Alsophila firma

Alsophila firma
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Division:	Polypodiophyta
Class:	Polypodiopsida
Order:	Cyatheales
Family:	Cyatheaceae
Genus:	Alsophila
Species:	A. firma
Binomial name
Alsophila firma (Baker) D.S.Conant [1]
Synonyms [2]
Alsophila costalisChrist Alsophila furcataChrist Alsophila infesta var. vangeertiiG.Schneid. Alsophila tenerifronsChrist Alsophila vangeertiiGoebel Cyathea aridaChrist Cyathea articulataFée Cyathea costalisDomin Cyathea denudansKunze Cyathea firmaDomin (nom. illeg.) Cyathea firmulaDomin Cyathea gemmiferaChrist Cyathea mexicanaSchltdl. & Cham. Cyathea patellarisChrist Cyathea tenerifronsDomin Cyathea trejoiChrist Hemitelia firmaBaker Nephelea mexicana(Schltdl. & Cham.) R.M.Tryon Nephelea patellaris(Christ) R.M.Tryon Nephelea tenerifrons(Christ) R.M.Tryon

Alsophila firma, commonly known as the maquique fern (Spanish : helecho maquique, Nahuatl languages : peshma), is a deciduous tree fern in the family Cyatheaceae endemic to Mexico, other countries of Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador. ^[3] In the cloud forests of Mexico, it is considered an emblematic species and serves as a host for native epiphytic plants. However, habitat destruction and overconsumption of the trunks for handicraft production have threatened populations in Mexico. ^[4] As a result, Alsophila firma is considered threatened in the state of Veracruz and has been given special protection per Mexican law. ^[5]

Description

Alsophila firma is a tree fern, with an erect above-ground stem growing up to 10.5 meters (34.4 ft) tall and up to 30 centimeters (10 in) in diameter. The stipes (leaf stalks) are armed with thick, black, curved spines that can be up to 12 millimeters (0.47 in) long, and, like other Cyatheaceae, bear scales. The scales are quite narrow, dark brown in the center with pale, erose (ragged) margins, and with a long dark seta (bristle) at the tip, the latter being characteristic of Alsophila . ^[6]

Like other species of Alsophila, Alsophila firma has scaled stems and stipes. Adult individuals grow up to 10.5 meters and are typically found at 750 and 2000 meters above sea level. ^[7]

Ecology

Alsophila firma is the host species to a number of fungi including Bisporella pteridicola , Crocicreas quinqueseptatum , Dasyscyphella dryina , Hyaloscypha fuckelii , among others. The stems of Alsophila firma are to date the only known habitat of the fungal genus Arachnopeziza . ^[8]

Uses

In Mexican traditional medicine, a filtered infusion of the dried rhizome of Alsophila firma is used to control blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes in a fasting state. Until 2021, this claim of Alsophila firma's hypoglycemic effects were not formally studied. Research by an ethnopharmacology group at the National Autonomous University of Mexico showed both significant glycemic control among hyperglycemic rats who were given an aqueous extract and inhibition of glucose 6-phosphatase and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in in vitro assays. ^[9] Based on these results, the ability to regulate hyperglycemia is believed to be related to inhibiting hepatic glucose output while in a fasting state. ^[10]

References

1. Conant, David S. (1983). "A Revision of the Genus Alsophila (Cyatheaceae) in the Americas". Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 64 (3): 333–382. doi: 10.5962/bhl.part.27408 . ISSN   0004-2625. JSTOR   43782112.
2. Alsophila firma (Baker) D.S.Conant Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 23 January 2023.
3. "WFO Monographs Details - The William & Lynda Steere Herbarium". sweetgum.nybg.org. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
4. "Helecho maquique (Alsophila firma)". enciclovida.mx. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
5. Lara-Pérez, Luis A.; Noa-Carrazana, Juan C.; Hernández-González, Sergio; Alarcón-Gutiérrez, Enrique; Sánchez-Velásquez, Lázaro R.; Zulueta-Rodríguez, Ramón; Lara-Capistrán, Liliana; Andrade-Torres, Antonio (2014-03-01). "Diversity and colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the tree fern Alsophila firma in rainy and dry season" . Symbiosis. 62 (3): 143–150. doi:10.1007/s13199-014-0279-x. ISSN   1878-7665. S2CID   11023186.
6. Mickel, John T.; Smith, Alan R. (2004). The Pteridophytes of Mexico. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden. Vol. 88. Bronx, New York: New York Botanical Garden. pp. 45–46. ISBN   978-0-89327-488-7.
7. Eleutério, Ana Alice; Pérez-Salicrup, Diego (October 2009). "Transplanting Tree Ferns to Promote Their Conservation in Mexico" . American Fern Journal. 99 (4): 279–291. doi:10.1640/0002-8444-99.4.279. ISSN   0002-8444. S2CID   85760774.
8. Medel-Ortiz, Rosario; Baeza, Yajaira; Lorea-Hernández, Francisco G. (2020-01-13). "Pteridicolous ascomycetes from a cloud forest in eastern Mexico". Mycotaxon. 134 (4): 681–705. doi: 10.5248/134.681 . ISSN   0093-4666. S2CID   213871098.
9. Andrade-Cetto, Adolfo; Espinoza-Hernández, Fernanda; Mata-Torres, Gerardo; Escandón-Rivera, Sonia (October 2021). "Hypoglycemic Effect of Two Mexican Medicinal Plants". Plants. 10 (10): 2060. doi: 10.3390/plants10102060 . ISSN   2223-7747. PMC   8539009 . PMID   34685869.
10. Dimitriadis, George D.; Maratou, Eirini; Kountouri, Aikaterini; Board, Mary; Lambadiari, Vaia (2021-01-06). "Regulation of Postabsorptive and Postprandial Glucose Metabolism by Insulin-Dependent and Insulin-Independent Mechanisms: An Integrative Approach". Nutrients. 13 (1): 159. doi: 10.3390/nu13010159 . ISSN   2072-6643. PMC   7825450 . PMID   33419065.