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N a tiv e of die W e s t In d ie s, T ro p ic a l and Sou th America, Brazil,
jMexico—at an elevation of from two to four thousand feet—
Jamaica, Cocos Islan d , Gu ay aq u il, Guatemala, and P e ru .
lia ise d from spores in the Royal Gard en s, K ew , in 1834.
T h e fronds, which are glabrous, are trian g u la rly -e lo n g a te in
form, spreading, and trip in n a te .
T h e pinme an d pinnules tria n g u la rly elongate-acuminate,
w ith flat, oblong, somewhat pinnatifid lobes, ro u n d ed at the
ap ex , crenate on th e margin, and decu rren t.
E a ch is, costa, and veins glabrous, or hairy.
Sori globose, exse rted , and p ro d u c ed as little cups on th e
apices of th e venules, the special and accessory indusium about
equal and forming a reflexed calyciform cyst, containing the
spore-cases.
F e rtile segments contracted, and h av in g a very elegant
appearance.
Rhizoma creeping.
Veins p in n a te ; venules dire c t and free.
L e n g th of frond from four to e ig h t feet. Colour a pale
v ivid shining green.
Amongst th e different forms of this species may be m entioned—
T h e F e rn known as Dicksonia tenera of Ma rtiu s, found in Brazil,
is more membranaceous. An o th e r known as Dicksonia dissecta
of S ieber, has the b a rre n segments more cuneate, an d se rrated
above: it is a n ative of P e ru and Guatemala. A th ird form,
P a ta n ia erosa of P re s l, has la rg e r and more h a iry pinnules
th an in th e no rma l form, and which are less profoundly lobed,
an d b rig h te r gre en in colour.
F o r plants my thanks are due to Sir Oswald Mosley, B a rt.,
o f Rolleston H a ll; M r. Delves, of T u n b rid g e W e lls ; M r. Sim,
of F o o t’s C ra y ; M r. Downs, of Ilfra com b e ; Mr. L amb, g a rd en e r
to IMr. F . "Wright, of Osmastou Manor, ne a r A sh b o u rn e ; and
to M r. Stewart, late g a rd en e r to L o rd V e rn o n , at S u d b u ry ,
Staffordshire; and for fronds to M. Schott, D ire c to r of th e Im p
e ria l Gardens of S ch o n b ru n n , ne a r V ien n a ; and to Mr. G.
N o rm an , o f H u ll.
I t is in th e Catalogues of Messrs. Rollisson, of T o o tin g ; Sim,
of F o o t’s C ra y ; A. H en d e rso n , of P in e -ap p le P la c e ; an d Coolin
g , of D e rb y .
T h e illu stra tio n is from a p lan t in my own collection.
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