Cyathea affinis is a variable species of tree fern native to Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Austral Islands, Tahiti, and the Marquesas Islands. The trunk of this plant is erect and 2–6 m tall. Fronds are bipinnate and 2–3 m in length. The rachis and stipe are pale to brown in colour, or flushed with red towards the pinnule rachis. The stipe is sparsely covered in narrow basal scales, which are pale to dark and have broad fragile edges. Characteristically of this species, the lowest one or two pairs of pinnae may be slightly reduced and occur towards the base of the stipe. Sori are located near the pinnule midvein and are partially or fully covered by indusia, which open towards the pinnule margin.
Gymnosphaera andersonii, synonyms Alsophila andersonii and Cyathea andersonii, is a species of tree fern native to the eastern Himalayas of India, Bhutan, and Tibet, Myanmar, and south-central China, where it grows in moist valleys and montane forest at an elevation of 300–1200 m. The trunk is erect and 6–10 m tall. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate and 2–3 m long. The entire plant is relatively dark in appearance; the rachis is flushed with dark purple and the stipe is dark, almost to the point of being black. Dark, lanceolate scales with pale fringes are sparsely scattered along the length of the stipe. Sori occur near the midvein of fertile pinnules and lack indusia.
Gymnosphaera annae, synonyms Alsophila annae and Cyathea annae, is a species of tree fern native Sulawesi and to Ambon in the Maluku Islands, where it grows in forest from sea level to about 650 m. The erect trunk is slender and may be as tall as 3 m. Fronds are bipinnate and 1–2 m in length. Characteristically of this species, the final pair of pinnae are usually reduced and occur towards the base of the stipe. The stipe is dark, slender and covered with scattered scales. These are dark, glossy and have a pale dull margin. Fertile pinnules are normally short-lobed. Sori lack indusia and occur two to four per pinnule lobe.
Gymnosphaera baileyana, synonyms Alsophila baileyana and Cyathea baileyana, also known as the wig tree fern, is a species of tree fern native to northeastern Queensland in Australia, where it grows in wet gullies and forest at an elevation of 850–1200 m. It is a rare species that is seldom found in the wild. The erect trunk is 4–5 m tall, approximately 10 cm in diameter and may be covered in stipe bases in the upper regions. C. baileyana is notable for being able to develop offshoots from the base of the trunk. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate and may be exceptionally long, up to 7 m, though they are usually around 2–3 m. The rachis and stipe are dark to darkish red, scaly and may be warty, but lack spines. Scales on the rachis and stipe are purplish brown to black and have a long hair-like apex. Characteristically of this species, the last pair of pinnae are separated from the others along the rachis and may form a clump around the trunk apex. Sori are circular and occur in one to three rows along the pinnule midvein. They lack indusia.
Gymnosphaera biformis, synonyms Alsophila biformis and Cyathea biformis, is a species of tree fern native to New Guinea and the Maluku Islands, where it grows against trees in mossy forest and rain forest at elevations of 850–2200 m. The climbing trunk is very thin, only 1–2 cm in diameter, but can reach 3 m in height. The apex of the trunk is covered in scales. Two types of fronds are produced, simple pinnate fronds, which are sterile, and bipinnate fronds, which may be fertile. The stipe is smooth, glossy and very dark, almost to the point of being black. It is covered at the base with long, very dark scales that have a pale margin. Fertile pinnules are distinctly stalked and lobed. Sori occur in four pairs per pinnule lobe and lack indusia.
Alsophila brevipinna, synonym Cyathea brevipinna, is a species of tree fern endemic to the higher parts of Mount Gower on Lord Howe Island, where it grows in exposed areas at an altitude of about 790 m. The trunk is erect and may reach 3 m in height. It is often covered with reddish brown scales and stipe bases. This species may produce stolons at ground level. Fronds are tripinnate, densely crowded, and up to about 3 m long. The stipe is brown and sometimes warty after scales fall off. The scales are long, glossy dark brown, with a distinctly narrow apex and fragile paler edges. Sori are attached to deeply divided fertile pinnules that may uncurl over the sori. Indusia are firm and large. A. brevipinna is a stunted plant with short pinnae.
Gymnosphaera capensis, synonyms Alsophila capensis and Cyathea capensis, is a regionally widespread and highly variable species of tree fern. It is indigenous to Southern Africa and South America.
Alsophila catillifera, synonym Cyathea catillifera, is a species of tree fern native to eastern New Guinea, where it grows in montane scrub at an altitude of about 2800 m and above. It is a rare plant, known only from the type locality. The erect trunk is up to about 1 m tall and 10 cm in diameter. Characteristically of this species, the trunk often branches at the base. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate, 1–2 m long and may bear a pair of reduced pinnae towards the base. There are usually around six live fronds per crown at any one time. The stipe is spiny, warty and pale on the upper surface to dark at the base. It is |covered with scattered basal scales that are glossy dark brown and have a paler margin. Stipes are persistent with bases retained on the trunk. Sori occur near the midvein of fertile pinnules and are covered by thin, brown indusia that are saucer-like in appearance.
Alsophila caudata, synonym Cyathea caudata, is a species of tree fern native to the islands of Luzon and Mindanao in the Philippines, where it grows in montane forest. The trunk is erect and up to 4 m tall or more. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate and 1–2 m long. The stipe is warty and covered with dark, narrow, glossy scales. Sori are borne near the midvein of fertile pinnules and are protected by firm, brown indusia. As of April 2022, Plants of the World Online treated it as a synonym of Alsophila speciosa.
Alsophila dregei, synonym Cyathea dregei, is a widespread species of tree fern in southern Africa.
Gymnosphaera commutata is a Malesian species of tree fern found in wet and swampy forests.
Alsophila foersteri, synonym Cyathea foersteri, is a species of tree fern native to eastern New Guinea, where it grows in scrub in forest margins and mossy forest at an altitude of 1600–2800 m. The trunk is erect and up to 10 m tall. Fronds may be bi- or tripinnate and 2–2.5 m long. Usually around nine or ten live fronds are present in the crown at once. The stipe is covered in pale scales. Sori occur near the fertile pinnule midvein and are protected by firm, thin indusia.
Alsophila fuliginosa, synonym Cyathea fuliginosa, is a species of tree fern native to the islands of Luzon, Biliran and Mindanao in the Philippines, where it grows in forests at an altitude of 640–2,400 metres (2,000–8,000 ft). This tree fern has an erect trunk up to 5 m (16 ft) tall or more. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate and 1–3 m (3–10 ft) in length. The stipe is warty and may also have short spines as well as many scattered scales towards the base. These scales are dark, glossy and have fragile edges. Sori occur near the fertile pinnule midvein and are protected by firm, dark indusia.
Gymnosphaera glabra, synonyms Alsophila glabra and Cyathea glabra, is a species of tree fern native to Borneo, western Java, Sumatra, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Sulawesi, and the Malay Peninsula, where it grows in lowland swamp forest and montane forest at an elevation of up to 1500 m. The trunk of this plant is erect and 2–4 m tall. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate and 1–2 m in length. Characteristically of this species, the lowest pinnae may be significantly reduced. The stipe is very dark and bears basal scales. These scales are dark, glossy and have a paler margin and fragile edges. Sori are produced in groups of one to three on fertile pinnule veins. They lack indusia.
Gymnosphaera denticulata, synonyms Alsophila acaulis, Alsophila denticulata and Cyathea hancockii, is a species of tree fern native to Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, southern China, Hong Kong, and Hainan. It grows in forest, on stream banks, and in forest margins at an elevation of about 600 m or higher. The specific epithet hancockii commemorates William Hancock (1847-1914), who collected numerous plants in Japan, China and Southeast Asia.
Alsophila heterochlamydea, synonym Cyathea heterochlamydea, is a little-known species of tree fern native to the islands of Luzon, Panay, Negros and Mindanao in the Philippines, where it grows in montane forest. The trunk of this plant is erect and usually up to 4 m tall or more. Fronds may be bi- or tripinnate and 1–2 m in length. The stipe is warty and/or bears short spines and scales. These scales are dark, glossy and have a narrow pale margin. Sori are borne near the fertile pinnule midvein and are protected by firm, brown indusia.
Gymnosphaera hornei is a species of tree fern in the Cyatheaceae family.
Alsophila hymenodes, synonym Cyathea hymenodes, is a species of tree fern native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and possibly Java, where it grows in montane forest at an altitude of 900–2000 m. The trunk of this plant is erect and 2–4 m tall. Fronds may be bi- or tripinnate and 1–2 m in length. The stipe may have a pair of reduced pinnae towards the base and is covered with scattered scales. These scales are dark and have very fragile edges. Sori are borne near the fertile pinnule midvein and are protected by firm, brown indusia that are saucer-like in appearance.
Alsophila junghuhniana, synonym Cyathea junghuhniana, is a species of tree fern native to southern and central Sumatra and western Java, where it grows in forest at an altitude of 1000–2000 m. The trunk of this species is erect and may be 2 m tall or more. Fronds are tripinnate and up to about 3 m long. The stipes of this species are persistent and form a skirt around the trunk. They are brown, spiny, and covered with glossy, dark brown scales. Sori are borne near the midvein of fertile pinnules and are protected by thin indusia.
Alsophila latebrosa, synonym Cyathea latebrosa, is a common and widespread species of tree fern native to Indochina. Its natural range covers Cambodia and Thailand, and stretches from the Malay Peninsula to Indonesia, where it is present on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Plants reported from India and Sri Lanka have thinner indusia and may represent a separate, as-yet undescribed, species. A. latebrosa grows in a wide range of habitats, including forest, secondary forest, and plantations, from sea level up to an elevation of about 1500 m.
