APPENDIX. 



TuE following pages contain clescripti6ns of the figures in those new plates added to this edition, 

 in so far as not already described in the previous portion of the work. By a reference to the 

 Index, or List of Plates, the descriptions of the remaining figures will readily be found: — 



PLATE XIII. 



Tree Fbens. 



Fig. 1. — Ahophylla excelsa, one of the most mag- 

 nifioent of the tree ferns. It is a native of Norfolk 

 Island, where it abounds in moist places, and attains 

 the height of from fifty to eighty feet, with a trunk 

 scarcely a foot in diameter, and crowned at the sum- 

 mit with numerous long gi'aceful fronds, which give 

 it somewhat the appearance of a palm. The fronds 

 are twice pinnate, and from seven to twelve feet long. 



Fig. 2. — Dicksonia ariorescens, a native of St. 

 Helena, growing near the summit of Diana's Peak. 

 It is remarkable that this species has not yet been 

 detected in any other part of the world. Its stem 

 attains the height of fifteen or more feet, bearing at 

 its summit a tuft of dark rusty-green thick or coria- 

 ceous fronds, which are from ten to twelve feet long, 

 and twice, or sometimes thrice pinnated. 



Fig. 3. — Cyathea elegant (variety of arhorea), a 

 native of Jamaica, and grows to about twenty-five 

 feet high, with an erect stem, about six inches in 

 diameter, and covered with the oblong cicatrices or 

 scars left by the fallen fronds, which give it a tes- 

 selated appearance. The nimierous glabrous bipin- 

 nate lanceolate fronds are produced from the top of 

 the stem, and are about ten feet long, with a spiny 

 stipes, three feet in length, thickly covered upon the 

 upper surface with light, fawn-coloured, deciduous 

 scales. The pinnffi are two feet long. 



Fig. 4. — Cyathea arborea, •■•■ very fine tree fern, 

 growing in most of the West Indian islands in woody 

 shaded places. It has a hard stem or caudex, which 

 attains the height of twenty feet or more, and is co- 

 vered with the spiny bases of the stipes of old fronds, 

 intermixed with black wiry roots, and furnished at 

 the eimimit with numerous long, lanceolate, bipin- 

 nate, stiff, coriaceous fronds, which are ten or more 

 feet in length, and of a dull green colour. The stipes 

 of the fronds are densely armed with short, stiff, 

 blackish spines, and the raohis is clothed with rusty- 

 brown hairs, mixed with a few chaff-like scales. Both 

 the stipes and rachis are of a dark brownish-black 

 colour. 



Fig. 5. — Hemitdia speciosa, a native of Brazil, 

 Caraccas, &o., first discovered at Carip^ by Hum- 

 boldt, who says that it attains the height of from 

 thirty-two to thirty-seven feet. It has numerous 

 broad lanceolate, pinnate, glabrous fronds, which are 

 from five to ten feet long, and of a deep green colour. 



Jig^ 6. — Drynaria eoronans is a native of the 

 eastern parts of India, growing principally on trees, 

 with a thick, scaly, creeping rhizome, from which 

 arise numerous deeply pinuatifid fronds, which are 



about four feet long and one foot wide, attenuated 

 towards and cordate at the base. They are arranged 

 in a circular manner, having somewhat the appear- 

 ance of a large crown. Hence the specific name eo- 

 ronans, which is applied to it. 



Fig. 7. — Platycmum, grande, a remarkable epi- 

 phytal fern, native of New Holland and some of the- 

 Malayan islands, where it grows on trees to a larg& 

 size. It has two kinds of fronds, baiTen and fertile, 

 both proceeding from the same axis of growth. The- 

 barren fronds are sessile, ascending, round, or some- 

 what elongated, and divided towards the top into 

 numerous broad lobes, or segments, which are blunt 

 at the apex. Each succeeding barren frond grows 

 completely over the old ones, which latter in time 

 lose their vitaUty, but still remain attached to the 

 axis of growth, and, by the successive development 

 of new fronds over them, ultimately form a. dense, 

 round, spongy mass, with the growing barren fronds 

 at the outside. In very old plants these masses are 

 upwards of three feet in diameter, and sometimes 

 become so heavy, from the quantity of water, &c., 

 which collects in them, that they are detached from 

 the tree upon which they were growing, and fall to 

 the ground. The fertile fronds are pendulous from 

 the axis of growth, and have a short footstalk oi- 

 atipes. They are narrow at the base, but gradually 

 get wider, until, at about a foot from the stipes, they 

 divide into two parts, or forJe, each part being again 

 repeatedly forked, and often attain the length of six 

 feet. Both the barren and fertile fronds are of a 

 bluish green colour, and are covered with white stel- 

 late pubescence. 



Fig. 8. — Neottopteru vvlgaru (Bird's-nest Fern). 

 This curious fern is a native of New Holland, India, 

 the Malayan and Pacific islands, Mauritius, and nu- 

 merous other places, where it grows on moist trunks 

 of trees. It is commonly known by the name of 

 "The Bird's-nest Fern," from the cu'cumstance of 

 the fronds being spreading, arrayed in a circular form, 

 and having somewhat the appearance of a gigantic 

 bird's nest. The generic name, Neottopteris, is de- 

 rived from neoUia, a bird's nest, and pterii, a fern. 

 The roots of this plant are congregated into a dense 

 mass, or tuft, from which arise numerous simple, 

 lanceolate, acute, rather stiff, coriaceous, spreading 

 fronds, from two to four feet long, and fom- to six 

 inches wide in the middle, hut somewhat attenuated 

 towards both ends. They are smooth, of a shining 

 green colour, and have very short footstalks, or stipes^ 

 with a dark green angular rachis, or midrib. 



Fig. 9. — AspUnium lucidum, a spleenwort from 

 New Zealand, with shining, bright green, pinnate 

 4s 



