Cyathea elongata

Cyathea elongata 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.

C. elongata is not conspecific with Alsophila elongata (W. J. Hooker, 1844), which is a synonym of Cyathea poeppigii. For this reason, if the taxon Alsophila is recognised as a genus, this name becomes unavailable. To avoid confusion, Rolla Tryon proposed the specific epithet engelii, commemorating Franz Engel, who collected the type material in Venezuela.

References

• Braggins, John E. & Large, Mark F. 2004. Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc., pp. 128-129. ISBN 0-88192-630-2
• The International Plant Names Index: Cyathea elongata