Cyatheaceae
Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes - Online edition
Alsophila rebeccae
Alsophila rebeccae F.Muell.
Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/83634
Rhizome erect, to 6 m tall, to 10 cm diam., producing horizontal spreading suckers at base. Stipe very dark (rachis similar), c. 15 cm long; base densely covered with scales; scales to 15 mm long and 1 mm wide, very dark, with narrow fragile margins and filiform tips; pneumathodes on base of stipe deeply excavate, those on rachis shallow and widely spaced. Lamina to c. 2 m long; basal pinnae 3–4 cm long, succeeding ones progressively increasing to 50–60 cm long; distal ones sharply reduced below the terminal pinna; largest pinnules c. 6–7 cm long, 0.8–1.3 cm wide, adnate to the pinna rachis, broadly and ±deeply crenate; apices narrowly acuminate and serrate; bases of lower pinnules on large pinnae dilated; veins grouped under each marginal crenature; basal vein of each group often arising directly from the costa but always in close association with other veins; basal scales on costae dark, narrow, with pale fragile margins and setiform apices, grading to shorter paler scales. Sori on ±middle of each vein forming 1 or 2 irregular rows, exindusiate; paraphyses short, flat at base.
Endemic to NE QLD between Iron Range and Shoalwater Bay.
Terrestrial in rainforest in a wide variety of situations. This is a common understorey tree-fern and forms colonies along roadsides in wet montane areas.
This is a common species on roadside banks in rainforest.
Field AR, Quinn CJ, Zich FA (2022) Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes. apps.lucidcentral.org/fern/text/intro/index.htm (accessed online INSERT DATE).
Field AR, Quinn CJ, Zich FA (2022) ‘Platycerium superbum’, in Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes. apps.lucidcentral.org/fern/text/entities/platycerium_superbum.htm (accessed online INSERT DATE).