Family

Cyatheaceae

Nomenclature

Cyathea chinensis Copel., Philipp. J. Sci. 3: 355. 1909; Holttum, Kew Bull. 19: 466. 1965; Tagawa & K.Iwats., SouthE. Asian Stud. 5: 45. 1967; Tagawa & K.Iwats., Fl. Thailand 3: 102, f. 6.1–3 & 6. 1979; Boonkerd & Pollawatn, Pterid. Thailand: 113. 2000. – Type: China, Yunna, Szemao, Henry 13136 (E).

Amphicosmia brunoniana auct. non (Wall. ex Hook.) Bedd.: Bedd., Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 10. 1883. – Cyathea brunoniana auct. non (Wall. ex Hook.) C.B.Clarke & Baker: Tardieu & C.Chr., Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 86. 1939. – Sphaeropteris brunoniana auct. non (Wall. ex Hook.) R.M.Tryon: Newman et al., Checkl. Vasc. Pl. Lao PDR: 26. 2007.

Alsophila costularis Baker, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1906: 8. 1906; R.M.Tryon, Contr. Gray Herb. 200: 31. 1970, non Cyathea costularis Bonap. 1917.

Description

Trunks up to 5 m or more tall. Stipes about 50 cm long, dark purplish near base, brownish upwards, with rather dense short spines throughout, warty; scales linear, to 3.5 cm long, 1.5 mm broad, shining dark brown, stiff, the edges narrow, paler, ferrugineous, soon abraded; main rachis smooth, glabrescent, light brown; largest pinnae about 50 cm long, 13 cm wide, narrowly oblong, basal pinnae a little reduced; pinna-rachis pale beneath, bearing pale crisped hairs; pinnules more than 30 in pairs, sessile, patent, lanceolate, acuminate at apex, broadly cuneate or subtruncate at base, about 8 cm long, 1.3 cm wide, about 1.5 cm apart, lobed almost to costae leaving laminae 1 mm broad, lobes oblique, falcate, round to moderately acute at apex, crenate-serrate at margin, about 7 mm long, 3 mm broad; costae and costules hairy throughout on lower surface, scales few, pale, more or less convex, hardly bullate; texture papyraceous, light green, paler beneath; veins simple or forked. Sori close to costules; receptacles large; indusia in mature sori reflexed as broad pale brown scales, irregular and abraded at margin .

Distribution in Thailand

NORTHERN: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Phitsanulok; NORTH-EASTERN: Phetchabun.

Distribution in Laos

Xieng Khouang.

Wider Distribution

E Himalayas, Yunnan and Indochina.

Ecology

On moist slopes at edge of lower montane forest at about 1200 m alt.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

Least Concern (LC). Although Cyathea species are often exploited for the horticultural industry (mainly for their trunks as a base for epiphytic orchids) this species is widespread and not noticeably being adversely impacted.  Monitoring is necessary.

Notes

Fibrous trunk used for orchid media.

Voucher specimens - Thailand

Middleton et al. 5101, Phitsanulok, Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park (E); Shimizu et al. T-11700, Phetchabun (E).