Marattia Doiiglasii (Presl.) Baker^ is called pala by the Ha- 

 waiians. It may also be called the Mule's-foot Fern, or Doug- 

 las's Marattia. It was named in honor of the Scotch botanist, 

 David Douglas, who visited Hawaii in 1833, and lost his life by 

 . falling into a native cattle-trap. 



It is a large, coarse-leaved, showy fern, easily recognized in 

 the forest. Although not as large as the Marattias of other 

 countries, it attains generous size, with a stocky trunk 1-2 ft. 

 high, and wide-spreading leaves, 6-15 ft. long. In Hawaii Ma- 

 rattia is surpassed in stature and spread by some of the arbor- 

 escent species {Cihotium, Sadleria^). Aside from the strictly 

 arborescent species, however, Marattia and Angiopteris may be 

 ranked among the largest of the ferns. 



The pala is abundant in the mountain-forests of Hawaii, and 

 in the moister parts of the lower forests. It inhabits the humid 

 zone lying between 800-3500 ft., on both windward and leeward 

 slopes. It favorite haunts are cool, heavily shaded, humid, steep- 

 sloped ravines, where it forms little colonies or patches. It 

 seems to prefer sharply sloping banks and ravine-sides, although 

 it is also found in level places. The pala is strongly hygroph^'tic 

 and shade-loving; it is never found in dry or exposed situations. 



Representative regions where the pala is abundant are: 

 Hanalei and Na Pali districts, Kauai; Kaala and Punaluu dis- 

 tricts, Oahu; valleys of northeastern Molokai; mountains back 

 of Lahaina and Wailuku, Maui; forests of windward Haleakala, 

 Maui; forests of Hilo, Hamakua, ' Olaa, and Kona, Hawaii. 

 There are no places where it is excessively abundant; it is scat- 

 tered rather sparingly through the forests and groves. 



The stem or trunk is tuberous, barrel-shaped, or almost glob- 

 ular. It is stocky and erect, as is also true of Angiopteris. 

 DancEa and Katilfiissia have more or less horizontal rhizomes. 

 The pala stem is sometimes half buried under leafmould and earth, 

 but on the steeper slopes, where the pala best luxuriates, it is 

 almost wholly exposed. 



^ VV. J. Hooker and J. G. Baker. Synopsis Filicum. London, i868, p. 441. 

 Also called Stibasia Douglasii Presl., Gymnotheca Douglasii T. Moore, M. alala 

 Hook. & Arn. 



^ MacCaughey, Y. Tree Ferns of Hawaii. American Botanist, 22: 1-9. 1916. 



