Sphaeropteris

Sphaeropteris is a genus of tree fern in the family Cyatheaceae. It has been treated as a subgenus within the genus Cyathea, but is accepted in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I).[3]

Sphaeropteris
Sphaeropteris cooperi in Blandys Garden, Madeira
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Sphaeropteris
Bernh.[1]
Species

See text.

Synonyms[2]
  • Eatoniopteris J.Bommer
  • Fourniera J.Bommer
  • Schizocaena J.Sm.
  • Cyathea subg. Sphaeropteris (Bernh.) Holttum
Sphaeropteris excelsa (syn. Cyathea brownii) in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Sphaeropteris intermedia in habitat in New Caledonia
Sphaeropteris medullaris in Auckland, New Zealand

Description

Species of Sphaeropteris have a treelike habit, usually with a single tall stem, and large fronds to 5 m (16 ft) or more in length. The stalk (stipe) of the frond is strawlike or purple in colour, with pale to brown scales. The sori (spore-bearing structures) are rounded, with or without indusia (covers).[4]

Sphaeropteris is now separated from the other genera in the family Cyatheaceae primarily on the basis of molecular phylogenetic studies.[3] However, the scales on the stalks (petioles) provide a morphological distinction. Sphaeropteris has scales without distinct margins, whereas the other genera have scales with distinct margins.[5][6]

Taxonomy

The genus Sphaeropteris was erected by Johann Jakob Bernhardi in 1801.[7] It is placed in the family Cyatheaceae.[3] The division of the family into genera has had a long and controversial history.[6] Three or four clades have been suggested based on molecular phylogenetic studies. The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I) accepts three genera, related as shown in the cladogram below.[3] Sphaeropteris is sister to the remaining members of the family.

Cyatheaceae
 

Sphaeropteris

 
 
 

Cyathea

 
 

Alsophila (including Gymnosphaera)

 
 
 

Older sources, such as the New Zealand Organisms Register as of October 2000, place Sphaeropteris within a very broadly defined Cyathea.[8]

Species

As of August 2019, the Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World accepted the following species:[2]

  • Sphaeropteris aciculosa (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris aeneifolia (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris agatheti (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris albidosquamata (Rosenst.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris albifrons (Vieill. ex E. Fourn.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris albosetacea (Bedd.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris angustipinna (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris aramaganensis (Kaneh.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris arthropoda (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris assimilis (Hook.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris atrospinosa (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris atrox (C.Chr.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris auriculifera (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris binuangensis (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris brackenridgei (Mett.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris brunei (Christ) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris brunoniana (Wall. ex Hook.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris capitata (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris carrii (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris cooperi (F.Muell.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris cuatrecasasii R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris curranii (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris discophora (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris elliptica (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris elmeri (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris excelsa (Endl.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris feani (E.D.Br.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris felina (Roxb.) Pic. Serm.
  • Sphaeropteris fugax (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris fusca (Bak.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris gardneri (Hook.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris glauca (Bl.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris horrida (Liebm.) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris inaequalis (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris insignis (D.Eat.) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris insularum (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris integra (J.Sm.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris intermedia (Mett.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris intramarginalis Windisch
  • Sphaeropteris ledermannii (Brause) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris leucolepis (Mett.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris leucotricha (Christ) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris lockwoodiana P.G.Windisch
  • Sphaeropteris lunulata (G.Forst.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris macarenensis (Alston) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris magna (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris marginata (Brause) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris medullaris (G.Forst.) Bernh.
  • Sphaeropteris megalosora (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris mertensiana (Kunze) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris microlepidota (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris mollicula (Maxon) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris moluccana (Desv.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris moseleyi (Bak.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris myosuroides (Liebm.) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris nigricans (Mett.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris novae-caledoniae (Mett. ex Fourn.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris obliqua (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris obscura (Scort.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris papuana (Ridl.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris parianensis P.G.Windisch
  • Sphaeropteris parksiae (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris parvifolia (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris parvipinna (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris persquamulifera (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris philippinensis (Bak.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris pilulifera (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris polypoda (Bak.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris procera (Brause) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris propinqua (Mett.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris pukuana (M.Kato) Lehnert & Coritico
  • Sphaeropteris pulcherrima (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris quindiuensis (Karsten) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris robinsonii (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris robusta (C.Moore ex Watts) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris rosenstockii (Brause) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris runensis (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris sarasinorum (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris senex (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris senilis (Kl.) R. Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris setifera (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris sibuyanensis (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris squamulata (Bl.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris stipitipinnula (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris strigosa (Christ) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris subsessilis (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris suluensis (Bak.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris tenggerensis (Rosenst.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris teysmannii (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris tomentosa (Bl.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris tomentosissima (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris trichodesma (Scort. ex Bedd.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris trichophora (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris tripinnata (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris tripinnatifida (Wall. ex Roxb.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris truncata (Brack.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris vaupelii (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris verrucosa (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris vittata (Copel.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris wallacei (Mett. ex Kuhn) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris werneri (Rosenst.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris womersleyi (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon
  • Sphaeropteris zamboangana (Copel.) R.M.Tryon

Distribution and habitat

The native distribution of the genus Sphaeropteris extends from southern China down through eastern tropical Asia to New Zealand, with a separate area in Central America and north-western South America. Some species are also naturalized in Africa and western Australia.[1]

Species of Sphaeropteris are large plants and require space to grow. They usually prefer less shaded conditions than species of Alsophila. They are found in rain forests and tropical montane forests, often in clearings or on the margins, from the canopy layer down to the understorey layer. They are also found in ravines, swamps and disturbed areas.[4]

References
  1. "Sphaeropteris Bernh.", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2019-08-23
  2. Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019), Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World, retrieved 2019-08-22
  3. PPG I (2016), "A community-derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns", Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 54 (6): 563–603, doi:10.1111/jse.12229
  4. Zhang, Xianchun & Nishida, Harufumi. "Alsophila". In Wu, Zhengyi; Raven, Peter H. & Hong, Deyuan (eds.). Flora of China (online). eFloras.org. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  5. Weigand, Anna & Lehnert, Marcus (2016), "The scaly tree ferns (Cyatheaceae-Polypodiopsida) of Brazil", Acta Botanica Brasilica, 30 (3), doi:10.1590/0102-33062016abb0065
  6. Korall, Petra; Conant, David S.; Metzgar, Jordan S.; Schneider, Harald & Pryer, Kathleen M. (2007). "A molecular phylogeny of scaly tree ferns (Cyatheaceae)". American Journal of Botany. 94 (5): 873–886. doi:10.3732/ajb.94.5.873. Retrieved 2019-08-22.
  7. "Sphaeropteris Bernh". The International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  8. "Sphaeropteris Bernh.", NZOR New Zealand Organisms Register, October 2000, retrieved 2019-09-27
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