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Alsophila (plant)

{{Short description|Genus of ferns}}

{{about|the genus of tree ferns|the genus of moths|Alsophila (moth)}}

{{Use dmy dates|cs1-dates=ly|date=June 2020}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Cyathea Capenis - TreeFern - Cape Town.JPG

| image_caption = Alsophila capensis

| taxon = Alsophila (plant)

| authority = R.Br.

| synonyms = Dicranophlebia {{small|(Mart.) Lindl. (1846)}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Image:Silver Fern Koru2.JPG (silver fern)]]

Alsophila is a genus of tree ferns in the family Cyatheaceae. It has also been considered to be a section in the subgenus Cyathea of the genus Cyathea.

Description

Species of Alsophila have a treelike growth habit, with an erect trunk that rarely branches, or sometimes a more shrublike habit, with a creeping stem. Their fronds are large, with a strawlike stalk (stipe), dark brown or black in colour. Brown or dark brown scales are present, with distinct margins. The blade (lamina) of the frond is divided one to three times (one- to three-pinnate). The sori (spore-producing structures) are rounded and borne on smaller veins on the lower surface of the frond. An indusium (a covering to the sori) may or may not be present; if present initially, it may be lost as the frond ages.

Alsophila is now separated from the other genera in the family Cyatheaceae primarily on the basis of molecular phylogenetic studies. The scales on the stalks (petioles) provide a morphological distinction. Alsophila has scales with distinct margins, unlike Sphaeropteris, and with an apical hair or spine (seta), unlike Cyathea. The ornamentation of the spores also distinguishes Alsophila and Cyathea.

Taxonomy

The genus Alsophila was erected by Robert Brown in 1810. It is placed in the family Cyatheaceae. The division of the family into genera has had a long and controversial history. Three or four clades have been suggested based on molecular phylogenetic studies. The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I) accepts three genera, placing the Gymnosphaera clade within Alsophila. In 2018, Dong and Zuo proposed the relationship shown in the cladogram below, and provided names in Gymnosphaera for species they considered to belong in this genus.

{{clade

|label1=Cyatheaceae

|1={{clade

|1=Sphaeropteris

|2={{clade

|1=Cyathea

|label2 = Alsophila sensu lato

|2={{clade

|1=Alsophila sensu stricto

|2=Gymnosphaera

}}

}}

}}

}}

Older sources, such as the New Zealand Organisms Register {{As of|lc=yes|2000|October}} and Large and Braggins (2004), place Alsophila within a broadly defined Cyathea.

=Species=

The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I) accepted the genus Alsophila with 275 species. {{As of|2023|December}}, Plants of the World Online accepted 248 species.

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}

{{div col end}}

=Formerly placed here=

(Partial list)

  • Cyathea decurrens {{small|(Hook.) Copel.}} (as Alsophila decurrens Hook.)
  • Cyathea stokesii {{small|(E.D.Br.) N.Hallé & J.Florence}} (as Alsophila stokesii (E.D.Br.) R.M.Tryon)
  • Gymnosphaera acrostichoides (Alderw.) S.Y.Dong (as Alsophila acrostichoides {{small|Alderw.}})
  • Gymnosphaera andersonii (J.Scott ex Bedd.) Ching & S.K.Wu (as Alsophila andersonii {{small|J.Scott ex Bedd.}})
  • Gymnosphaera annae (Alderw.) S.Y.Dong (as Alsophila annae {{small|Alderw.}})
  • Gymnosphaera atropurpurea (Copel.) Copel. (as Alsophila atropurpurea {{small|(Copel.) C.Chr.}})
  • Gymnosphaera austroyunnanensis {{small|(S.G.Lu) S.G.Lu & Chun X.Li}} (as Alsophila austroyunnanensis S.G.Lu)
  • Alsophila baileyana (Domin) S.Y.Dong (as Alsophila baileyana {{small|Domin}})
  • Gymnosphaera biformis (Rosenst.) Copel. (as Alsophila biformis {{small|Rosenst.}} and Alsophila lilianae {{small|R.M.Tryon}})
  • Gymnosphaera boivinii (Mett. ex Ettingsh.) Tardieu (as Alsophila boivinii {{small|Mett. ex Ettingsh.}} and Alsophila boiviniiformis {{small|(Rakotondr. & Janssen) Christenh.}})
  • Gymnosphaera boivinii var. madagascarica {{small|(Bonap.) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila madagascarica Bonap.)
  • Gymnosphaera capensis (L.f.) S.Y.Dong (as Alsophila capensis {{small|(L.f.) J.Sm.}})
  • Gymnosphaera commutata (Mett.) S.Y.Dong (as Alsophila commutata {{small|Mett.}})
  • Gymnosphaera denticulata (Baker) Copel. (as Alsophila denticulata {{small|Baker}} and A. acaulis {{small|Makino}})
  • Gymnosphaera gigantea (Wall. ex Hook.) S.Y.Dong (as Alsophila gigantea {{small|Wall. ex Hook.}}, A. helferiana {{small|C.Presl}}, A. polycampta {{small|Kunze}}, A. rheosora {{small|Christ}}, and A. umbrosa {{small|Wall. ex Ridl.}})
  • Gymnosphaera glabra Blume (as Alsophila glabra {{small|(Blume) Hook.}}, A. dubia {{small|Bedd.}}, A. reducta {{small|Alderw.}}, and A. vexans {{small|Ces.}})
  • Gymnosphaera henryi {{small|(Baker) S.R.Ghosh}} (as Alsophila henryi Baker)
  • Gymnosphaera hornei {{small|(Baker) Copel.}} (as Alsophila hornei Baker)
  • Gymnosphaera impolita {{small|(Rakotondr. & Janssen) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila impolita (Rakotondr. & Janssen) Christenh.)
  • Gymnosphaera khasyana {{small|(T.Moore ex Kuhn) Ching}} (as Alsophila khasyana T.Moore ex Kuhn)
  • Gymnosphaera lurida {{small|(Blume) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila lurida (Blume) Hook.)
  • Gymnosphaera metteniana {{small|(Hance) Tagawa}} (as Alsophila metteniana Hance)
  • Gymnosphaera mildbraedii {{small|(Brause) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila mildbraedii Brause)
  • Gymnosphaera nicklesii {{small|Tardieu & F.Ballard}} (as Alsophila nicklesii (Tardieu & F.Ballard) R.M.Tryon)
  • Gymnosphaera ogurae {{small|(Hayata) Tagawa}} (as Alsophila ogurae Hayata)
  • Gymnosphaera phlebodes {{small|(Lehnert & Coritico) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila phlebodes Lehnert & Coritico)
  • Gymnosphaera podophylla (Hook.) Copel. (as Alsophila podophylla {{small|Hook.}}, A. kohchangensis {{small|C.Chr.}}, and A. rheosora {{small|Baker}})
  • Gymnosphaera poolii {{small|(C.Chr.) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila poolii C.Chr., A. coursii Tardieu, and A. vestita {{small|Baker}})
  • Gymnosphaera ramispina (Hook.) Copel. (as Alsophila ramispina {{small|Hook.}}, A. amaiambitensis {{small|Alderw.}}, A. hallieri {{small|Alderw.}}, and A. kenepaiana {{small|Alderw.}}.)
  • Gymnosphaera ramispinoides {{small|(M.Kato) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila ramispinoides Lehnert)
  • Gymnosphaera rebeccae {{small|(F.Muell.) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila rebeccae F.Muell.)
  • Gymnosphaera rouhaniana {{small|(Rakotondr. & Janssen) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila rouhaniana (Rakotondr. & Janssen) Christenh.)
  • Gymnosphaera rubella {{small|(Holttum) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila rubella (Holttum) R.M.Tryon)
  • Gymnosphaera salletii {{small|(Tardieu & C.Chr.) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila salletii (Tardieu & C.Chr.) R.M.Tryon)
  • Gymnosphaera salvinii {{small|(Hook.) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila salvinii Hook. (syn. Cyathea salvinii)
  • Gymnosphaera scandens {{small|(Brause) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila scandens Brause (syn. Cyathea scandens)
  • Gymnosphaera schlechteri {{small|(Brause) Copel.}} (as Alsophila schlechteri Brause)
  • Gymnosphaera schliebenii {{small|(Reimers) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila schliebenii Reimers)
  • Gymnosphaera subdubia {{small|(Alderw.) S.Y.Dong}} (as Alsophila subdubia Alderw.)
  • Sphaeropteris australis {{small|(C.Presl) R.M.Tryon}} (as Alsophila leichhardtiana F.Muell.)
  • Sphaeropteris celebica (Blume) R.M.Tryon (as Alsophila celebica {{small|(Blume) Mett.}})
  • Sphaeropteris crinita (Hook.) R.M.Tryon (as Alsophila crinita {{small|Hook.}})
  • Sphaeropteris lunulata {{small|(G.Forst.) R.M.Tryon}} (as Alsophila lunulata {{small|(G.Forst.) R.Br. ex Spreng.}}, Alsophila gazellae {{small|Kuhn}}, Alsophila haenkei {{small|C.Presl}}, Alsophila marianna {{small|(Gaudich.) Gaudich.}}, Alsophila naumannii {{small|Kuhn}}, Alsophila ponapeana {{small|Hosok.}}, Alsophila rugosula {{small|(Copel.) C.Chr.}}, Alsophila veitchii Baker, and Alsophila vitiensis {{small|Carruth.}})
  • Sphaeropteris samoensis {{small|(Brack.) R.M.Tryon}} (as Alsophila samoensis {{small|Brack.}} and Alsophila plagiostegia (Copel.) R.M.Tryon)

Distribution and habitat

The genus Alsophila is native in tropical and subtropical areas, from North and South America, through Africa, Madagascar and tropical Asia, to eastern Australasia as far south as the subantarctic Auckland Islands. It is found in moist montane forests, on slopes or in ravines, forming part of the lower canopy, middle understorey, or ground layers.

Cultivation

Alsophila species all require frost-free or virtually frost-free, permanently moist, shaded conditions. Those which have been grown in Europe outside their native habitat include A. australis, A. cunninghamii, A. dealbata, A. leichhardtiana and A. rebeccae. Other species are grown in their native regions. In Australia, A. australis is commonly grown and is a robust species, capable of tolerating some sun if kept in moist soil.{{Citation |title=Cyathea australis, Cyathea cooperi |website=Growing Native Plants |publisher=Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research |url=https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2003/cyathea-spp.html |access-date=2019-09-27 }} A. dregei is a popular garden plant in South Africa, with plants being collected for use from the wild sufficiently often to cause it to become extinct in some areas.{{Citation |last1=Masinga |first1=Nonhlanhla |last2=Nduli |first2=Luckyboy |last3=Skhosana |first3=Mlondi |last4=Notten |first4=Alice |date=November 2018 |title=Alsophila dregei |website=PlantZAfrica.com |url=http://pza.sanbi.org/alsophila-dregei |access-date=2019-09-27 |name-list-style=amp }}

Culture

The silver fern, Alsophila dealbata has become a widely recognised symbol of New Zealand, although it is not an official national symbol.{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/government-and-nation/9 |title=Government and nation - National animal and flower |date=3 March 2009 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=2019-09-27}}

In the 1971 comedy film A New Leaf, Henrietta Lowell (played by Elaine May) is a botanist whose dream is to classify a new species of fern. On a honeymoon trip, she indeed discovers a new species which she names Alsophila grahami after her new husband Henry Graham (Walter Matthau). She describes the plant as having a vestigial indusium.

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite journal |last1=Dong |first1=Shi-Yong |last2=Zuo |first2=Zheng-Yu |date=2018 |title=On the Recognition of Gymnosphaera As a Distinct Genus in Cyatheaceae |journal=Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden |volume=103 |issue=1 |pages=1–23 |doi=10.3417/2017049 |s2cid=90852235 |name-list-style=amp }}

{{cite book |first1=Xianchun |last1=Zhang |first2=Harufumi |last2=Nishida |contribution=Alsophila |contribution-url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=10240 |access-date=2019-09-27 |editor-last=Wu |editor-first=Zhengyi |editor2-last=Raven |editor2-first=Peter H. |editor3-last=Hong |editor3-first=Deyuan |title=Flora of China (online) |publisher=eFloras.org |url=http://www.efloras.org/flora_page.aspx?flora_id=2 |name-list-style=amp }}

{{cite web |title=Alsophila R.Br. |work=The International Plant Names Index |url=https://www.ipni.org/n/328001-2 |access-date=2019-09-27 }}

{{Cite journal |last1=Korall |first1=Petra |last2=Conant |first2=David S. |last3=Metzgar |first3=Jordan S. |last4=Schneider |first4=Harald |last5=Pryer |first5=Kathleen M. |date=2007 |title=A molecular phylogeny of scaly tree ferns (Cyatheaceae) |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=94 |issue=5 |pages=873–886 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51186907 |access-date=2019-08-22 |doi=10.3732/ajb.94.5.873 |pmid=21636456 |name-list-style=amp }}

{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Large|first1=Mark F.|last2=Braggins|first2=John E. |author-link2=John E. Braggins|date=2004 |title=Tree Ferns |publisher=Timber Press |isbn=978-0-88192-630-9 |name-list-style=amp |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/treeferns00mark }}

{{Citation |mode=cs1 |date=October 2000 |title=Alsophila R.Br. |website=NZOR New Zealand Organisms Register |url=http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/7cbda6d1-6f23-4b98-a7e1-7ded0b90feb4 |access-date=2019-09-27 }}

{{cite web |title=Alsophila R.Br. |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:328001-2 |access-date=2021-07-30 }}

{{citation |mode=cs1 |author=PPG I |year=2016 |title=A community-derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns |journal=Journal of Systematics and Evolution |volume=54 |issue=6 |pages=563–603 |doi=10.1111/jse.12229|s2cid=39980610 |doi-access=free }}

{{Citation |mode=cs1 |date=1986 |editor1-last=Walters |editor1-first=S.M. |editor2-last=Brady |editor2-first=A. |editor3-last=Brickell |editor3-first=C.D. |editor4-last=Cullen |editor4-first=J. |editor5-last=Green |editor5-first=P.S. |editor6-last=Lewis |editor6-first=J. |editor7-last=Matthews |editor7-first=V.A. |editor8-last=Webb |editor8-first=D.A. |editor9-last=Yeo |editor9-first=P.F. |editor10-last=Alexander |editor10-first=J.C.M. |contribution=Alsophila |title=European Garden Flora |volume=1 |page=35 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-76147-5 |name-list-style=amp }}

{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Weigand |first1=Anna |last2=Lehnert |first2=Marcus |date=2016 |title=The scaly tree ferns (Cyatheaceae-Polypodiopsida) of Brazil |journal=Acta Botanica Brasilica |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=336–350 |doi=10.1590/0102-33062016abb0065 |name-list-style=amp |doi-access=free }}

{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Hassler |first1=Michael |date=2004–2021 |title=Genus Alsophila R.Br. |website=World Ferns. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Version 12.3 |url=https://www.worldplants.de/world-ferns/ferns-and-lycophytes-list#g-86 |access-date=2021-08-05 }}

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{{Taxonbar|from1=Q17198593|from2=Q2150610}}

Category:Fern genera