Cyathea fenicis
Encyclopedia
Cyathea fenicis is a species of tree fern
native to the Philippines
, Taiwan
, and Orchid Island
, where it grows in wet forest, forest margins and on hillsides. The trunk is erect, up to 1 m tall and about 6 cm in diameter. Frond
s are tripinnate and 1.5-2 m long. Characteristically of this species, the lowest pinnae are usually reduced. The stipe
is spiny and ranges in colour from brown to purple-dark brown. It bears two types of scale
s: long dark brown scales as well as minute brown ones. Occasionally the scales are pale. Sori
are round and arranged in two rows, one on either side of the pinnule midvein. They are covered by very small indusia that resemble scales in appearance.
Cyathea fujiiana is a junior synonym of this taxon
. The type
material of C. fujiiana was collected by Sasaki on Orchid Island in May 1924.
The specific epithet
fenicis commemorates Eugenio Fénix (1883-1939), who collected the type
specimen on Batan Island
in the Philippines. This material was destroyed in the Manila
herbarium
during World War II
.
Cyatheales
The order Cyatheales is a taxonomic division of the fern subclass, Cyatheatae, which includes the tree ferns. No clear morphological features characterize all of the Cyatheales, but DNA sequence data indicates that the order is monophyletic. Some species in the Cyatheales have tree-like growth...
native to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and Orchid Island
Orchid Island
Orchid Island is a 45-km² volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan island and separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. It is governed as Lanyu Township of Taitung County...
, where it grows in wet forest, forest margins and on hillsides. The trunk is erect, up to 1 m tall and about 6 cm in diameter. Frond
Frond
The term frond refers to a large, divided leaf. In both common usage and botanical nomenclature, the leaves of ferns are referred to as fronds and some botanists restrict the term to this group...
s are tripinnate and 1.5-2 m long. Characteristically of this species, the lowest pinnae are usually reduced. The stipe
Stipe (botany)
In botany, a stipe is a stalk that supports some other structure. The precise meaning is different depending on which taxonomic group is being described....
is spiny and ranges in colour from brown to purple-dark brown. It bears two types of scale
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
s: long dark brown scales as well as minute brown ones. Occasionally the scales are pale. Sori
Sorus
A sorus is a cluster of sporangia .In fungi and lichens, the sorus is surrounded by an external layer. In some red algae it may take the form of a depression into the thallus....
are round and arranged in two rows, one on either side of the pinnule midvein. They are covered by very small indusia that resemble scales in appearance.
Cyathea fujiiana is a junior synonym of this taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
. The type
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
material of C. fujiiana was collected by Sasaki on Orchid Island in May 1924.
The specific epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
fenicis commemorates Eugenio Fénix (1883-1939), who collected the type
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen on Batan Island
Batan Island
Batan island is the main island of the Batanes Province in the Philippines, part of the Batanes Islands group and the Luzon Volcanic Arc. It is home to the provincial capital Basco. The island is known chiefly for Mount Iraya....
in the Philippines. This material was destroyed in the Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.