THE FERN WORLD OF AUSTRALIA. 
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C. meduUaris, Sw. Large black tree fern of New Zealand, where 
it grows to a large size, often thirty feet in height, forming a tree- 
like trunk of from two to three feet in diameter, the base of which 
is densely matted with its roots, but the upper part is beautifully 
marked by the scars from where the fronds have fallen. Fronds 
ten to fifteen feet long and veiy broad, tri-pinnate, the rhachis and 
primary branches sprinkled with small tubercles. Secondary pinnae 
four to six inches long, with numerous pinnules, the lower ones 
distinct, linear, six to nine lines long, crenate or pinnatifid, the 
upper ones short and confluent into a pinnatifid point. Sori one to 
each lobe of the pinnule and occupying the greater part of its length. 
Indusium broad and short under the sorus, irregularly lobed. 
Found at the Richmond River, N, S. Wales, Cape Otway, Victoria, 
and near Circular Head, Tasmania. 
C. brevipinnse, Baker. Rhachis, thick, scaly hispid. Primary 
. pinn* about four inches long and three broad ; secondary pinnje 
one to one and a half inches long ; pinnules three to four lines long, 
rather broad, entire or slightly lobed at the fruiting parts. Sori 
large, one to each lobe. At present only known from part of a frond 
gathered on Lord Howe's Island, N. S. Wales. 
XV. — Hemitelia, R. Br. 
Tree ferns, with the habit and principal characters of Cyathea 
and Alsophila. Sori in the typical American species towards the 
end of the venules and on all or most of their branches, but in the 
Australian one and a few others near the base of one foiic as in 
Cyathea. Indusium when open half cup-shaped or semi-circular, 
interrupted on the upper side and often very deciduous. Name 
derived from form of indusium. 
H. Moorei, Baker. Trunk eight to ten feet high. Fronds 
tripinnate scaly-hirsute with a ferruginous pubescence often quite 
disappearing or leaving a few tubercles. Secondary pinnae lanceolate 
two to three inches long ; pinnules when fertile half inch long, 
deeply toothed or pinnatifid. Veinlets once forked with a sorus 
at the base of one fork. Sori thus in a single row on each side of 
the midrib, one opposite each lobe as in Cyathea, but the indusium 
when open dimidiate, being quite or almost interrupted on the 
upper side. Found on side of Mount Gower, on Lord Howe's 
Island, N. S. Wales. 
XVI. — Alsophila, R. Br. 
Tree ferns with bi- pinnate fronds, the transverse veinlets of the 
pinnules or segment forked or divided, bearing a sorus on one or 
more of their branches. Sori globular, without indusium, but 
sometimes it is called squamoso-indusiate on account of the 
scattered scales which are found around the sorus. Spore-cases 
numerous ; sessile or nearly so, usually more or less intermixed 
with hairs on an elevated receptacle, each with a vertical or oblique 
