Cyathea costaricensis (Mett. ex Kuhn) Domin

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

  • Family

    Cyatheaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cyathea costaricensis (Mett. ex Kuhn) Domin

  • Description

    Species Description - Trunk to 8 m tall; fronds ca. 3 m long; stipe stramineous, smooth, spines lacking, scales pale with brown centers, hairs lacking; blade bipinnate-pinnatifid, thin-textured, pinnae stalked, pinnules sessile to stalked (1-2 mm), apex acute, slightly falcate, lobes dentate to shallowly lobed; rachis and costae glabrous below; upper surface costules hairy, and with whitish flat to subbullate scales, segment midveins with 1-3 hairs; lower surface sterile areas glabrous, but fertile areas with bullate scalelike fragmented indusium and sparse hairs in vicinity; sori medial, subtended by 1-3 bullate squamulae, resembling an indusium made up of scalelike flaps, paraphyses shorter than sporangia.

  • Discussion

    Hemitelia costaricensis Kuhn, Linnaea 36: 159. 1869. Trichipteris costaricensis (Kuhn) Barrington, Rho-dora 78: 1. 1976. Lectotype (chosen by Barrington, 1978: 76). “Costa Rica et Veragua.” Warscewicz 36 (B!, frags. NY!, US!).

  • Distribution

    Xerophilous for a tree fern-nearly semiarid in places; drier areas of Guatemala and western Mexico; Juquila, Pochutla; 250-750 m. Mexico (Nay, Jal, Mich, Gro, Ver, Oax, Chis, Tab); Guat to Pan.

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