CHAEACTEKS Or TPJBES AXD GENEEA. 245 



separation into at least two distinct groups, — one to con- 

 tain ttiose species in which the stipes are adherent ; and 

 the other those in which the stipes are articulated with 

 the stem, the pinnas also being- articulated, and having a 

 black scuti-eform (generally oblong) gland at their base on 

 the rachis. 



West Indux axd Ajieeicax. 



Sp. G. ar)3orea, Sm. (v v.) ; var. C. pallida, Honl-. S'p. FU. 



Obs. Great uncertainty has always existed as to which 

 West Indian tree Fern should bear the name of djotlica 

 arhorea, a species founded by Linnasus on Plumier's figures 

 of a Martinique Tern. The figure represents a tree Fern 

 with a smooth, cylindrical, tesselated stem, described as 

 being 10 to 11 feet high and 6 inches thick, and although 

 the artist has exagg-erated the tessellated character, it is 

 evident that it is one of the species having tlie etipcs arti- 

 culated with the stem, indeed I have no doubt that it is the 

 prototy|3e of the fine tree Ferns cultivated in Kew Gardens 

 under the name of Gyathea ehgans HewarJ, received from 

 both Martinique and Jamaica, one plant having a stem 10 

 feet high, as in Plumier's figui-e. Herbarium specimens of 

 this and G. aculeala are very similar, and only specificrLlly 

 distinguished by the stipes of the latter being adherent 

 and prickly 



C. serra, WiJId. (v v.) ; C. insignis, Eat. (v v.) (G. prin- 

 ceps, J. Sin. Ferns Frit, and For.) ; C. Imrayaiui., Hoi.'k. ; 

 C. Mexicana, Sdileclit.; C. divergens, K:X.; C, Schanschhi 

 Mart. ; C. cuspidata, Kze. ; C. nigricans, Klot. (v v.) ; C. 

 aculeata, WillJ. (v v.) ; C. vestita, Mart. ; C. Gardneri, 

 Hook. ; C. equestris, Kzc. ; C. muricata, WlUd. (v v.) ; G. 

 hirtula, Mart. 



