Alsophila glaucifolia R. M. Tryon

Alsophila glaucifolia, synonym Cyathea glauca,^[1] is a species of tree fern endemic to Réunion. Little is known about this species.

Habitat and related species

A. glaucifolia grows at higher altitudes (1,300–2,000 m (4,300–6,600 ft)), and it is one of three species of tree fern that are indigenous to Réunion island.

• Alsophila celsa (syn. Cyathea excelsa) which also occurs in Mauritius, grows at slightly lower altitudes (200-1700m). Like A. glaucifolia, its leaves are tripinnate, but the new fronds of A. celsa are scaleless; those of A. glaucifolia have red-brown scales.
• Alsophila borbonica (syn. Cyathea borbonica) is the only species with bipinnate fronds.^[2][3]

• 

  The fronds are tripinnate (branching to three levels).

• 

  Growing under Acacia heterophylla in the forest of Bélouve, Réunion

• 

  Detail of trunk and insertion of fronds. New growth is covered in red-brown scales. This serves to distinguish the species from the alien, non-indigenous Sphaeropteris cooperi (syn. Cyathea cooperi), which has red and white scales on its new growth.

• 

  The alien Sphaeropteris cooperi can be distinguished from A. glaucifolia by the red and white scales on its new fronds.

References