58 
The Ferns of South Africa. 
ten, and sometimes fifteen feet in height, and eight to twelve 
inches in diameter. Fronds three to five feet long, one to one 
and a half feet broad, arranged in a crown at the top of the stem, 
more or less arching, and with the points turned upward. Fronds 
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 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 lanceo- 
late, widest at the base, pointed, cut to the rachis into oblong sub- 
falcate segments, which are bluntly pointed, and either entire or 
toothed. Sori at the base of the segments, one to three pairs on each. 
Capsules numerous from a globular receptacle, involucre remaining 
saucer-like, with an irregular margin, under the mass of capsules. 
Stem usually single, but sometimes branched into two or more. 
This splendid tree fern grows generally on exposed and 
bare hillsides, but is sometimes among small bush, when the stems 
are longer and more slender. The young plants require the 
shelter obtainable at the rise of a water course, but when fully 
grown they stand erect, exposed to the full sun, and not unlike 
Cycads at a distance. When in this kind of situation they exhibit 
the stout stem, and short arching fronds shown in our figure, but 
when in a deep hollow or in shelter the fronds are more upright in 
habit. Many stems of this fern have been exported to Europe and 
travel well, but it requires very careful treatment to keep an old 
stem healthy for many years after it is transplanted from its native 
damp uplands down to the drier country below. It is easily 
cultivated if begun small, but if lifted when fully grown generally 
lives but one year. The small seedling plants very much resemble 
the ordinary British form of Nephrodium Filix-mas. 
