Alsophila esmeraldensis

Alsophila esmeraldensis
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Division:	Polypodiophyta
Class:	Polypodiopsida
Order:	Cyatheales
Family:	Cyatheaceae
Genus:	Alsophila
Species:	A. esmeraldensis
Binomial name
Alsophila esmeraldensis R.C.Moran [2]

Alsophila esmeraldensis is a species of tree fern which is endemic to Ecuador. It grows in coastal forest and forested slopes of the Andes. ^[1]

Description

The erect, slender trunk is about 80 cm tall and approximately 3 cm in diameter. Fronds may be either simply pinnate or bipinnate basally. They are erect or spreading and up to 2.5 m long. The rachis ranges in colour from dark brown to blackish and bears a few scales. The scales are linear, bicoloured (whitish with a central brown region) and with edges and apexes with dark setae. Sori are covered by cup-like indusia. Alsophila esmeraldensis forms part of the group centered on Alsophila minor . ^[3]

References

1. Navarrete, H. & Pitman, N. 2003. Alsophila esmeraldensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. Downloaded on 31 August 2015.
2. Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019). "Alsophila esmeraldensis". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World (version 8.02). Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
3. Large, Mark F. & Braggins, John E. (2004). Tree Ferns. Timber Press. p.  127. ISBN   978-0-88192-630-9.