296 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



narrower and with a space between tliem ; they are of a moderately firm 

 texture, smooth and green on both sides. The sori are disposed close 

 to the midveins. This species is the Alsophila setosa of Kaulfuss {Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, i., p. 46) and the Cyathea Beyrichiana of Vvq^I.— Hooker, 

 Species Filiciim, i., p. 21. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 135. 



H. Smithii— Smith'-i-i (Smith's), Hooker. 



This very handsome, greenhouse species, native of New Zealand, popularly 

 known as Cyathea Smithii, is a very striking Tree Fern, with a trunk lOft. 

 to 15ft. high, bearing a quantity of beautifully bipinnate (twice-divided) fronds 

 5ft. to 7ft. long. These fronds are borne on stalks which, hke the crown 

 itself, are densely clothed on their whole length with long, hair-like, chaffy 

 scales, of a bright chestnut colour. Their rachises (stalks of the leafy 

 portion) are provided with similar scales, then' long and narrow leaflets are 

 Sin. to 12in. long, and their deeply-dented leafits (Fig. 77), are very smooth 

 and of a pale green colour on both sides. The sori (spore masses) are 

 situated on the forking of the veins, and are partly covered by a roundish 

 involucre. This species is highly decorative on account of its graceful 

 fronds, of a particularly light or feathery appearance for a Tree Fern, but 

 it does not bear the action of the sun so well as most of the other species 

 of this genus. There is no record of H. Smithii having ever been raised 

 from spores in Europe. — Hooker, Flora of New Zealand, ii., p. 8, t. 72. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 135. 



H. speciosa — spec-i-o'-sa (showy), Hooker. 



This large species, also known as Amphicosmia speciosa and Cyathea 

 speciosa, is a native of New Granada. It forms a trunk 20ft. to 24ft. high, 

 from which ample, pinnate (once-divided) fronds are produced. These fronds, 

 when young, are, as well as the stalks on which they are borne, clothed with 

 long, dark, glossy scales, which have a very narrow, pale fringe ; they usually 

 attain about 6ft. in length, and are furnished with long, sword-shaped leaflets, 

 sharply pointed at their extremity (Fig. 78), entire or merely undulated at 

 the margin, and of a firm, parchment-hke texture. The sori (spore masses) 

 are arranged in a sinuous, continuous line, just within the margin. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, i., p. 28, t. 13. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii,, p. 136. 



