Alsophila firma (Baker) D.S.Conant

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Cyatheaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Alsophila firma (Baker) D.S.Conant

  • Description

    Species Description - Trunks to 10.5 m tall, 30 cm diam.; stipe spines stout, to 12 mm long, black, curved; stipe scales very narrow, dark brown with pale erose margins and long dark persistent setae tip; blades to 3 m long, 2-pinnate-pinnatifid, very firm to subcoriaceous;pinnae stalked to 1 cm; veins mostly simple; pinnule apices acute, slightly ascending, crenulate, but margins often recurved; hairs on costules and segment midveins abaxially, costules also with small black-tipped scales, lacking bullate scales; segment midveins glabrous adaxially or with a single hair near the tip; costules hairy adaxially; sori medial; indusia globose, sphaeropteroid; 2n=138 (CR).

  • Discussion

    Cyathea firma (Baker) Domin, Pterid. Dominica 264. 1929, non Mett. ex Kuhn, 1869. Hemitelia firma Baker, J. Bot. 15: 161. 1877. Type. Ecuador. Andes of Quito, Aug 1875, Sodiro s.n. (K; isotype P, frag. US). Cyathea mexicana Schltdl. & Cham., Linnaea 5: 616. 1830. Nephelea mexicana (Schltdl. & Cham.) R. M. Tryon, Contr. Gray Herb. 200: 40. 1970. Type. Mexico. [Veracruz:] Jalapa, Schiede & Deppe 802 (B!, frags. NY!, US!; isotypes BM, K!, LE!). Cyathea trejoi Christ, Bull. Herb. Boissier, se´r. 2, 5: 733. 1905. Type. Mexico. Chiapas: San Pablo, 1903, Mu¨nch s.n. (P?; frag. NY!). Cyathea articulata Fe´e, Me´m. Foug. 8: 111. 1857. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Villa Alta and Talea, Galeotti 6531 (P; isotypes B, frag. NY!, BR!-9 sheets). Unverified, Doubtful, or Mistaken Reports. Gro (Lorea 2366, ENCB, cited by Lorea-Herna´ndez & Vela´zquez M., 1998, but not verified). Among the indusiate species of Mexican Alsophila, A. firma can be distinguished most readily by the stout black spines on the stipes.

  • Distribution

    Wet montane forests; 600–2500 m. Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Ec.

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