Sphaeropteris cyatheoides (Desv.) P.G.Windisch

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.

  • Family

    Cyatheaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Sphaeropteris cyatheoides (Desv.) P.G.Windisch

  • Description

    Species Description - Petiole sparsely pubescent, aculeate and scaly especially basally, the scales shining brown, with toothed edges; leaves bipinnate-pinnatifid, evenly reduced at the apex, pinnae with gradually reduced apex; pinnules pinnatifid, short petiolulate or sessile, ultimate segments with entire margins; lamina adaxially with a few short trichomes (or glabrous) on the veins (veinlets usually glabrous), abaxially glabrous or with short, generally appressed, somewhat tortuous, not easily visible, trichomes on segment surfaces (rare), veinlets, veins and costae, with bullate scales on veins and costae, with flattish scales scattered basally on the costae, petiolules and sometimes on the pinna-rachises and rachises; veins all free; sori usually at the fork of a vein, between mid-vein and margin, or somewhat nearer to the margin. Paraphyses shorter than the sporangia, or if longer not exerted; indusium hemitehoid, membranaceous, normally 2-lobed, with a thin margin bearing delicate trichomes, or these absent and the margin entire or irregular; spores tetrahedral-globose with smooth to rugulose surface.

  • Discussion

    2. Sphaeropteris cyatheoides (Desvaux) Windisch, Bradea 1: 372. 1973. Figs 13-15. M a p C. Hemitelia cyatheoides Desv., Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris (Prod.) 6: 321. 1827. Holotype. "Habitat in Cajenna," Herb. A. N. Desvaux, P!, photo GH! (Spelling accepted by Weatherby, 1936; originally as cyathoides.) Hemitelia stigmosa Desv., Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris. (Prod.) 6: 321. 1827. Holotype. "Habitat in America?," a small label indicates "America," Herb. A. N. Desvaux, P!, photo GH! Sphaeropteris stigmosa (Desv.) Tryon, Contr. Gray Herb. 200: 20. 1970. Alsophila laevis J. Sm., Lond. Jour. Bot. 1: 666. 1842, nomen nudum. Considered to be Hemitelia guianensis Hook, by Hooker, Sp. Fil. 1: 49. 1846. Amphicosmia laevis Moore, Ind. Fil. 52. 1857, nomen nudum. Hemitelia hostmannii Hook., Ic. PI. t 646, 1844. Holotype. Surinam, Hostmann, Herb. Hookerianum, K! Alsophila hostmannii (Hook.) J. Sm., Bot. Mag. 72, Comp. 37. 1846. Amphicosmia hostmannii (Hook.) Moore, Ind. Fil. 60. 1857. Hemitelia multiflora \ar hostmannii (Hook.) Baker, Fl. Bras. 1(2): 313. 1870. Hemitelia guianensis Hook., Ic. PI. t 648. 1844. Holotype. British Guiana Parker, not seen, illustrated by t 648. Hemitelia multiflora war guianensis (Hook.) Baker, Fl. Bras. 1(2): 313. 1870. Hemitelia kegelli Kunze, Linnaea 21: 235, 284. 1848. Holotype. "locis umbrosis 'Cordonpad' prope Joden Savanne, Surinam," Kegel 1050, not seen, ex char. Amphicosmia kegelli (Kunze) Moore, Ind. Fil. 60. 1857. Hemitelia urolepis Kunze, Linnaea 21: 235. 1848; 23: 311. 1850. Holotype. "ex Gujana primum misit Moricand; dein vidi pinnules a Richardo Schomburk reportaris," not seen, ex char. Amphicosmia urolepis (Kunze) Moore, Ind. Fil. 61. 1857. Hemitelia lingulata Presl, Epim. Bot. 32. 1849. Holotype. French Guiana. Perrotet, not seen, fragment ex Prague N Y ! Amphicosmia lingulata (Presl) Moore, Ind. Fil. 60. 1857. Alsophila guianensis Regel, Ann. Sci. Nat. IV. 12: 372. 1859, and Gartenfl. 9: 119, t 288. 1860, ex char. British Guiana Cyathea guianensis (Regel) Domin, Acta Bot. Bohem. 9: 120. 1930. Hemitelia multiflora var sprucei Baker, Fl. Bras. 1(2): 313. 1870. Holotype. "prope San Carlos, ad Rio Negro, Brasilia borealis," Spruce 3145, Herb. Hookerianum, K! (2 sheets). Cyathea bakeriana Domin, Acta Bot. Bohem. 9: 96. 1930. Holotype. The same as that of Hemitelia multiflora var sprucei Baker. Hemitelia bakeriana (Domin) C. Chr., Ind. Fil. Suppl. 3: 110. 1934 Sphaeropteris cyatheoides is very close to S. hirsuta, and this relation has been already discussed under the latter species. The two names of Desvaux that apply to this species were published at the same time, and since neither has ever been reduced to synonymy of the other, a choice must be made between them. The holotype of Hemitelia stigmosa is a single pinna, without certain provenance, and with ciliate indusia, which are not typical for the species. The holotype of Hemitelia cyatheoides is an apical portion of a leaf; it came from ''Cajenna,'' and it is a perfectly typical specimen of the species Accordingly, it seems best to now adopt this name, although since 1936, the former has commonly been used for the species. Weatherby (1936) in his work on Desvaux types, stated that he was unable to correlate the type of Hemitelia cyatheoides with a known species. The specimen was mounted with the abaxial side toward the paper and it was probably his reluctance to reverse the specimen that prevented him from observing the necessary characters.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, and Brazil. Sphaeropteris cyatheoides grows in forests from about 100 m to 1000 m in altitude, a single collection is from "1100-1700 m." VENEZUELA. Bolivar: Chimanta Massif, Abacapa-tepui, Steyermark 74788 (NY, US, VEN); Chimanta tepui (Torono-tepui), Steyermark 75599 (F, NY, US, VEN); Guayaraca, Auyan-tepui, Vareschi & Foldats 4601 (VEN). Amazonas: San Carlos de Rio Negro, LI. Williams 14682 (F, US, VEN); Victorino, upper Guainia, LI. Wi

    Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America|