Alsophila hornei

Alsophila hornei, synonym Cyathea hornei,[1] is a species of tree fern. Its natural distribution covers eastern New Guinea and the Louisiade Archipelago to Fiji, where it grows in wet submontane forest, stunted forest, mossy forest, and on ridges, at an altitude of 400–2000 m. The trunk of this plant is erect, 3–4 m tall and up to about 4 cm in diameter. Fronds may be pinnate or bipinnate and reach a length of 2 m. Basal scales cover the dark rachis and stipe of this species. These scales are glossy and either bicoloured (dark with a paler margin) or light brown and bullate. Sori almost cover the lower segments of fertile pinnules. Indusia are absent.[2]

Alsophila hornei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Alsophila
Species:
A. hornei
Binomial name
Alsophila hornei
Baker[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Alsophila brunnea Brause
  • Alsophila dissitifolia Baker
  • Alsophila ledermannii Brause
  • Alsophila melanocaulos Alderw.
  • Alsophila olivacea Brause
  • Cyathea brunnea (Brause) Domin
  • Cyathea dimorphophylla Domin
  • Cyathea dissitifolia (Baker) Domin
  • Cyathea hornei (Baker) Copel.
  • Cyathea melanoclada Domin
  • Cyathea olivacea (Brause) Domin
  • Gymnosphaera hornei (Baker) Copel.
  • Gymnosphaera melanocaulos (Alderw.) Copel.
  • Gymnosphaera olivacea (Brause) S.Y.Dong

Large and Braggins (2004) note that A. hornei is a variable species across its range. Individual populations may differ in terms of minor details of the division of the pinnae and smaller basal pinnae may be either present or absent altogether.[2]

The specific epithet hornei commemorates botanist John Horne (1835-1905), who collected numerous plants on Fiji and islands of the Indian Ocean.[2]

References
  1. Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019). "Alsophila hornei". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Retrieved 2019-09-12.
  2. Large, Mark F. & Braggins, John E. (2004). Tree Ferns. Timber Press. pp. 142–143. ISBN 978-0-88192-630-9.


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