Cyathea macgregorii

Cyathea macgregorii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pteridophyta
Class:	Pteridopsida
Order:	Cyatheales
Family:	Cyatheaceae
Genus:	Cyathea
Subgenus:	Cyathea
Section:	Alsophila
Species:	C. macgregorii
Binomial name
Cyathea macgregorii F. von Mueller, 1889

Cyathea macgregorii is a species of tree fern in the family Cyatheaceae. Its trunk is approximately 3 meters tall and about 24 centimeters thick. It has narrow and tripinnate fronds which are about 1 meter long, occurring in clusters of approximately 60, and form a round crown. The stipe is scaly and warty, scales being either smooth and shiny brown or small and pale. The sori are in groups of four to six in pinnule lobes. They are covered in brown indusia. It bears similarity to Cyathea imbricata and even greater similarity to Cyathea gleichenioides. It is possible that these variations are only due to differences in habitat and they may be same species.

Distribution

Occurs in New Guinea peaty grasslands or forest edges from 3000 to 3700 meters. It has a tendency to form groups.

Name

Its name comes from William MacGregor (1846-1919) who, as a plant collector, collected plants from New Guinea.

References

• Braggins, John E. & Large, Mark F. 2004. Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc., p. 158. ISBN 0-88192-630-2