360 CYATHEINE^. PAKT n. 



ferns in having the whole under-surface of the frond 

 indiscriminately covered with naked sori, and in a few 

 species the upper-surface also. They are situated on the 

 veins and veinlets, from whence they extend into the 

 interstices of the fertile fronds, which are sometimes 

 much contracted. The species are almost all tropical 

 or subtropical. A New Zealand species of Lomariopsis 

 climbs high trees by means of its stout rooting caudex, 

 and has different leaves on different parts of the plant. 



The Cyatheineae are chiefly arborescent ferns, and, 

 with the exception of some fossil species, contain the 

 noblest representatives of the cryptogamic flora. Their 

 fructification consists of dot-like sori, in which the 

 usually compressed oblique sporangia are placed on an 

 elevated receptacle, which forms a raised point on the 

 surface of the fronds when the sporangia are removed. 

 Of these the Alsophilese are without true indusia, while 

 the Cyathese have a spherical indusium, bursting above 

 or below, and forming a cup round the sorus. The 

 pulpy substance of the stem of Cyathea medullaris was 

 a common article of food with the New Zealanders. 



The Gleicheninese have a creeping or climbing rhi- 

 zome, and globose or trigonal sporangia, few in number, 

 and disposed in a radiating manner, so that the narrow 

 end is internal. They are often seated in a little cavity, 

 and are highly deciduous. The fronds are generally 

 forked or trifid, the middle division being sometimes 

 supplied with a little bulb-like body. They are mostly 

 * tropical or subtropical plants, but some species grow in 

 Chili, New Zealand, and Japan. 



The Trichomaninese are pretty well distinguished from, 

 other ferns by their pellucid membranaceous texture. 

 As regards their technical characters, they have an 

 oblique and complete ring to the sporangia, which are 

 of a lenticular form, and are collected about a more or 

 less elongated receptacle, which is free within either an 



