Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes - Online edition

Cyathea robertsiana


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Close up of frond showing sori. © G. Sankowsky
Close up of frond showing sori. © CSIRO
Close up of frond showing sori. © G. Sankowsky
Close up of frond showing upper (adaxial) side. © G. Sankowsky
Crozier and stipe scales. © G. Sankowsky
Crozier. © A.R. Field
Crozier. © CSIRO
Habit. © G. Sankowsky
Family

Cyatheaceae

Botanical name

Cyathea robertsiana (F.Muell.) Domin

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/91741

Description

Rhizome erect, to 7 m tall, to 10 cm diam., green at the apex, becoming brown and woody with age, bearing a lax spiral of fronds which leave oval scars when shed. Stipe to 40 cm long; basal scales to 10 mm long, c. 3 mm wide, brown, with a thin ±hyaline fragile margin, lacking apical seta; distal scales shorter and caducous. Lamina to 2.6 m long; largest pinnae 30–50 cm long, with 3 pairs below them progressively shorter; pinna rachis hairy on lower surface; pinnules 5–10 cm long, 1.4–2.5 cm wide, lobed to a very narrow wing along costa; lobes widely spaced and deeply lobulate; largest lobules crenate; veins to 10 pairs, pinnate in larger lobules; costa, costules and veins with pale, erect hairs, to 1 mm long and broad, flat, with caducous scales on their lower surfaces; upper surfaces with short scattered hairs on and between veins. Sori 1 per lobule; indusium small, eclipsed by mature sporangia.

Distribution

Endemic to NE QLD between Cooktown and Eungella.

Habit and habitat

Terrestrial in montane rainforest, usually on margins and in well lit areas.

Citation of Australian Tropical Ferns and Lycophytes

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).

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