Alsophila is a genus of tree ferns in the family Cyatheaceae. It has also been considered to be a section in the subgenus Cyathea of the genus Cyathea.
Description Species of Alsophila have a treelike growth habit, with an erect trunk that rarely branches, or sometimes a more shrublike habit, with a creeping stem. Their fronds are large, with a strawlike stalk (stipe), dark brown or black in colour. Brown or dark brown scales are present, with distinct margins. The blade (lamina) of the frond is divided one to three times (one- to three-pinnate). The sori (spore-producing structures) are rounded and borne on smaller veins on the lower surface of the frond. An indusium (a covering to the sori) may or may not be present; if present initially, it may be lost as the frond ages.
Alsophila is now separated from the other genera in the family Cyatheaceae primarily on the basis of molecular phylogenetic studies. The scales on the stalks (petioles) provide a morphological distinction. Alsophila has scales with distinct margins, unlike Sphaeropteris, and with an apical hair or spine (seta), unlike Cyathea. The ornamentation of the spores also distinguishes Alsophila and Cyathea.
Taxonomy The genus Alsophila was erected by Robert Brown in 1810. It is placed in the family Cyatheaceae. The division of the family into genera has had a long and controversial history. Three or four clades have been suggested based on molecular phylogenetic studies. The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I) accepts three genera, placing the Gymnosphaera clade within Alsophila. In 2018, Dong and Zuo proposed the relationship shown in the cladogram below, and provided names in Gymnosphaera for species they considered to belong in this genus.
Older sources, such as the New Zealand Organisms Register and Large and Braggins (2004), place Alsophila within a broadly defined Cyathea.
Species The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I) accepted the genus Alsophila with 275 species. , Plants of the World Online accepted 248 species.
Alsophila abbottii (Maxon) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea abbottii) Alsophila acanthophora (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea acanthophora) Alsophila acuminata (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea acuminata) Alsophila acutula R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea acutula) Alsophila albidosquamata (Rosenst.) Lehnert (syn. Cyathea albidosquamata) Alsophila alderwereltii (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea alderwereltii) Alsophila alleniae (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea alleniae) Alsophila alpina Alderw. (syn. Cyathea alpicola) Alsophila alta (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea alta) Alsophila amboinensis Alderw. (syn. Cyathea amboinensis) Alsophila aneitensis (Hook.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea aneitensis) Alsophila apiculata Rosenst. (syn. Cyathea apiculata) Alsophila apoensis (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea apoensis) Alsophila appendiculata (Baker) R.M.Tryon Alsophila approximata (Bonap.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea approximata) Alsophila archboldii (C.Chr.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea archboldii) Alsophila arfakensis A.Gepp (syn. Cyathea kanehirae) Alsophila auneae D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea pubescens) Alsophila auriculata (Tardieu) R.M.Tryon Alsophila australis R.Br. (syn. Cyathea australis) Alsophila balanocarpa (D.C.Eaton) D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea balanocarpa) Alsophila baroumba L.Linden Alsophila basirotundata (Rakotondr. & Janssen) Christenh. Alsophila batjanensis Christ (syn. Cyathea batjanensis) Alsophila bellisquamata (Bonap.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila binayana (M.Kato) Lehnert & Coritico Alsophila bisquamata (M.Kato) Lehnert & Coritico Alsophila borbonica (Desv.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila borneensis (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea borneensis) Alsophila × boytelii Caluff & Shelton Alsophila brachyphylla (Holttum) Lehnert Alsophila brausei R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea hunsteiniana) Alsophila brevipinna (Benth.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea brevipinna) Alsophila brooksii (Maxon) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea brooksii) Alsophila bryophila R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea bryophila) Alsophila buennemeijeri (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila calcicola Lehnert Alsophila callosa (Christ) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea callosa) Alsophila camerooniana (Hook.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea camerooniana) Alsophila catillifera (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea catillifera) Alsophila celsa R.M.Tryon Alsophila cincinnata (Brause) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea cincinnata) Alsophila cinerea (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea cinerea) Alsophila coactilis (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea coactilis) Alsophila colensoi Hook.f. (syn. Cyathea colensoi) Alsophila conantiana Lehnert Alsophila conferta (Janssen & Rakotondr.) Christenh. Alsophila confinis (C.Chr.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila costalisora (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea costalisora) Alsophila costularis Baker Alsophila coursii Tardieu Alsophila crassicaula R.M.Tryon Alsophila crenulata Mett. ex Hook (syn. Cyathea raciborskii) Alsophila cubensis (Underw. ex Maxon) Caluff & Shelton Alsophila cucullifera (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea cucullifera) Alsophila cunninghamii (Hook.f.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea cunninghamii) Alsophila cuspidata (Kunze) D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea cuspidata) Alsophila deckenii (Kuhn & Decken) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea deckenii) Alsophila decrescens (Mett.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea decrescens) Alsophila dicksonioides (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea dicksonioides) Alsophila dilatata (Rakotondr. & Janssen) Christenh. (syn. Cyathea dilatata) Alsophila doctersii (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea doctersii) Alsophila dregei (Kunze) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea dregei) Alsophila dryopteroides (Maxon) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea dryopteroides) Alsophila edanoi (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea edanoi) Alsophila elata O.G.Martínez Alsophila emilei (Janssen & Rakotondr.) Christenh. Alsophila engelii R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea elongata) Alsophila erinacea (H.Karst.) D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea erinacea) Alsophila eriophora (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea eriophora) Alsophila esmeraldensis R.C.Moran Alsophila everta (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea everta) Alsophila excavata (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea excavata) Alsophila excelsior Lehnert Alsophila exilis (Holttum) Lehnert Alsophila × fagildei Caluff & Shelton Alsophila fenicis (Copel.) C.Chr. (syn. Cyathea fenicis) Alsophila ferdinandii R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea macarthurii) Alsophila ferruginea (Christ) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea ferruginea) Alsophila firma (Baker) D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea mexicana) Alsophila foersteri (Rosenst.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea foersteri) Alsophila fulgens (C.Chr.) D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea fulgens) Alsophila fuliginosa Christ (syn. Cyathea fuliginosa) Alsophila gastonyi Lehnert Alsophila geluensis (Rosenst.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea geluensis) Alsophila glaberrima (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea glaberrima) Alsophila glaucifolia R.M.Tryon Alsophila gleichenioides (C.Chr.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea gleichenioides) Alsophila grangaudiana (Janssen & Rakotondr.) J.P.Roux Alsophila gregaria Brause (syn. Cyathea gregaria) Alsophila grevilleana (Mart.) D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea grevilleana) Alsophila halconensis (Christ) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea halconensis) Alsophila havilandii (Baker) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea havilandii) Alsophila hebes (Janssen & Rakotondr.) Christenh. Alsophila hermannii R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea christii) Alsophila heterochlamydea (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea heterochlamydea) Alsophila hildebrandtii (Kuhn) R.M.Tryon Alsophila hooglandii (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea hooglandii) Alsophila hookeri (Thwaites) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea hookeri) Alsophila horridula (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea horridula) Alsophila hotteana (C.Chr. & Ekman) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea hotteana) Alsophila humbertiana (C.Chr.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila humilis (Hieron.) Pic.Serm. (syn. Cyathea humilis) Alsophila hyacinthei R.M.Tryon Alsophila hymenodes (Mett.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea hymenodes) Alsophila imbricata (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea imbricata) Alsophila imrayana (Hook.) D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea imrayana) Alsophila incisoserrata (Copel.) C.Chr. (syn. Cyathea incisoserrata) Alsophila indiscriminata Lehnert Alsophila inquinans (Christ) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea inquinans) Alsophila insulana (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea insulana) Alsophila ivohibensis (C.Chr.) Christenh. Alsophila javanica (Blume) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea javanica) Alsophila jimeneziana D.S.Conant (syn. Cyathea crassa) Alsophila jivariensis Hieron. Alsophila johnsii Lehnert Alsophila junghuhniana Kunze (syn. Cyathea junghuhniana) Alsophila katoi Lehnert & Coritico Alsophila kermadecensis (W.R.B.Oliv.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea kermadecensis) Alsophila kirkii (Hook.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila klossii (Ridl.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea klossii) Alsophila lamoureuxii (W.N.Takeuchi) Lehnert & Coritico Alsophila lastii (Baker) R.M.Tryon Alsophila latebrosa Wall. ex Hook. (syn. Cyathea latebrosa) Alsophila latipinnula (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea latipinnula) Alsophila lepidoclada Christ (syn. Cyathea lepidoclada) Alsophila leptochlamys (Baker) R.M.Tryon Alsophila ligulata (Baker) R.M.Tryon Alsophila lisyae (Janssen & Rakotondr.) Christenh. Alsophila loerzingii (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea loerzingii) Alsophila loheri (Christ) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea loheri) Alsophila longipes (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea longipes) Alsophila longipinnata (Bonap.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila longispina (Janssen & Rakotondr.) Christenh. Alsophila loubetiana L.Linden Alsophila macgillivrayi Baker (syn. Cyathea macgillivrayi) Alsophila macgregorii (F.Muell.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea macgregorii) Alsophila macropoda (Domin) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea macropoda) Alsophila magnifolia (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea magnifolia) Alsophila major Caluff & Shelton Alsophila manniana (Hook.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea manniana) Alsophila mapahuwensis (M.Kato) Lehnert & Coritico Alsophila marattioides (Willd. ex Kaulf.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea marattioides) Alsophila × marcescens (N.A.Wakef.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea × marcescens) Alsophila masapilidensis (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea masapilidensis) Alsophila matitanensis R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea madagascarica) Alsophila media (W.H.Wagner & Grether) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea media) Alsophila × medinae Caluff & Shelton (syn. Cyathea × medinae) Alsophila melanocaula Alsophila melleri (Domin) R.M.Tryon Alsophila meridionalis (Janssen & Rakotondr.) Christenh. Alsophila micra R.M.Tryon Alsophila microchlamys (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea microchlamys) Alsophila microphylloides (Rosenst.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea microphylloides) Alsophila milnei (Hook.f.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea milnei) Alsophila minervae Lehnert Alsophila minor (D.C.Eaton) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea minor) Alsophila modesta Baker (syn. Cyathea modesta) Alsophila monosticha Christ Alsophila montana (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea costulisora) Alsophila mossambicensis (Baker) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea mossambicensis) Alsophila mostellaria Lehnert Alsophila muelleri (Baker) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea muelleri) Alsophila murkelensis (M.Kato) Lehnert & Coritico Alsophila nebulosa Lehnert Alsophila negrosiana (Christ) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea negrosiana) Alsophila nigrolineata (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea nigrolineata) Alsophila nigropaleata (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea nigropaleata) Alsophila nilgirensis (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea nilgirensis) Alsophila nockii (Jenman) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea nockii) Alsophila nothofagorum (Holttum) Lehnert Alsophila novabrittanica Lehnert Alsophila obtecta (Rakotondr. & Janssen) Christenh. Alsophila obtusiloba Hook. (syn. Cyathea obtusiloba) Alsophila odonelliana (Alston) Lehnert Alsophila ohaensis (M.Kato) Lehnert & Coritico Alsophila oinops (Hassk.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea oinops) Alsophila oosora (Holttum) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea oosora) Alsophila orientalis (T.Moore) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea orientalis) Alsophila orthogonalis (Bonap.) R.M.Tryon Alsophila pachyrrhachis (Copel.) R.M.Tryon (syn. Cyathea pachyrrhachis) Alsophila pacifica Christenh.