Cyatheaceae - Revision history

Raffi at 23:58, 4 May 2009

2009-05-04T23:58:33Z

Raffi at 23:29, 4 May 2009

2009-05-04T23:29:46Z

Envoy at 11:27, 21 October 2007

2007-10-21T11:27:23Z

New page

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Cyatheaceae
| image = Rainforest near Belle - Dominica.jpg
| image_caption =
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Pteridophyta]]
| classis = [[Pteridopsida]]
| ordo = [[Cyatheales]]
| familia = '''Cyatheaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Georg Friedrich Kaulfuss|Kaulfuss]], 1827
| subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]]
| subdivision =
''[[Cnemidaria]]'' 
''[[Cyathea]]'' 
''[[× Cyathidaria]]'' 
†''[[Alsophilocaulis]]'' 
†''[[Cibotiocaulis]]'' 
†''[[Cyatheocaulis]]'' 
†''[[Oguracaulis]]''
| synonyms =
*Alsophilaceae Presl, 1847
}}

The '''Cyatheaceae''' is a family of [[fern]] that includes the world's tallest [[tree fern]]s, which reach heights up to 20 m. They are also very ancient plants, appearing in the [[fossil]] record in the late [[Jurassic]], though the modern [[genus|genera]] likely appeared in the [[Tertiary]].

All Cyatheaceae have scales instead of hairs, which are common in members of the family [[Dicksoniaceae]]. Their fronds are also very large, some of the largest in the plant kingdom. Some species have fronds reaching 3-4 m in length, and have a final crown width of some 6 m. The [[Sorus|sori]] (spore clusters) also occur away from the margins of the pinnules (individual [[Leaf|leaves]]), and are elongate or rounded.

Most Cyatheaceae are terrestrial, with one sometimes being [[Epiphyte|epiphytic]] and others having a creeping habit, but these are exceptions to the family norm.

Since the exact number of species is not known, classification of the Cyatheaceae has had a long and controversial history, and is still undergoing revision. Three tentative ''[[clade]]s'' have been developed: '' Alsophila'', ''Cyathea'', and ''Sphaeropteris''. These are frequently used as genus names. There is one additional genus, ''Cnemidaria''. It is likely that in time the ''Cyathea'' will be split into additional genera.

==References==
* Braggins, John E. and Large, Mark F. ''Tree Ferns''. Timber Press (2004). ISBN 0-88192-630-2
{{commonscat}}

[[Category:Cyatheaceae]]
[[Category:Plant families]]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 | common_names =     <!--- if multiple, list all, if none, leave blank -->
 | color = IndianRed
-| image = Upload.png   <!--- Freesia.jpg -->
+| image = Rainforest near Belle - Dominica.jpg
-| image_width = 240px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
+| image_width = 180px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
 | image_caption =     <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
 | regnum = Plantae
-| divisio =   <!--- Phylum -->
+| divisio = Pteridophyta
-| classis =    <!--- Class -->
+| classis = Pteridopsida
-| ordo =    <!--- Order -->
+| ordo = Cyatheales
 | familia = Cyatheaceae
 | genus =

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Taxobox
+__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
-| color = lightgreen
+| name = ''Cyatheaceae''
-| name = Cyatheaceae
+| common_names =     <!--- if multiple, list all, if none, leave blank -->
-| image = Rainforest near Belle - Dominica.jpg
+| color = IndianRed
-| image_caption =
+| image = Upload.png   <!--- Freesia.jpg -->
-| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
+| image_width = 240px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
-| divisio = [[Pteridophyta]]
+| image_caption =     <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
-| classis = [[Pteridopsida]]
+| regnum = Plantae
-| ordo = [[Cyatheales]]
+| divisio =   <!--- Phylum -->
-| familia = '''Cyatheaceae'''
+| classis =    <!--- Class -->
-| familia_authority = [[Georg Friedrich Kaulfuss|Kaulfuss]], 1827
+| ordo =    <!--- Order -->
-| subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]]
+| familia = Cyatheaceae
-| subdivision =
+| genus =
-''[[Cnemidaria]]''<br>
+| species =
-''[[Cyathea]]''<br>
+| subspecies =
-''[[× Cyathidaria]]''<br>
+| cultivar =
 }}
-The '''Cyatheaceae''' is a family of [[fern]] that includes the world's tallest [[tree fern]]s, which reach heights up to 20 m. They are also very ancient plants, appearing in the [[fossil]] record in the late [[Jurassic]], though the modern [[genus|genera]] likely appeared in the [[Tertiary]].
+This family has 7 genera and about 300 species, of which 115 belong to Cyathea, 112 to Alsophila, and 44 to Hemitelia. They are distributed in the tropics of both hemispheres. The Cyatheaceae is closely related to the Polypodiaceae from which it differs only in the slightly oblique annulus which passes just at one side of the insertion of the pedicel, and is therefore uninterrupted at that point.
-All Cyatheaceae have scales instead of hairs, which are common in members of the family [[Dicksoniaceae]]. Their fronds are also very large, some of the largest in the plant kingdom. Some species have fronds reaching 3-4 m in length, and have a final crown width of some 6 m. The [[Sorus|sori]] (spore clusters) also occur away from the margins of the pinnules (individual [[Leaf|leaves]]), and are elongate or rounded.
+The dense, woolly covering of the stem of many species is sometimes collected for stuffing pillows. The starchy pith of some New Zealand Cyatheaceae was formerly used for food. In India, an intoxicating drink is prepared from the pith. Several species are important greenhouse ferns.
-Most Cyatheaceae are terrestrial, with one sometimes being [[Epiphyte|epiphytic]] and others having a creeping habit, but these are exceptions to the family norm.
+Five genera at least are listed in the American trade: Alsophila, Cibotium (Scythian Lamb), Cyathea, Dicksonia, Hemitelia.
-Since the exact number of species is not known, classification of the Cyatheaceae has had a long and controversial history, and is still undergoing revision. Three tentative ''[[clade]]s'' have been developed: '' Alsophila'', ''Cyathea'', and ''Sphaeropteris''. These are frequently used as genus names. There is one additional genus, ''Cnemidaria''. It is likely that in time the ''Cyathea'' will be split into additional genera.
+<gallery>
 ==References==
-* Braggins, John E. and Large, Mark F. ''Tree Ferns''. Timber Press (2004). ISBN 0-88192-630-2
+*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
-{{commonscat}}
+<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
-[[Category:Cyatheaceae]]
+<!--  in order to add all the proper categories, go to http://www.plants.am/wiki/Plant_Categories and copy/paste the contents of the page here, and then follow the easy instructions!    -->