Cyathea leichhardtiana

Cyathea leichhardtiana, the Prickly Tree Fern is a plant in the tree fern family, Cyatheaceae, found in eastern Australia (Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland).[3] A common species found in moist situations, in and near rainforests. Named in honour of the explorer and botanical collector Ludwig Leichhardt.[4]

Prickly Tree Fern
Maxwells Creek, far south eastern NSW
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Pteridophyta
Class:
Pteridopsida
Order:
Cyatheales
Family:
Cyatheaceae
Genus:
Cyathea
Species:
C. leichhardtiana
Binomial name
Cyathea leichhardtiana
Synonyms[1]

Alsophila leichhardtiana F.Muell.
 Alsophila leichhardtii F.M.Bailey
Alsophila leichhardtiana F.Muell. var. leichhardtiana
Cyathea leichhardtiana (F.Muell.) Copel. var. leichhardtiana
Hemitelia australis C.Presl
Amphicosmia australis (C.Presl) T.Moore
Alsophila macarthurii Hook.
Alsophila moorei J.Sm.
Cyathea australiensis Domin
Sphaeropteris australis (C.Presl) R.M.Tryon

Seen between one and seven metres tall, it may be identified by the thin, prickly trunk, 5 to 15 cm wide. The sori lack true indusia, the base of the sorus bears a ring of scales. Fronds are up to 3 metres long, and the stipe is around 20 cm in length.[4]

Taxonomy

It was first described in 1865 by Ferdinand von Mueller as Alsophila leichhardtiana from several specimens, one of which was collected by Ludwig Leichhardt in Moreton Bay, and another by Louisa Atkinson in the Blue Mountains.[1][5][6] It was named and described many times. However, in 1912 Edwin Copeland published the name, Cyathea leichhardtiana,[1][2] the name accepted by the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria.[1]

References
  1. "Cyathea leichhardtiana". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. Copeland, E.B. (1912) Philippine Journal of Science. Section C, Botany 6: 360
  3. ""Cyathea leichhardtiana":PlantNET - FloraOnline". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  4. Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 page 309
  5. Mueller, F.J.H. von (1865) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5(33): 53. Retrieved 8 September 2019
  6. "Alsophila leichhardtiana". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
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