CYATHEA. 



77 



divided to the midrib or sometimes only deeply pinnatifid, being cut into 

 shallow, blunt, nearly sickle- shaped pinnules or lobes about Jin. long and 

 notched on the margins. The sori (spore masses), disposed at the fork, are 

 covered with very thin, parchment-like involucres of an ephemeral nature, 

 leaving a shallow, ragged cup, and most permanent at the lower side. — 

 Hooker^ Synopsis Filicum, p. 21. 



C. canaliculata — can-a-lic-ul-a'-ta (channelled), Willdenow. 



This stove species, native of the Mauritius, Bourbon, and Madagascar 

 Islands, is very distinct, but varies much in the size of its pinnules (leafits). 

 It 'forms a trunk of a dark brown colour, lOft. to 12ft. high, and of 

 comparatively slender proportions. The fronds, which are borne on smooth 

 stalks covered with long, black, chaffy scales, are from 4ft. to oft. long, 

 and bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib) ; the leaflets are Sin. to 18in. 

 long, equally pinnate or deeply pinnatifid (cleft nearly to the midrib), of 

 a leathery texture and perfectly smooth, dark green above and paler below. 

 Their pinnules (leafits) are sessile (stalkless) and deeply dented on the 

 margins. The sori (spore masses), which occupy most of the pinnule and 

 are situated at some distance from the midvein, are covered by involucres 

 that are globose (round) at first, but eventually break down into tlu-ee 

 or four tolerably regular lobes. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, i., p. 23, t. 11b. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 415. Lowe, Ferns British and 

 Exotic, viii., t. 55. 



C. castanea — cas-tan'-e-a (chestnut-coloured), Baker. 



A greenhouse species, native of the Andes of Peru. Its ample fronds are 

 tripinnatifid (thrice divided partly to the midrib), borne on naked stalks of 

 a peculiar chestnut-brown colour, and covered with spear-shaped scales, usually 

 dark glossy brown with a pale edge. The sori (spore masses), disposed on 

 the costa (midvein), are covered by smooth involucres of a persistent nature, 

 splitting irregularly when mature. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 451. 



C. crenulata — cre-nu-la'-ta (scalloped), Bluriie. 



A stove species, native of Java, with smooth stalks and somewhat 

 leather}' fronds ; the latter are usually twice divided to the midrib into 



