CHARACTEES OF TRIBES AND GESEEA. 243 



diflei-ences, I have thought it best to adopt the following' 

 arrangement. 



In general habit the GyatJiRce may be viewed as analogous 

 to those species oi Phegopterls and Lastrea, having- terminal 

 vernation, and large compound fronds rising from an erect 

 caudex, and as some have naked sori, and others a lateral 

 indusiam not diifering from that of Lastrea, the arboreous 

 habit and elevated receptacles are, therefore, the only points 

 that technically disting-uish them, but, in some cases, even 

 the elevated receptacle fails. 



The apparent obliquity of the ring of the sporangia in 

 Cyatlieo} has been already explained at page 41. 



129.— ScHizociEXA, /. Sm. (1841). 

 Cijatliea sp., HooJc. Sp. Fil. 

 Vernation fasciculate, erect, CattAex slender, 3 to 5 feet 

 high. Fronds simple, pinnate, or Ijipinnatifid, 2 to 8 feet 

 long, smooth, glossy, pinniB articulated with the rachis. 

 Veins pinnately forked ; venules free. Sori medial. Be- 

 ceptades globose. Indiisium calyciform, ultimately deep I}' 

 laciniated. 



Type. Cyathea Brwwnis, Wall. 



niust. Hook, and Bauer. Gen. Fil., t. 2 ; Hook, and 



Grev., Ic. Fil., t. lOG ; J. Sm. Ferns Brit, and For,, 



fig. 130. 



Obs. With regard to this genus Mr. Brown remarks in 



the " Prodromus FloriB Norce Hollandia;," that, besides the 



genuine species of Gyathea, characterised by having the sori 



seated on the fork of the veins, there are others from 



Malacca, which have the sori seated on the middle of the 



veins, which distinction I find normal to at least three 



species. It is, however, observed that in several species 



of true Cyathea the sori are seated a little above the 



