Cyathea vilhelmii Domin (1929: 264)

Lehnert, Marcus, 2011, Species of Cyathea in America related to the western Pacific species C. decurrens, Phytotaxa 26, pp. 39-59 : 48

15. Cyathea vilhelmii Domin (1929: 264) , nom. nov. for Hemitelia lechleri Mettenius (1859: 28) . Hemitelia lechleriana Diels (1899: 131) , nom. superfl. Type:— PERU. Puno: Tatanara, August 1856, Lechler 2654 (lectotype B [Herb. Mettenius], designated by Tryon (1976: 41); isolectotype US [fragment ex Herb. Rosenst.]).

Cyathea heliophila Tryon (1986: 43) . Type:— ECUADOR. Morona-Santiago: Cordillera de Cutucú , W slopes

along trail from Logroño to Yaupi, 2005 m, November 1976, Madison, Bush, & Davis 3542 (holotype

GH).

Distribution and habitat: — Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, in montane rain forest at 2200–2900 m, most frequent in the understory along ravines (quebradas).

Remarks: —The type material of Cyathea vilhelmii lacks petioles and represents a very luxuriant plant with deeply tripinnate-pinnatifid fronds. Most material of C. heliophila has only bipinnate-pinnatisect fronds, and a considerable geographical gap was thought to exist between the documented ranges of both species. Recent findings of C. heliophila east and west of the type locality of C. vilhelmii was convincing evidence that both are best treated under one name. Cyathea vilhelmii has either completely white scales on trunks and petioles bases or the scales have a small brown spot near the base, which cannot be seen due to the shinglelike arrangement of the scales. Consequently, the trunks are of a striking white color. Contrary to the other species of this group, the scales are also spreading instead of being appressed, which gives the whole plant a shaggy look.