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Gymnosphaera gigantea

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Gymnosphaera gigantea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Gymnosphaera
Species:
G. gigantea
Binomial name
Gymnosphaera gigantea
(Wall. ex Hook.) S.Y.Dong (2019)
Synonyms[1]
  • Alsophila gigantea Wall. ex Hook. (1844)
  • Alsophila helferiana C.Presl (1848)
  • Alsophila polycampta Kunze (1846)
  • Alsophila rheosora Christ (1898)
  • Alsophila umbrosa Wall. ex Ridl. (1926)
  • Cyathea balakrishnanii R.D.Dixit & A.K.Tripathi (1986)
  • Cyathea gigantea (Wall. ex Hook.) Holttum (1935)
  • Cyathea venulosa Wall. (1829), nom. nud.
  • Dichorexia gigantea (Wall. ex Hook.) C.Presl (1848)
  • Polypodium giganteum Wall. (1829), nom. nud.
  • Polypodium umbrosum Wall. (1829), nom. nud.

Gymnosphaera gigantea, synonyms Alsophila gigantea and Cyathea gigantea,[2] is a species of tree fern native to northeastern to southern India, Sri Lanka, Nepal to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, as well as central Sumatra and western Java.[1] It grows in moist open areas at an elevation of 600–1000 m. The trunk of this species is erect and may be as tall as 5 m or more. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate and usually 2–3 m long. The rachis is long, dark to black in colouration and rough in appearance after the fall of scales. These scales are dark brown, glossy and have a narrow paler margin and fragile edges. Sori are round and indusia absent.[3]

Large and Braggins (2004) noted that G. gigantea is very similar to G. glabra and appears to form part of a complex that also includes G. podophylla and G.subdubia. Further study is needed to determine the nature of the relationship between these taxa.[3]

The specific epithet gigantea refers, at least in part, to the large fronds.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Gymnosphaera gigantea (Wall. ex Hook.) S.Y.Dong. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  2. ^ Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019). "Alsophila gigantea". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World (version 8.02). Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  3. ^ a b c Large, Mark F. & Braggins, John E. (2004). Tree Ferns. Timber Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-88192-630-9.