蘇鐵蕨屬

Small tree ferns; stems erect, about 100 cm tall, about as thick as man's arm ( 10 cm in diameter), black, covered with scale bases, apex covered with long, linear, shining brown scales. Fronds slightly dimorphic, borne in a terminal crown; stipe to 30 cm long, basal part covered with linear, chestnutbrown scales, 2 cm long; lamina pinnate, 50-100 cm long; pinnae nearly sessile, 10 cm long, 1 cm broad, margins serrulate; veins free, simple or once forked, except for the more or less triangular costal row of areolae; undersurface with some small scales along costa and veins; lower pinnae shortened; pinnae on fertile fronds somewhat shorter, much narrower. Sporangia borne on costal veins, soon becoming abundant and first covering costal area, then whole underside of pinna.

Only one species.

Lower Taxon

• Brainea insignis (Hook.) J. Sm.