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THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
Sub-Order II. Cyatheaceae. 
Genus 3. Cyathea Smith. 
Tree ferns with stout erect stems several feet in height, 
and mostly with three — to four — pinnate fronds. Sori several 
on a pinnule, at first completely enclosed in the involucre, 
which bursts at the top, and remains under and around 
the capsules. Capsules surround a raised globose receptacle. 
This genus is credited with about 180 species, mostly of 
similar habit, distributed through the tropics and a short 
distance beyond them. When better known, the number 
will be much reduced. Several are African, but I believe 
only one extends to South Africa. 
12. Cyathea DrEgei Kunze. 
Plate 6. A Plant much reduced. B Part of frond, natural size. C Part 
of frond of young plant. D Pinnule of tripinnate frond. E Sorus, 
with capsules. F Involucre after capsules are gone. 
Stem erect, tree-like, generally six to seven feet high, but 
often ten and sometimes fifteen feet in height, and eight to 
twelve inches in diameter. Fronds three to five feet long, 
one to two feet broad, arranged in a crown at the top of the 
stem, more or less arching, and with the points turned up- 
ward. Fronds usually three-pinnate, firm in texture, dark 
green above, lighter on the under surface. Crown densely 
set with narrowly lanceolate shining brown scales, one to 
one and a half inches long, one line broad. Base of the stipe 
set with short soft prickles, which become harder and more 
apparent when the frond withers. Rachis and underside of 
pinnules more or less densely covered with brown woolly 
tomentum, which often disappears from old barren fronds 
but is more abundant when fertile, and then mostly among 
the sori. Stipe also paleaceous at first. Pinnae twelve to 
twenty pairs, pointed, from a base three inches broad ; lower 
pinnae reduced, and frequently a pair of small pinnae similar 
to the others occur close to the crown. Pinnules lanceolate, 
widest at the base, pointed, cut to or near to the rachis into 
oblong subfalcate segments, which are bluntly pointed and 
