Cyathea australis (R.Br.) Domin, Cyatheaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Alsophila australis R. Br.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: black tree-fern, rough tree fern

Habit:  fern

Description:  "Rhizome to c. 12 m tall, 15-40 cm in diameter, sometimes up to 1.5 m at base. Stipe to 80 cm long; stipe bases with conical spines to 3 mm long, covered with glossy brown scales; scales 2-5 cm long, 1.2-5 mm wide at base, with narrow fragile margins and an apical seta. Lamina to 3.5 m long; largest pinnae c. 50 cm long; a few pairs of lower pinnae progressively reduced, extending sometimes nearly to the base of the stipe (most commonly in Queensland); pinnules 10-12 cm long, to 2.5 cm wide, with 1 or more pairs of lobes near base separately attached to costa; lobes ± crenate, some lower ones deeply so; veins mostly forked; larger costal scales flat, elongate, brownish, grading to thin flat ± hyaline scales and to small bullate pale tan scales with setose apices; slender crinkled hairs present on costae and costules. Sori at the forks of veins, exindusiate, with irregularly-shaped small scales around receptacle; paraphyses ±same length as sporangia"  (Flora of Australia online).

Habitat/ecology:  In Australia (native), "in northern areas to 1200 m alt. Grows in forest or along forest margins, often very abundant"  (Flora of Australia online).

Propagation:  Wind-dispersed spores.

Native range:  Australia; also cultivated (GRIN).  Norfolk Island (subsp. norfolkensis) (Flora of Australia online).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) subsp. norfolkensis Holttum
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 599938) Taxon name on voucher: Cyathea australis (R.Br.) Domin

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) ACT, Tasmania, Victoria
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cyathea australis, please let us know.