Family

Cyatheaceae

Nomenclature

Cyathea moluccana R.Br., Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 322. 1827; Holttum, Fl. Males., Ser. II, Pterid. 1: 143. 1963; Boonkerd et al., Thai For. Bull. (Bot.) 32: 7. 2004. – Schizocaena moluccana (R.Br.) Copel., Gen. Fil. 99. 1947.

Schizocaena brunonis J.Sm. ex Hook., Gen. Fil. (1838) t. 2; J. Sm. Hist. Fil. 243. 1875. – Cyathea brunonis (J.Sm. ex Hook.) Wall. ex Hook., Sp. Fil. 1: 15. 1844; Hook., Syn. Fil. 16. 1865; Holttum, Rev. Fl. Malaya ed. 1, 2: 117. 1955 [‘1954’].

Description

Description from Holttum, Fl. Males., Ser. II, Pterid. 1: 143. 1963.
Trunk usually not over 50 cm tall. Stipes commonly 20–30 cm, dark, scaly near base and finely warty when scales have fallen; scales medium brown, firm, 15–30 by 0.5–3 mm, edges bearing setae little darker than scale. Laminae to 150 cm or more long (largest frond reported, stipe with lamina 308 cm), simply pinnate, apical pinna usually like the rest (sometimes with a rudiment at its base), all pinnae articulate to rachis. Pinnae stalked or the upper ones sessile (stalks variable in length, the lowest 5–10 mm), 12–28 by 2–4 cm, edges parallel for most of their length, base asymmetric (rounded on acroscopic side, broadly cuneate on basiscopic), apex shortly acuminate and crenate, edges otherwise entire, rarely slightly lobed with one lobe to each vein-group; veins in groups of 3 from the costa (basiscopic one usually separate from the other two), the median one forked once or twice to give a group of 3–6 (rarely to 10) veins at the edge, veins all free and all ending close to the margin, or sometimes the acroscopic vein ending in a sorus or joining with another vein. Sori in 1–3 (rarely more) rows on each side of the midrib, commonly 4–6 on each vein-group, exceptionally to 10 (in such cases the edge usually lobed), covered when young by a thin translucent indusium, which breaks at maturity and is more or less persistent, or in some cases the indusium forming a disc which is hidden by the mature sporangia; lower surfaces of rachis, costae and veins usually glabrous, occasionally a few persistent small ciliate or setiferous scales present.

Distribution in Thailand

PENINSULAR: Narathiwat.

Wider Distribution

Malesia.

Ecology

Evergreen forest.

Proposed IUCN Conservation Assessment

Data Deficient (DD). The distribution of this species and any impact that the horticultural industry may be having on its populations requires investigation.