Common name: Tree-fern
Cyathea robusta (C.Moore) Holttum APNI* Description: Trunk to 5 m tall, with roundish scars; stipe bases variably persistent with lower parts of trunk often clear.
Fronds: stipe c. 1 m long, rough, ±glaucous, with basal scales 2–4 cm long, whitish, with dark brown, setiferous margins; costae (and to a lesser extent costules) with pale scales of mixed sizes with setiferous margins below, and with fine pale antrorse setiferous hairs on veins above; lamina tripinnate; primary pinnae to 50 cm long; pinna rachis with numerous short warty excrescences and small scurfy scales, occasionally with white caducous scales; secondary pinnae 7–11 cm long, 1.2–2 cm broad; largest pinnules 18–20 pairs, 5–6 mm long, 2.5–3 mm broad, free.
Sori without indusia, with paraphyses around the base.
Distribution and occurrence: Lord Howe Is. Endemic; widespread, but rarer than the other species, scattered in the southern mountainous areas at low to medium elevations
NSW subdivisions: LHI
Text by E.A. Brown
Taxon concept: Flora of Australia 49
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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