72 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



Indian C. sinuata^ whose fronds are entire or undivided, and of the carious 

 C. Hookeri and C. Brunonis, equally of Indian origin, and which are at first 

 sight distinguished from all other species by their fronds being simply 

 pinnate (only once divided to the midrib), all other Cyatheas have their fronds 

 more or less decompoundly pinnate (repeatedly divided). The distinguishing 

 characters of Cyathea are to be found in the disposition of the sori (spore 

 masses), which are invariably situated either on a vein or in the axil of the 

 forking of a vein ; in the character of their receptacles, which are elevated, 

 globose, or elongated ; and especially in the singular nature of their globose, 

 inferior involucres, which cover the whole sorus, and which, when mature, 

 break at the summit and form a more or less persistent cup quite even or 

 irregular at the margin. 



Culture. 



Some of the most beautiful of all known Tree Ferns are to be found 

 in this genus. As regards the beauty of their foliage, they are equal in 

 every respect to any Alsophila or Hemitelia, with which they are closely 

 connected, while they offer a great variety in the sizes of their trunks ; those 

 inhabiting temperate regions, such as C. dcalbata^ C. medidlaris, &c., are 

 mostly stout and destitute of spines, whereas most of the tropical kinds are 

 of a slender nature comparatively to their height, and, in many cases, are 

 densely armed with stout spines. All the species are evergreen, and to 

 make good growth require an abundance of Avater at the roots, as well as 

 their trunks being kept constantly moist. By these means, and by them only, 

 can Cyatheas be induced to produce fine heads of fronds, which last all the 

 longer on the plants if they have gradually been inured to the sun during 

 the summer. Like all other Tree Ferns, Cyatheas are satisfied with very 

 little pot-room, and the soil in which they should be potted, tubbed, or, 

 better still, planted in the Fernery, is a mixture of three parts fibrous peat, 

 one of loam, and one of coarse silver sand. They are all of very easy 

 culture, and, provided the moisture about the trunk and the roots be well 

 attended to, there need be very little fear of failure in their cultivation. 

 N^one among the numerous species known is in the habit of producing 

 adventitious growths along the trunk or at the base, and none is known 



