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Sphaeropteris squamulata (Blume) R.M.Tryon
| Family Name: | Cyatheaceae |
| Synonyms: | Cyathea squamulata (Blume) Copel., Alsophila comosa Wall. ex Hook., Alsophila ridleyi Baker |
Sphaeropteris squamulata is a tree fern native to Singapore. It has a slender trunk that grows to 2 m tall, bipinnate fronds with lobes held on a stipe densely covered in scales. The sori are round, produced without an indusium, long hairs projecting out of the structure and not found on the veins or anywhere else.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Ferns & Lycophytes (Non-Seed Vascular Plants) (Fern) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Herbaceous Plant |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | West & Central Malesia |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Endangered (EN)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree fern with slender trunk up to 2 m in height. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | The frond is bipinnate, long, held on a long stipe, 40 - 60 cm long densely covered in scales for most of its length. The frond is divided into leaflets measuring to 50 cm long, further dividing to smaller leaflets, 0.8 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. The smaller leaflets have lobes, tapering towards a short sharp tip. |
| Reproductive Parts - non-flowering plant | The sori is round, produced halfway between the main vein of the lobe and its margin, lacking an indusium. Long hairs are only found projecting out of the sorus, hairs are absent everywhere else on the underside. |
| Others - Plant Morphology | Scales on the stipe are firm, medium to pale brown in colour measuring to 30 mm long by 3 mm wide with many tiny black spines on the margin. |
| Habitat | Occurs in forest, not in open places, in lowlands and to 1500m in altitude. <1> |
| Similar | Sphaeropteris squamulata and Sphaeropteris trichodesma are similar in appearance. The key difference can be found in the underside of fronds. Sphaeropteris squamulata have very long hairs projecting from the sorus on the underside whereas hairs can be found on both the veins and sori for Spaheropteris trichodesma. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by spores. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate to Slow |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Fertile Loamy Soils, Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Spore |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Foliar Type | Compound (Bipinnate) |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Pinnately Lobed / Pinnatifid |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Herbaceous |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Fibrous Root) |
| Specialised Storage Organ(s) | Underground (Rhizome) |
References
| References | <1> Holttum, R.E. (1981). Sphaeropteris. In: Holttum, R.E. (eds). Cyathaceae. Flora Malesiana, ser. 2, Pteridophyta, vol. 1, pt. 2, pp. 152. Leiden: Rijksherbarium. |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 34311 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 8724 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
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