24 FILICES. [Cyathea. 
C. polyneuron Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xi (1879) 429. Polypodium medullare 
Forst f. Prodr. (1786) n. 452; Pl. Hscul. (1786) 74. 
Nortu anp Sours Istanps, Stewart Isnanp, CHatHam Istanps: From the Three 
Kings Islands and the North Cape southwards, abundant, except in the east of Canter- 
bury, Otago, and Stewart Island. —- Sea-level to 2000 ft. Korau ; Mamaku ; Black: 
T'ree-fern. 
Apparently the same species occurs in south-east Australia, Tasmania, and in 
several of the Pacific islands. Colenso’s O. polyneuron, separated by him chiefly on 
account of the more numerous veinlets, hardly seems to be entitled to the rank of a 
variety. The mucilaginous pith of the trunk and lower part of the stipes was formerly 
baked and eaten by the Macris, and was considered to be an excellent article of food. 
3. ©. Kermadecensis Oliwer in Trans, N.Z. Inst. xlii (1910) 158, t. 22: 
—Trunk tall, slender, 20-50 ft. high or more, furnished at the base 
vith a conical buttress of densely compacted aerial rootlets. Fronds 
numerous, 8-20 ft. long, 3-4 ft. broad, 2--3-pinnate, subcoriaceous or almost 
membranous, dull-green above, paler beneath. Stipes slender, clothed at 
the base with copious linear brown scales, and with the rhachides and costae 
deeply grooved above. Primary pinnae 15-25 in. long, oblong-lanceolate., 
acute or acuminate ; secondary 3-5 in. long, }-1 in. broad, linear-oblong, 
acuminate, pinnate below, pinnatifid above; costae densely clothed with 
tawny silky hairs intermixed with linear scales ; under-surfaces only shehtly 
asperous. Segments }-4 in. long, linear or linear-oblong, obtuse or sub- 
acute. Sori numerous, moderately large, situated at the base of the lobes 
near the costules. Indusium membranous, persistent, splitting irregularly. 
—C. Milnei Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 949, in part, not of Hook. 
KERMADEC IsLANDS: Sunday Island, abundant from sea-level to the tops of the 
highest hills, alt. 1700 ft., 7. F. C., W. R. B. Oliver ! 
This is a noble species, said to occasionally reach the height of 70 ft. During my 
hurried visit to Sunday Island in 1887 I confounded it with C. Milnei, from which it 
differs in its much greater height, more slender and cleaner trunk, thinner and less 
coriaceous fronds which have the under-surface of the stipes and rhachis much more 
asperous, and in the long attenuated pinnae. 
4. ©. Milnei Hook. ex Hook. f. Hondb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 349.—Trunk 
8-12 it. high, short, stout, rough with the persistent bases of the old stipes, | 
and at the top often clothed with the pendent withered fronds. Fronds 
numerous, horizontally spreading, 8-15 ft. long, 2-3 ft. broad, coriaceous, 
upper surface firm and shining, dark-green, paler beneath. Stipes stout, 
clothed at the base with copious linear brown scales, under-parts, together 
with the rhachis, furnished with closely placed hard tubercles. Primary 
pinnae 14-20 in. long, oblong - lanceolate, sharply acuminate; secondary 
pinnae 4-6in. long, 4-lin. broad, linear-oblong, drawn out into long 
acuminate points, pinnate below, pinnatifid above, costae clothed on both 
surfaces with tawny scales. Segments 4-1 in. long, linear, falcate, acute, 
more or less serrate. Sori copious, nearer the costules than the margin, 
Indusium membranous, persistent, splitting irregularly. —Cheesem. Man. 
N.Z, Fl. (1806) 949 ; Hook. and Bak. Syn. Fil. (1873) 26; Oliver in Trans. 
N.Z. Inst. xlii (1910) 157, +t. 21. 
ieRMADEC IsLANDS: Sunday Island, not so common as C. Kermadecensis, 7’. F. C., 
W. BR. B. Oliver / 
5. ©, Cunninghamii Hook. f. on Hook. Ic. Plant. (1854) t. 985.—Trunk 
8-20 it. high, rarely more, often coated at the base with densely compacted 
aerial rootlets, upper part covered with the pendent withered fronds. 
