Cyathea javanica

Cyathea javanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pteridophyta
Class:	Pteridopsida
Order:	Cyatheales
Family:	Cyatheaceae
Genus:	Cyathea
Subgenus:	Cyathea
Section:	Alsophila
Species:	C. javanica
Binomial name
Cyathea javanica Blume, 1828
Varieties
C. j. var. javanica Blume, 1828 C. j. var. rigida Blume, 1828
Synonyms
Alsophila javanica (Blume) Tryon, 1970 Hemitelia caudipinnula Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh, 1912 Cyathea caudipinnula Domin, 1929

Cyathea javanica is a species of tree fern native to western Java and Sumatra, where it grows in rain forest and on riverbanks at an altitude of 250-1500 m. The trunk of this plant is erect and up to about 10 m tall. Fronds may be bi- or tripinnate and 2-3 m in length. The stipe is spiny and bears scattered scales throughout. These scales are dark and have fragile edges. C. javanica has round sori which are borne near the midvein of fertile pinnules . They are protected by firm, flat indusia that are saucer-like in appearance.

C. javanica appears to be most closely related to Cyathea doctersii. Large and Braggins (2004) note that C. doctersii may in fact be of hybrid origin between C. javanica and a member of the Cyathea latebrosa complex.

When Carl Blume described C. javanica he also named one variety, C. j. var. rigida. Braggins and Large (2004) note that "although variety rigida is apparently part of the C. javanica complex, the name has also occasionally been associated with Cyathea polycarpa".

References

• Braggins, John E. & Large, Mark F. 2004. Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc., p. 149. ISBN 0-88192-630-2
• The International Plant Names Index: Cyathea javanica