Tuesday 30 December 2008

Cyathea leichhardtiana

Cyathea leichhardtiana (F.Muell.) Copel., Philipp. J. Sci., C 6: 360 (1911)Prickly Tree Fern
Hierarchical Names List Entry
Alsophila leichhardtiana F.Muell., Fragm. 5: 53 (1865). T: Fern-Tree Creek, Bunya Mountain [Bunya Mtns], Qld, 28 Dec. 1843, L.Leichhardt s.n. ; lecto: MEL, fide M.D.Tindale, Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb. 2: 355 (1956).
Hemitelia australis C.Presl, Epimel. Bot. 33 ('1849') [1851]; Amphicosmia australis (C.Presl) T.Moore, Index Fil. 2: 59 (1857); Sphaeropteris australis (C.Presl) R.M.Tryon, Contr. Gray Herb. 200: 24 (1970). T: Australasia, C.A.Hügel ; holo: W.
Cyathea australiensis Domin, Pteridophyta 263 (1929). T: as for Hemitelia australis C.Presl
Alsophila moorei J.Sm., Ferns Brit. For. 245 (1866). T: New South Wales, C.Moore ; ?holo: BM.
Alsophila macarthurii Hook., in W.J.Hooker & J.G.Baker, Syn. Fil. 40 (1866). T: near Sydney, N.S.W., W.McArthur ; syn: K; Hastings and Marlony Rivers, N.S.W., H.Beckler ; syn: not located; Illawara [Illawarra], N.S.W., Shepperd ; syn: not located.
Illustrations: M.D.Tindale, Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb. 2: t. 9 (1956); S.B.Andrews, Ferns Queensland 111, fig. 8.1H (1990); T.J.Entwisle in N.G.Walsh & T.J.Entwisle (eds), Fl. Victoria 2: 71, fig. 15 (1994).
Rhizome to 7 m tall, to 15 cm diam. Fronds to 3 m long (including short stipe); stipe bases bearing sharp spines to 4 mm long; scales whitish, with (often sparse) dark marginal setae, to 60 mm long, 1 mm wide at their bases; scales above base copious, small, setiferous. Pinnae to 70 cm long; pinnules c. 10 cm long and 2 cm wide, deeply lobed; most lobes adnate as crenate-serrate tertiary pinnules; costal and costular scales very small; larger ones bearing many short setae, smaller ones fringed with short hairs; a few scales also present on veins. Sori near costules, covered when immature with small very thin scales, these sometimes bearing minute dark setae; scales usually not persistent; paraphyses sparse, shorter than the sporangia. Fig. 60L–O, 64H.
Occurs from central-eastern Qld to eastern Vic. with an apparently disjunct population on the Bellenden Ker Range in north-eastern Qld. Grows in moist gullies in forest, also along streams in more open places; in Qld to 1500 m altitude. Map 175.

Flora of Australia Online


lower surface sterile frond
Upper surface


Crown
Growing in high-rainfall montane rainforest. Lamington National Park, south-east Queensland. Photo Credit

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