karsten. Tarapota, Eastern Peru, Spruce, 

 n. 4723. Mr. Spruce's fronds entirely correspond with the beautiful figure and the 

 description of Karsten. The stipes is castaneous, and very smooth ; the scales at its 

 base are unilateral, very large, and point upwards, glossy black, as if varnished, and have 

 a ferruginous margin. 



13. C. squamipes, Karst. ; st. strongly aculeate, thick as a child's wrist below, 

 and -there clothed with long narrow castaneous scales ; rachis and costce more or 

 less muricated and downy; fr. 10-12 ft. 1., bipinnate; pinnce 12-14 in. 1.; 

 pinnl. 2-3 in. 1., hairy on the veins beneath, 5 lines w., linear-oblong, short- 

 acuminated ; sori copious, close to the costule ; invol. pale, membranaceous, 

 globose, opening at the apex by a circular but rather irregular mouth. Karst. Fl. 

 'Columb. t. 99 & 100, 3 b. 



Hab. Mountain of Merida, Columbia, alt. 6-9,000 ft., Karsten. Tarapota, E. Peru, 

 Spruce, n. 4729. 



14. C. incana, Karst. ; " caud. arborescent, densely scaly ; st. scaly only below, 

 and tomentose with linear scales ; pinnce and pinnl. linear-lanceolate, deci- 

 duous ; lobes oblong, falcate, subacute, fertile ones nearly entire, sterile oties slightly 

 serrated, with the veins generally forked, soriferous at the fork ; invol. pilose, 

 membranaceous, irregularly opening at the apex." Karst. Fl. Columb. t. 37. 



Hab. Andes of Bogota, alt. 15,000 ft., Karsten. Beautiful as is the figure, and 

 laboured as is the descriptive portion of the text, there is such an absence of allusion to 

 allied species (except slightly to " C. straminea, Karst.," and to C. Schansckin of Martius), 

 that 1 dare not express any opinion on its validity. 



15. C.frondosa, Karst.; "caud. lofty, unarmed, squamose with linear-subulate 



