from pinna to pinna the whole length of the stipe and rachis, each mark or dash, 6–8 lines long, having an interval or break of 1–2 lines; densely covered with long brown shining linear scales 1 ½–2 inches long and nearly 1 line wide at the base, curved transparent acuminate and pointed, beautifully and regularly marked, with finely serrulate edges, and having beneath them a thick rough plush-like undergrowth of blackish-brown shining finely barbed or jagged hairs.

Rachis and subrachis muricate, also densely covered with a thick coating of short dark plush-like hairs, which easily rub off; above, together with the costæ and costules densely hirsute (dark) and woolly (light-coloured).

Pinnæ alternate, 23–26 jugate, oblong-lanceolate, petiolate, (central) 2 feet 6 inches long. 10–12 inches broad, 6–7 inches distant (lower 10 inches) on rachis.

Secondary divisions or pinnules alternate, 30–32 jugate, linear-oblong acuminate and sub-caudate, 5–6 inches long, 1–1 ½ inches broad, petiolate, pinnate, thickly covered below with jagged acuminate shining silky light-coloured scales, each being curiously sprinkled with very long dark-brown hairs.

Segments alternate, 30–32 jugate, close set, linear, sub-falcate, crenatelyserrate, 9 lines long, 2–3 lines broad, widest at base, lowermost subpinnatifid petiolate and auricled downwards, barren ones broader, deeply serrate or sub-pinnatifid.

Veins very numerous, conspicuous and translucent, bi-pinnately branched; venules 10–12 in each lower lobe, and running quite out into the margin.

Sori numerous, crowded, 12–16 on a segment, one on each lobe; involucre globose, transparent green and hyaline at first, afterwards light-brown, splitting irregularly.

This tree-fern is a fine and graceful species; one that at first sight, and without examination, may be easily mistaken for C. medullaris, which it much resembles,–but differs from that species in its general hairiness and and woolliness, in its larger size of frond (breadth, etc.) and richer appearance, in its pleasing grass-green colour, its truly pinnate segments, its peculiar hairy scales and its numerous pinnate veins,–these last two marks being its specific characteristics, and its very numerous veins or venules in a lobe, the origin of its trivial name.

I have known this fern for some 10–12 years at least. In 1865–6 I found a young plant growing here on my ground (Scinde Island, Napier) among the common fern (Pteris esculenta), and removed it to my garden, where it has done exceedingly well, although last summer it suffered from the very long drought. At first, and for some years, I had supposed it to be Cyathea medullaris, but for the last four years, during which it has borne fruit abundantly, I have believed it to be a new and distinct species; having