Descriptions of the Species. 
57 
long, black, wiry, slender. Frond three to eight inches long, three 
to five inches broad at the base, and tapering to the point. Main 
rachis and rachis of pinnae wiry, and winged only toward the 
point. Lower pinnae two inches long, one inch broad at the base, 
with five to six pairs of secondary pinnae a half to one inch long, a 
half inch broad, and cut to a winged mid-rib in lobed or pinnate 
pinnules, with narrow linear segments. Sori small, one or more 
on each secondary pinna, axillary on the inner base of a pinnule. 
Involucre free from lamina, cylindrical, slightly widened at the 
mouth, but not two lipped. Receptacle twice as long as involucre, 
but bearing sori only inside it. 
T. rigidum, Swartz. Kunze, Linnsea, io, 553 ; Pappe and Rawson, 45 ; 
Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 37 ; Hk. and Bkr. Syn. Fil. 86. 
T. Dregei. V. D. Bosch. 
T. Harveyi. Carruthers. 
Widely distributed in the tropics and sub-tropics, in damp 
close places near streams. Stated in “Syn. Fil.” to belong to 
Cape Colony, but I have heard of no locality there for it. 
Natal. — Inanda (Dr. Rhemann, 8193), Kranzkloof, Great Noodsberg, 
Umhlasine, Attercliffe (M‘Ken), Umpumulo (Buchanan), Omsamcaba 
(Drege). 
Transvaal, Drakensberg near Macamac (J. H. M‘Lea). 
Sub-Order III. — Polypodiace^e. 
Genus IV. — 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 
surrounding a raised globose receptacle. This genus contains 
many species, mostly of similar habit, distributed through the 
tropics and a short distance beyond them. Several are African, 
but only one extends to our district. 
13. Cyathea Dregei. Kunze. 
Plate VIII. Plant much reduced, b Part of frond, natural size. 
Stem erect, tree-like, generally six to seven feet high, but often 
