Cyathea capensis (L.f.) Sm.

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SRGH

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Synonyms:	Alsophila capensis (L.f.) J. Sm. Cyathea riparia Willd. Hemitelia capensis (L.f.) Kaulf. Polypodium capense L.f. Trichomanes incisum Thunb.
Common names:	Forest tree fern (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Tree fern. Caudex up to 4.5 m × 20-25 cm, crowned with a 'nest of moss-like' aphlebia (a pair of finely divided and much reduced pinnae at the base of the stipe). Fronds herbaceous. Stem without spines. Stipe up to 50 cm long, light brown, set with dark brown basal scales; scales 10 mm long, dark, glossy, lanceolate, margin pale, irregularly cut, apex bristle like. Lamina up to 2m × 0.8m, deeply 3-pinnatifid, elliptic in outline. Ultimate lobes narrowly oblong-falcate, margins toothed, apex acute, lower surface with few pale, thin bullate scales set along the costules. Sori round, one per lobe, set adjacent to the costule, c. 1 mm diameter; indusium asymmetric, variable, scale like, attached on one side of the sorus, often reduced or even absent.
Notes:	Recognisable by the 'nest' of moss-like modified pinnules in the crown of the stem
Derivation of specific name:	capensis: first collected in the Cape by C. Thunberg, a Swedish botanist
Habitat:	Shaded, moist ravines on mountain slopes or in temperate forest.
Altitude range: (metres)	200 - 1830 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe distribution:	E
Growth form:	Te
Endemic status:
Red data list status:	Lower Risk - least concern
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 1 August 2010
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 88. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 72. (Includes a picture). Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 272 - 273. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 202 - 203. As Alsophila capensis (L. f. ) J. Sm. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 5. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 86. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 62. As Alsophila capensis (L.f.)J.Sm. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Pages 74 - 75. (Includes a picture).

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Other sources of information about Cyathea capensis:

Flora of Mozambique: Cyathea capensis
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Cyathea capensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cyathea capensis
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Cyathea capensis
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Cyathea capensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Cyathea capensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cyathea capensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Cyathea capensis
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Cyathea capensis
Tropicos: Cyathea capensis
West African Plants database: Cyathea capensis