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spiny treefern

Scientific Name: Cyathea pungens

Family: Cyatheaceae

Category: Fern

Growth: Tree

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Spiny Tree Fern: A Glimpse into the Past

The Spiny Tree Fern, a relic of the Jurassic period, offers a fascinating look at the history of plant life on Earth. Discover more about this unique plant, its characteristics, and where it can be found.

Scientific Name and Common Names

  • Scientific Name: Cyathea pungens
  • Common Names: Spiny Tree Fern, Spiny Treefern, Large Spiny Tree Fern, Flying Spider Monkey Tree Fern

Considerations for Pets

  • The provided text mentions that the leaf bases and stipe can be spiny.

Considerations for Children

  • The provided text mentions that the leaf bases and stipe can be spiny.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Family: Cyatheaceae (Tree-fern family)
  • Genus: Cyathea
  • Species: Cyathea pungens (Willd.) Domin
  • Synonyms:
    • Alsophila procera (Willd.) Desv.
    • Trichipteris procera (Willd.)
    • Alsophila spinulosa (Wall. ex Hook.) R. M. Tryon
  • Alternative Scientific Names:
    • Cyathea manniana
    • Cyathea lepifera

Distribution and Habitat

  • The Spiny Tree Fern is found in areas of south west Ethiopia (Kaffa, Bench Majii).
  • It also grows on both sides of the road from Cangyuan to Bankao Village in Lincang, Yunnan.
  • The species is distributed to south-western Shikoku.
  • The hardy and adaptable *Cyathea australis* is found at Tree Fern Gully on the River-Forest section of the circuit.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • The caudex (trunk) is slender, up to 7 meters tall and 10 cm in diameter.
  • It occasionally sends down lateral "prop" stems.
  • Some form a slender trunk to 5 or 6 m tall that holds a spreading crown of large, tripinnate fronds with spiny and scaly stalks.
  • The leaf bases and stipe can be spiny.

Ecological Role

  • The Spiny Tree Fern is described as a "live fossil plant" and one of the most primeval plants existing on Earth.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The Spiny Tree Fern can be a host plant for the pathogen *Pleurotus cyatheae* S. Ito &amp S.

Quirky Facts

  • The Spiny Tree Fern existed during the Jurassic period, roughly 100 million years ago, alongside gymnosperms like cycads and gingkos.
  • It is under first-class state protection in some regions.

Further Information

  • Discover Life offers a page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Cyathea pungens.