VL
Cyatheaceæ.
TAB. XXIII .
C Y A T H E A . Sm. {ex parte). Br.
C y a t h e æ Sect. I I . C y a t h e a . Presl. D i s p h e n i a ? Presl.
Sori globosi, in basi (ala) furcaturæ inserti. Indusium inferum, involucrans, magnum,
scariosum, apice dehiscens, ore demum exacte tru n c a to integro vel magis minusve
profunde irreg u lariter p a rtito. Sporangia sessilia v. subsessilia, receptáculo
elevato globoso v. d a v a te sæpe hirsuto aiBxa.— Habitus Alsophilæ. Venæ p in natæ
; venulæ furcatæ.
Cyathea elegans. Heward in Mag. o f Nat. Hist. Sept. 1838, p . 466.
Presi, as has heen already noticed, divides liis Cyathea into two primary sections—
I . N o t o c a r p ia , which corresponds with the Genus Scliizocænea*, already described at Tab.
II . of this work. 11. C y a t h e a vera of Brown, in which the sori spring from tlie forking
of the veinlets. Here belong, according to Presl, C. equestris and C. divergens, Kze., C.
hirtula and C. vestila, Mart., C. Delgadii and C. Sternbergii, Pohl, C. Sellowiana, Presl,
C. Schanschin, Mart., C. Beyrichiana, Presi, C. oligocarpa and C. cuspidata, Kze., C.
aspera, Sw., C. glauca, Bory, C. canalieulata, Willd., C. excelsa, C. affinis, and C. medul-
laris, Sw., C. muricata, Willd., and C. dealbata, Sw. ; to wiiich may be added C. Grevil-
harm. Mart., and the species here represented, drawn from Jamaica specimens, communicated
by Mr Heward to Mr J . Smith and Mr Bauer. These two accurate observers have
remarked in this, what exists also in at least one other Jamaica Cyathea, namely, that
there is, at the apex of the young indusium, a portion circumscribed by a circular line (like
the operculum of a moss) of a thinner texture than the rest, and somewhat plaited. This
gradually breaks away, and leaves a regular entire mouth, which constantly remains so,
only becoming wider in age, with the involucre more cup-shaped, and retaining that beautifully
regular form long after the dispersion of the sporangia.
The present species seems to agree with the figures and descriptions of C. arborea, Sm.,
except that the receptacle is there described as bipartite, whence Presl has constituted of
it the Genus Disphenia : but, as it appears to roe, on too sliglit grounds.
Fig. 1. Portion of the under side of a frond ; magn. S d iam .- ;/. 2. Smaller portion o f the same ;
m. 10 diam.—/ . 8. The same, seen on the upper side ; do.—f . 4. Sori, in different stages ; m. 20 diam.
—f 5. 6. Vertical sections ; do f 7. Sporangia, in different stages ; m. 100 diam.—/ 8. Sporules,
nearly ripe ; m. 200 diam.
* By mistake printed Schizocæna.
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