Cyathea erinacea

Cyathea erinacea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pteridophyta
Class:	Pteridopsida
Order:	Cyatheales
Family:	Cyatheaceae
Genus:	Cyathea
Subgenus:	Cyathea
Section:	Alsophila
Species:	C. erinacea
Binomial name
Cyathea erinacea Karsten, 1856 (publ. 1857, 1869)
Synonyms
Nephelea erinacea (Karsten) Tryon, 1970 Alsophila erinacea (Karsten) Conant, 1983

Cyathea erinacea is a species of tree fern native to Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. It grows in tropical rain forest, particularly in the understory, and on riverbanks up to the montane zone at an altitude of about 800-2100 m. The erect trunk is up to 15 m tall, 7-10 cm in diameter and has black spines. The arching fronds are bipinnate, up to 3.5 m long and form a sparse crown. The rachis and stipe are scaly and may be either straw-coloured or brown to dark brown. The scales are bicoloured, having a dark brown to blackish centre and pale whitish margin, as well as a terminal seta. Characteristically of this species, pinnule veins bear whitish scales with star-shaped setae. Sori are round and form on either side of the pinnule midvein. They are covered by globose indusia.

In cultivation, plants should be provided with humid conditions to do well.

References

• Braggins, John E. & Large, Mark F. 2004. Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc., p. 129. ISBN 0-88192-630-2
• The International Plant Names Index: Cyathea erinacea