Cyathea cooperi (F.Muell.) Domin

Janssen, Thomas & Rakotondrainibe, France, 2006, A revision of the fern family Cyatheaceae in the Mascarene Islands, Adansonia (3) 28 (2), pp. 213-241 : 226

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5186906

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E387C8-885F-FFE3-FF14-FA5300D26DA9

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Cyathea cooperi (F.Muell.) Domin
status

 

4. Cyathea cooperi (F.Muell.) Domin View in CoL

Pteridophyta 262 (1929); Bostock, Flora of Australia 48: 202 (1998). — Alsophila cooperi F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australis 5: 117 (1865-1866). — Alsophila cooperi Hook. & Baker , Synopsis Filicum, ed. 2, 459 (1874), nom. illeg. — Alsophila excelsa var. cooperi (F.Muell.) Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica View in CoL 20 (85): 31 (1914). — Cyathea brownii var. cooperi (F.Muell.) Domin, Acta Botanica Bohemica View in CoL 9: 101 (1930). — Sphaeropteris cooperi (F.Muell.) R.M.Tryon, Contributions View in CoL from the Gray Herbarium 200: 24 (1970). — Type: Australia, Wollongong, Woolls s.n. (lecto-, MEL!, designated by Tindale 1956: 358).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Mauritius. Macabé, 3.XII.1973, Badré 1065 (P). — Mare Longue, 8.XII.1999, Florens & Sevathian 3 (MAU); 1 p. p. (MAU). — Mont Lagrave, 17.IX.1974, Lorence 976 (P). — Réduit , 18.IX.1974, Lorence 983 (P). — Valley of cascade, 500 pieds, 13.III.1975, Lorence 1168 (K, P). — Same locality, 11.V.1975, Lorence 1233 (K, P). — Macabé , Black River gorge, Plaine Champagne , Cocotte Mts , Ratcliffe s.n. (BM). — Crown Land Gouly Père , near Grand Bassin , 13.XI.1968, Vaughan 13917 (K) .

Réunion. Route de La Plaine des Palmistes entre St- Benoît et La Plaine des Palmistes, 28.XI.1974, Badré 1034 (K). — Route nationale 3 entre Le Tampon et Le Dix-Neuvième, 2.IV.2005, Janssen et al. 2731 (MO, P). — Petite Plaine, 6.XI.2004, Rakotondrainibe et al. 6921 (P). — Same locality, 6.XI.2004, Rakotondrainibe et al. 6921 bis (P) .

DESCRIPTION

Cyathea cooperi can be easily distinguished from all native species by its yellowish-green foliage, the absent indusium being mimicked by ciliate scales inserted at the base of the receptacle, and its conspicuous whitish scales at the petiole base that are mixed with short, brown, filiform scales. The scales have a regularly setate margin composed of cells being conform to the elongate cells in the scale center.

DISTRIBUTION

Australia, widely cultivated, occasionally naturalized and invasive elsewhere. Introduced in the Mascarenes.

ECOLOGY

In the Mascarenes in roadside and open habitats and especially on Réunion frequently planted on private property. Becoming established also inside natural forests.

REMARKS

No data were available on the date of arrival of the species on the Mascarenes where it is, especially on Réunion, becoming a serious weed. A few decades ago, and certainly before 1980, Cyathea cooperi was already in cultivation and established in a few natural forests, when this tree fern has been mistakenly multiplied and planted as a native by private growers and public authorities. Presently, Cyathea cooperi seems to spread from artificial roadside habitats to natural forests where young plants have been observed with increased frequency during recent years ( Tho 2005; E. Grangaud pers. comm.; L.Tron pers. comm.).The species’ wide ecological amplitude and high growth rate support its propagation.Currently, the National Forest Agency and environmental organizations are aware of the invasion threat and deploy important educational and practical measures to protect natural forests. On Mauritius, Cyathea cooperi seems to be somewhat less invasive, but conservation measures are locally applied ( Tho 2005).

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Polypodiopsida

Order

Cyatheales

Family

Cyatheaceae

Genus

Cyathea

Loc

Cyathea cooperi (F.Muell.) Domin

Janssen, Thomas & Rakotondrainibe, France 2006
2006
Loc

Sphaeropteris cooperi (F.Muell.) R.M.Tryon, Contributions

R. M. Tryon 1970: 24
1970
Loc

Cyathea brownii var. cooperi (F.Muell.)

Domin 1930: 101
1930
Loc

Alsophila excelsa var. cooperi (F.Muell.)

Domin 1914: 31
1914
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