Cyathea hunsteiniana

Cyathea hunsteiniana is a species of tree fern endemic to eastern New Guinea, where it grows in rain forest at an altitude of 1300-2000 m. This species has a slender, erect trunk up to 1 m tall and about 3 cm in diameter. Fronds are bipinnate and approximately 1 m in length. Scattered scales cover the stipe. They are dark brown in colouration and have a broad paler margin and fragile edges. Round sori are borne one or two per fertile pinnule segment. The sori are protected by deep, firm indusia that are cup-like in appearance.

Braggins and Large (2004) note that C. hunsteiniana is very similar to Cyathea perpelvigeria, but differs in the lack of scales on the fronds.

Two distinct varieties of C. hunsteiniana are known. C. h. var. acuminata is usually a less robust plant than the type variety, and generally grows in shady places. It is possible that it simply represents an ecological variant of this taxon.

C. hunsteiniana is not to be confused with Alsophila hunsteiniana (Brause, 1920), a synonym of Cyathea rubiginosa. When Rolla Milton Tryon transferred this taxon to the genus Alsophila, he chose the specific epithet brausei, commemorating Guido Georg Wilhelm Brause (1847-1922), who had originally described it.

The specific epithet hunsteiniana commemorates plant collector Carl Hunstein (1843-1888).

References

• Braggins, John E. & Large, Mark F. 2004. Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc., p. 144. ISBN 0-88192-630-2
• The International Plant Names Index: Cyathea hunsteiniana