Cyathea leichhardtiana


Cyathea leichhardtiana, the Prickly Tree Fern is a plant in the tree fern family, Cyatheaceae, found in eastern Australia. A common species found in moist situations, in and near rainforests. Named in honour of the explorer and botanical collector Ludwig Leichhardt.
Seen between one and seven metres tall, it may be identified by the thin, prickly trunk, 5 to 15 cm wide. The sori lack true indusia, the base of the sorus bears a ring of scales. Fronds are up to 3 metres long, and the stipe is around 20 cm in length.

Taxonomy

It was first described in 1865 by Ferdinand von Mueller as Alsophila leichhardtiana from several specimens, one of which was collected by Ludwig Leichhardt in Moreton Bay, and another by Louisa Atkinson in the Blue Mountains. It was named and described many times. However, in 1912 Edwin Copeland published the name, Cyathea leichhardtiana, the name accepted by the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria.