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Dicksonia (Named after James Dickson)

(named after James Dickson, a famous British cryptogamic botanist). Including Balantium, Cibotium, Dennstaedtia, Patania, Sitolobium. ORD. Filices. A genus of about forty species of stove and greenhouse Ferns, the majority being natives of tropical America and Polynesia. Fronds mostly large, decompound, coriaceous. Involucre inferior, sub-globose, coriaceous or membranaceous, cup-shaped, and entire or more or less distinctly two-valved. Sori placed at the apex of a vein, intramarginal. A compost of light, fibrous loam and peat, in equal parts, with about one-third sand, is most suitable. For general culture, see Ferns.

D. adiantoides (Adiantum-like). rhiz. creeping. fronds bipinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad; pinnules linear, cut down nearly to the rachis; segments oblong-rhomboidal, blunt, with two to four bluntish lobes in each side. sori two to eight to a segment. West Indies, 1828. Stove. (H. S. F. i. 26 B.) D. antarctica (Antarctic).* cau. 30ft. to 35ft. high. sti. under 1ft. long, scaly. fronds rhomboid, tripinnate, 5ft. to 6ft. long, 2ft. to 3ft. broad in centre; central pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 4in. to 5in. broad; pinnules sessile, linear, 1/2in. broad; segments oblong. sori six to ten to lowest segment. 1786. Arborescent. Greenhouse.

D. arborescens (tree-like). cau. 10ft. high. fronds bipinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad; pinnules linear, deeply cut; segments 1/2in. long, oblong. sori two to six to a lobe, large, globose. St. Helena, 1824. Arborescent. Greenhouse. (H. S. F. i. 22A.) D. assamicum (Assam). A synonym of D. Barometz.

D. Barometz (Barometz). fronds tripinnate; lower pinnae ovate-lanceolate, 1ft. to 2ft. broad; pinnules linear-acuminate, cut, nearly to the rachis; segments linear-oblong, acute, sub-falcate. sori two to twelve to a lobe. Assam, China, 1824. Arborescent. Greenhouse. SYN. D. assamicum. (H. S. F. i. 29 B.) D. Berteroana (Bertero's).* cau. 6ft. to 15ft. high. fronds rhomboid, tripinnate; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. to 1 1/4ft. long, 5in. to 6in. broad; pinnules sessile, lanceolate, about 1in. broad; segments close, lanceolate, sterile sub-entire, fertile deeply pinnatifid. Juan Fernandez, 1880. Arborescent. Greenhouse. See previous page, Fig. 656, for which we are indebted to Messrs. Veitch and Sons. (H. S. F. i. 25 A.) D. Chamissoi (Chamisso's). fronds tripinnate; lower pinnae ovate-lanceolate, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad; pinnules linear-acuminate, cut down to the rachis below; segments oblong, bluntish. sori two to twelve to a lobe. Sandwich Islands, 1876. Stove.

D. chrysotricha (golden-haired).* fronds bipinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad; pinnules linear, very deeply cut; segments linear-oblong, deeply toothed, 1/2in. long; fertile pinnules slightly contracted; main rachis clothed with a thick coat of shining yellowish-brown hairs at the base. Java, 1875. Arborescent. Stove.

D. cicutaria (Cicuta-like). rhiz. creeping. fronds bipinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. broad; pinnules linear-acuminate, deeply cut; segments oblong-deltoid, deeply inciso-pinnatifid. sori two to twelve to a segment. West Indies. Stove.

D. Culcita (Culcit). rhiz. densely clothed with shining hairs. fronds 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 1ft. broad, tripinnate; lower pinnules deltoid, their divisions ovate, deeply cut with oblong-rhomboidal, unequal-sided, deeply-toothed segments; fertile fronds much contracted. sori one line across. Madeira and the Azores. The dense woolly covering of the rhizomes has become an article of commerce; it is used for stuffing cushions, &c. Greenhouse. D. cuneata (cuneate). fronds sub-deltoid, four-pinnatifid; pinnae lanceolate, 6in. to 12in. long; pinnules close, short-stalked, lanceolate, 1/2in. broad; segments oblong-rhomboidal, inciso-pinnatifid. sori at base of ultimate sinuses. Philippines. Stove. (H. S. F. i. 28 C).

D. davallioides (Davallia-like). fronds tripinnate; lower pinnae 6in. to 9in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad; pinnules linear-acuminate, cut down to the rachis; segments oblong-rhomboidal, deeply inciso-pinnatifid. sori two to eight to a segment. Australia. Greenhouse.

D. dissecta (cut-leaved). A synonym of D. rubiginosa. D. fibrosa (fibrous).* sti. very short, densely scaly. fronds rhomboid, tripinnate, 3ft. to 4ft. long; central pinnae lanceolate, 6in. to 9in. long; pinnules sessile, linear, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long; segments crowded, deltoid, falcate, deeply pinnatifid. sori four to six to largest segment. New Zealand. Arborescent. Greenhouse. (H. S. F. i. 23 B.) D. flaccida (weak). fronds tripinnate; lower pinnae 9in. to 15in. long, 6in. broad; pinnules lanceolate, cut down to the rachis; lower segments ovate-rhomboidal, bluntish, cut down to the rachis three or four times on each side, and the lobes again toothed. sori two to eight to a segment. Aneiteum, &c. Very closely allied to D. rubiginosa. Stove.

D. glauca (glaucous). fronds tripinnate, ovate-lanceolate, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad; pinnules linear-acuminate, cut down to the rachis in the lower part; lobes linear-oblong. sori two to twelve to a lobe. Sandwich Isles, 1879. Arborescent. Stove. (H. S. F. i. 29 A.) D. lanata (woolly). cau. low. sti. about 1ft. long. fronds rhomboid, tripinnate, 3ft. to 4ft. long; central pinnae oblong-lanceolate, about 1ft. long; pinnules lanceolate, stalked, 1 1/2in. to 3in. long, less than 1in. broad. sori crowded, six to twelve to largest segment. New Zealand. Greenhouse. (H. S. F. i. 23 c.) D. Menziesii (Menzies').* fronds tripinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad; pinnules linear-acuminate, cut down about half-way to the rachis; lobes rounded, blunt. sori two to eight. Sandwich Islands, 1876. Stove. (H. S. F. i. 29 c.) D. pruinata is a form having lobes of the pinnules denticulate.

D. moluccana (Moluccas). fronds tripinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 9in. to 18in. broad: pinnules linear-lanceolate, cut down to the rachis; lower segments oblong-rhomboidal, deeply cut, with blunt, oblong-deltoid lobes. sori two to twelve to a segment. Main and secondary rachises prickly. Java. Stove. D. scandens is probably a variety of this species. D. pilosiuscula (slightly hairy). A synonym of D. punctilobula. D. punctilobula (dotted-lobed). fronds 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, lanceolate, bipinnate; lower pinnae lanceolate, 4in. to 6in. long, deeply cut; pinnules ovate-rhomboidal, about 1/2in. long, deeply pinnatifid. sori two to twelve to a pinnule. North America, 1811. This is the only hardy species of the genus Pleasantly fragrant. SYN. D. pilosiuscula. D. regalis (regal).* fronds oblong-deltoid, tripinnate; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, 10in. to 12in. broad; pinnules sessile, 1in. to 1 1/4in. broad, cut down to the rachis; segments close, lanceolate-falcate, inciso-pinnatifid. sori ten to twelve to a segment. Mexico, 1864. Arborescent. Greenhouse. SYN. Cibotium regale. D. rubiginosa (rusty). fronds tripinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad; pinnules linear, cut down to the rachis; lower segments deltoid, or oblong-rhomboidal, deeply inciso-pinnatifid. sori two to twelve to a segment. Tropical America. Stove. SYN. D. dissecta. (H. S. F. i. 27 A.) D. anthriscifolia is a variety with segments larger and more divided. D. Schiedei (Schiede's). cau. 10ft. to 15ft. high. fronds oblong-deltoid, tripinnate; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. to 2ft. long; pinnules linear-lanceolate, deeply cut; segments close, lanceolate, dentate. sori four to six to a segment. Mexico, 1846. Greenhouse. (H. S. F. i. 30 A.) D. Sellowiana (Sellow's).* fronds 6ft. to 8ft. long, 2ft. to 3ft. broad, lanceolate, bipinnate; lower pinnae 1ft. to 1 1/4ft. long, 3in. to 4in. broad; pinnules linear, deeply cut; segments 1/4in. long, close, oblong-deltoid. sori two to six to a lobe. Brazil, 1871. Arborescent. Stove. (H. S. F. i. 22 B.) D. spcctabile (showy). A garden synonym of D. Wendlandi. D. squarrosa (rough-stemmed).* sti. castaneous, 6in. to 12in. long, densely scaly. fronds oblong-deltoid, tripinnate; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, 9in. to 15in. long, 4in. to 6in. broad; pinnules subsessile, linear, 2in. to 3in. long; segments lanceolate. sori six to eight to lower segments. New Zealand. Arborescent. Greenhouse.

D. Wendlandi (Wendland's). fronds oblong-deltoid, tripinnatifid; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. long, 4in. to 6in. broad; pinnules sessile, linear, cut down to a narrow wing; segments close, lanceolate, acute. sori close, four to eight to a segment. Arborescent. Guatemala. Stove. SYN. D. spectabile, of gardens.

D. Youngiae (Mrs. Young's). sti. 6in. to 9in. long, castaneous, densely scaly. fronds oblong-deltoid, tripinnate; pinnae oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. long, 5in. to 6in. broad; pinnules sub-sessile, lanceolate, 2in. to 3in. long; segments lanceolate, close. sori six to eight to lower segments. Australia, 1865. Arborescent. Greenhouse.