Marattia alata Sw.

Marattia alata Sw. Prodr. 128. 1788
Marattia laevis Smith, PI. Ic. Ined. pi. 47. 1790. Myriotheca alata Poir. in I^am. Encyc. 4 : 403. 1797. Myriotheca laevis Poir. in I^am. Bncyc. 4 : 403. 1797. Discostegia alata Presl, Abh. Bohm. Ges. Wiss. V. 4 : 272. 1845. Discostegia laevis Presl, Abh. Bohm. Ges. Wiss. V. 4 : 272. 1845.
Rhizome very stout and fleshy ; leaves tripinnate or even quadripinnate as to the lower
pinnae, up to 3 meters long, the stipe 30-60 cm. long, 2.5 cm. thick at the base, the
rachis stramineous, sometimes darker, sparsely scaly, the ultimate rachises winged, scaly on
the under side ; lamina a meter or more long, broadest at-the base ; pinnae up to 70 cm. or
more long, oblong to deltoid ; pinnules 10-25 cm. long, long-acuminate, the apiqes sharply
serrate ; ultimate pinnules 1-2.5 cm. long, 4-8 mm. broad, oblong or elliptic, more or less
scaly underneath, unequally narrowed, cuneate, the apices acute to blunt, the margins sharply
serrate; veinlets simple or once-forked ; synangia broadly oblong, rather shallow, 8-16-locu-
lar, deeply cleft, the valves opening widely, the receptacle oblong or oval, usually scaly.
Type locality : Jamaica.
Distribution : Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola.