Cyathea esmeraldensis

Cyathea esmeraldensis
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pteridophyta
Class:	Pteridopsida
Order:	Cyatheales
Family:	Cyatheaceae
Genus:	Cyathea
Subgenus:	Cyathea
Section:	Alsophila
Species:	C. esmeraldensis
Binomial name
Cyathea esmeraldensis (R. C. Moran) —
Synonyms
Alsophila esmeraldensis R. C. Moran, 1995

Cyathea esmeraldensis is a species of tree fern native to the western Andes of Ecuador, where it grows on the sides of rocky streambeds at an altitude of 500–1000 m. The erect, slender trunk is about 80 cm tall and approximately 3 cm in diameter. Fronds may be either simply pinnate or bipinnate basally. They are erect or spreading and up to 2.5 m long. The rachis ranges in colour from dark brown to blackish and bears a few scales. The scales are linear, bicoloured (whitish with a central brown region) and with edges and apexes with dark setae. Sori are covered by cup-like indusia.

C. esmeraldensis forms part of the group centered around Cyathea minor. Its closest relative appears to be Cyathea stuebelii from the eastern Andes. It differs from that species in its more erect fronds. Large and Braggins (2004) note that the two may represent sister species.

The specific epithet esmeraldensis refers to Esmeraldas Province.

References

• Braggins, John E. & Large, Mark F. 2004. Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc., p. 310. ISBN 0-88192-630-2
• The International Plant Names Index: Cyathea esmeraldensis