Alsophila engelii, synonym Cyathea elongata,[1] is a species of tree fern native to Venezuela and Colombia, where it grows in montane areas at an altitude of 2000–3000 m. The trunk is erect and up to 11 m tall. Fronds are pinnate and usually 2–3 m long. The rachis and stipe are brown, may be smooth to warty and have basal tan scales. Sori occur in small groups towards the base of the pinnule midvein and are covered by cup-like indusia.[2]
| Alsophila engelii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Cyatheales |
| Family: | Cyatheaceae |
| Genus: | Alsophila |
| Species: | A. engelii
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| Binomial name | |
| Alsophila engelii R.M.Tryon[1]
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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The species was described in 1869, as Cyathea elongata, with the name attributed to Georg Mettenius by Gustav Karsten.[1][3] It could not be transferred to the genus Alsophila with the epithet elongata because Alsophila elongata Hook. (a synonym of Cyathea poeppigii) already existed. Rolla Tryon proposed the replacement name Alsophila engelii.[4] The name commemorates Franz Engel, who collected the type material in Venezuela.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019), "Alsophila engelii", Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World, vol. 8, archived from the original on 2017-09-02, retrieved 2019-09-15
- ^ Large, Mark F.; Braggins, John E. (2004), Tree Ferns, Timber Press, pp. 128-129, ISBN 0-88192-630-2
- ^ Karsten, Hermann (1869), "Cyathea erinacea", Florae Columbiae: terrarumque adiacentium specimina selecta in peregrinatione duodecim annorum observata, vol. 2, p. 159, retrieved 2019-09-15
- ^ Tryon, Rolla M. (1970), "The Classification of the Cyatheaceae", Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, 200: 29, retrieved 2019-09-15
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