DICKSONIA. 



115 



DOUBTFUL SPECIES. 



Obtusifolia, Willdenow, Carac- 



cas. 

 Strigosa, Swartz, Japan. 



Domingensis, Desvaux, His- 



paniola. 

 Multifida, Swartz, East Indies. 

 Millefolium, Desvaux, E. Indies. 



Thus Sir W. J. Hooker describes fifty-one species, eleven of 

 which are inserted doubtfully. 



In the countries where the arborescent Dicksonias grow they 

 are quite a feature, and indeed very useful, for New Zealand 

 travellers make them their hotels, sleeping under the shadow 

 of their fronds, and spreading their blankets upon cut fronds. 

 It is necessary to consider for a moment how gigantic these 

 Ferns are, rising to the height of from thirty to forty feet, 

 and then spreading their branches in every direction to the 

 distance of forty or fifty feet from their arborescent trunks, 

 capable of affording shelter to a regiment of soldiers, if 

 necessary. 



The Dicksonias are not the only large Ferns: the Cyathea 

 dealbata, for instance, to be hereafter described, rises on a 

 trunk fifteen feet high, and is perhaps the most magnificent 

 of all Ferns, — singularly delicate in appearance, and the fronds 

 covered beneath with a white or glaucous farina; then again 

 the genus Angiopteris, the "Prince of Ferns," the somewhat 

 similar-looking Marattias, etc., some of which are cultivated in 

 this country, and will pass under our notice. 



The Dicksonias are greenhouse or stove Ferns, with one 

 solitary exception, from the United States and North America. 

 We have, consequently, no British example. Perhaps the 

 Dicksonia antarctica might live in the open air in the west 

 of England, as in its native climate snow rests upon its fronds, 

 and it has to withstand somewhat severe frosts, although they 

 are only of short duration. 



