Cyatheaceae

views updated

Cyatheaceae A family of ferns, most of which are massive tree-ferns, with gradate sori arising at first marginally, and then deflecting to the under-side of the fronds, where they are protected by a pair of indusial flaps. There are two genera and 265 species, Cyathea and Dicksonia occurring mainly in the tropics and moist, warm, temperate southern hemisphere. See also THYRSOPTERIDACEAE.

More From encyclopedia.com