572 FILICES. [ Cyathea. 
compound, the stalk (called stipes) and the rachis and more. especi- 
ally the rhizome frequently bearing glossy scales. 
Sori hemispherical, on a vein, or in the axil of a forking of a vein. 
Receptacle elevated ; involucre globose, inferior, complete, 
ursting and forming a more or less persistent cup ; 
rboreous ferns with often decompound leaves : r . Cyathea, 
As former, but without an involucre; fronds decompound ~— . . Alsophila. 
i inuous along the transverse veins near the midrib and also 
along the veins towards the margin of the frond; involucre 
none ; low simple-stemmed tree ferns with simply pinnate 
fronds . : > . . . ‘ A . . . Brainea. 
CYATHEA, Sm. 
Sori globular, situated upon a vein or veinlet, or in the axil of 
a fork of the vein. Receptacle elevated, globular or columnar ; 
involuere globular, inferior, membranous or somewhat horny, at 
first entire and covering the whole sorus, at length bursting from 
the top with a circular opening, becoming cup-shaped, more or less 
entire or jagged or lobed. Veins pinnate, simple or forked, free.— 
rees, or rarely stemless, the trunk usually covered with the per- 
sistent bases of the stipes or with the conspicuous scars of the 
fallen ones. Fronds pinnate or decompoundly pinnate, rarely simple. 
Stipes often horny armed. 
cent, the segments faleate-oblong, acute, crenulate at the upper 
part, glabrous or usually sprinkled with small bullate scales 
beneath ; veins forked and simple; sori numerous, large, in 2 dense 
rows covering the whole breadth of the segments and possessing 
a rather shaggy appearance from the burst, membranous, pale- 
coloured, globular involucres. 
Has.—Upper Tenasserim, Ta-oo table-land.—Fr. Apr. 
ALSOPHILA, R. Br. 
Sori globose, situated upon a vein or in the axil of a fork. 
Receptacle. elevated, frequently villous. Involucre none or almost 
none. Veins pinnate, simple or forked, free.—Trees, or rarely 
stemless, the trunk usually marked by the conspicuous scars of the 
