Cyathea capensis

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Cyathea capensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Cyathea
Subgenus: Cyathea
Section: Alsophila
Species: C. capensis
Binomial name
Cyathea capensis
(Linnaeus fil.) J. E. Smith, 1793
Subspecies
  • C. c. capensis (Linnaeus fil.) J. E. Smith, 1793
  • C. c. polypodioides (Swartz) Conant, 1983
Synonyms
  • Polypodium capense Linnaeus fil., 1781
  • Hemitelia capensis (Linnaeus fil.) Kaulfuss, 1824
  • Alsophila capensis (Linnaeus fil.) J. Smith, 1842
  • Cyathea polypodioides Swartz, 1817

Cyathea capensis, also known as the Forest Tree Fern, is a widespread and highly variable species of tree fern. It is divided into two subspecies: C. c. capensis from the Old World Tropics and C. c. polypodioides from the New World Tropics. It is the only member of the family Cyatheaceae found in both geographic regions. The erect trunk is up to 4.5 m tall, occasionally even 6 m, and about 15 cm in diameter. Fronds are pinnate and 2-3 m in length. The lowest pinnae may be separated from the others along the rachis and form a clump around the crown, similar to the "wig" of Cyathea baileyana. The rachis is smooth to slightly warty and covered in scales that range from tan to brown or dark brown. Sori occur in two rows, one along each side of the pinnule midvein, and are covered by scale-like indusia.

The subspecies C. c. capensis is native to South Africa (from the Western Cape province to KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga), Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania, where it grows in shaded moist forest along rivers and beside waterfalls at an altitude of 360-1820 m. The other subspecies, C. c. polypodioides, grows in southeastern Brazil in montane forest at 900-2000 m.

The specific epithet capensis refers to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, where the type specimen was collected.

C. capensis is relatively easy to grow if provided with a semi-shady, moist and sheltered environment. It can likely tolerate several degrees of frost.

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