| Gymnosphaera gigantea | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Cyatheales |
| Family: | Cyatheaceae |
| Genus: | Gymnosphaera |
| Species: | G. gigantea |
| Binomial name | |
| Gymnosphaera gigantea (Wall. ex Hook.) S.Y.Dong (2019) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Gymnosphaera gigantea, synonyms Alsophila gigantea and Cyathea gigantea, [2] is a species of tree fern native to northeastern to southern India, Sri Lanka, Nepal to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, as well as central Sumatra and western Java. [1] It grows in moist open areas at an elevation of 600–1000 m. The trunk of this species is erect and may be as tall as 5 m or more. Fronds are bi- or tripinnate and usually 2–3 m long. The rachis is long, dark to black in colouration and rough in appearance after the fall of scales. These scales are dark brown, glossy and have a narrow paler margin and fragile edges. Sori are round and indusia absent. [3]
Large and Braggins (2004) noted that G. gigantea is very similar to G. glabra and appears to form part of a complex that also includes G. podophylla and G.subdubia . Further study is needed to determine the nature of the relationship between these taxa. [3]
The specific epithet gigantea refers, at least in part, to the large fronds. [3]