Cyatheacp.cr.
TAB. IX.
1.
IH
A L S O P H IL A . Br. Pre.d.
C y ATÌIEIE, Sp. Auct. C h n o o p h o r a . A a « /; A l s o p h i l æ ; Sect. II . H a p l o p h l e b ia ,
et I I I . D ic r a n o p h l e b ia . Mart.
Sori in medio dorsi venarum simplicium, aiit in ima basi (ala) furca turæ venarum,
globosi, nudi. Receptaculumglohosum vel elongatum, püosiim. Sporangia densissime
imbricata, pedicellata, parva.— Arbores [unica species herbácea, A. p ru i-
siata), proecipue tropicæ. Caudex teres aut irregulariter angulatus. Cicatrices
stipitum in ordine spirali senario remotæ, ovato-oblongoe, in apicem acutum pro-
ductoe, concaviusculæ ; verrucis externis in orbem, internis in arcum semilunarem
dispositis, superioribus Unis, lacwiis infra cicatricem maximis. Frondes lierbaceoe,
supradecompositce, amplæ. Venæ pinnatæ, infra prominulæ, inferiores uni-bifur-
catæ, superiores simplices, aut omnes simplices, venis divergentibus. Capsulæ in
soris adhuc clausis arctissime imbricatim incumbentes, quemadmodum squamoe coni
Coniferanim. Pedicelli capsularum demum excrescentes. Presl.
Alsophila excelsa. B r . Prodr. p . 1 5 8 , in not. ( T a b . \'X .)— Endlich. Prodr. FI. Norfo
lk , p. 16.
Specimens of this noble species, an inhabitant of Norfolk island, which I have received
from Mr Allan Cunningham, were taken from trees which had attained a lieight of 50 feet.
The genus is an extensive one, and many of the species, on account of the absence of an
indusium, (as the genus is now restricted by Presi,) have been referred to Polypodium.
Presl divides them into two groups : I. Venæ simplices, rarius una alterare furcata ; sori
indorso medio venarum simplicium ; inc lu d in g ^ , atrovirens, P r.; infesta, Kze.; armigera,
Kze.; pycnocarpa, Kze.; compta, -procera, Kaulf.; arhuscida, P r.; pungens, Kaulf.;
radens, Kaulf.; Weigellii, Roem.; multiflora, P r.; gigantea, Pr., and aMsiraZ;«, Br.—ÿ. II.
Venæ uni-rarius bifurcatæ, superiores furcatæ, sori in basi {ala) furcaturæ; to which belong,
besides our A . excelsa, Br., A. villosa, Kze.; ferox, Pr.; Pohlii, P r.; spedosa, P r.; hirfa,
Kaulf.; tomentosa, Kaulf.; munita, Kaulf.; plagiopteris, Mart.; Schiediana, Pr.; aspera,
Hook, et Grev.; armata, Pr.; Mexicana, Mart.; phalerata, Mart.; leucolepis, Mart.; nigra,
Mart.; rigidula, Mart.; Manilensis, P r .; Hænkei, P r.; lunulata, Br.; Wallichiana, Pr.;
latebrosa, Pr.; extensa, B r.; and pruinata, Kaulf.—This last has indeed a very distinct
habit; copious specimens are sent of it from Chili and Juan Fernandez, and I have received
it also from Buenos Ayres and Jamaica. The other species have in many instances
a great similarity one with another, so that their limits are difficult to be defined.
F ig . 1. Under side of a small portion o f a frond ; magn. 10 diam.—/ . 2. Upper surface of a lacinia ;
do.—f 3. Under surface of a small portion of the same ; m. 30 diam.—/! 4. A perfect sorus ; m. 60
diam.—/ 5. Vertical section of the same ; do.—f . 6. Transverse section of the receptacle of the sorus ;
m. 60 diam.—/: 7. Sporangia in various stages; m. 100 diam.—/ 8. Sporules ; m. 400 dlum.
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