Alsophila rubiginosa
Brause
Tree fern
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President and Fellows of Harvard College
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Description
A tree fern. The trunk is erect. It grows 5 m tall. The fronds are divided 2 or 3 times. The fronds are 2-3 m long. The stalk is purple and has many small spines. There are a few large scattered scales. The spore groups are near the mid vein of fertile smallest leaflets. They have a very thin fragile covering.
Edible Uses
The fronds and leaves are edible.
Distribution
A tropical plant. They require abundant moisture and do best in part shade. They grow in open forest often near streams. It mostly grows between 110-2840 m altitude. They are frost tender.
Where It Grows
Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG,
Notes
There are about 800 Cyathea species.
Synonyms
References (3)
- Large, M.F., & Braggins, J.E., 2004, Tree Ferns. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, Australia. p 254 (As Cyathea rubiginosa)
- Powell, J.M., Ethnobotany. In Paijmans, K., 1976, New Guinea Vegetation. Australian National University Press. p 109 (As Cyathea rubiginosa)
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
