Cyathea Subg. Sphaeropteris Sect. Schizocaena Subsect. Sarcopholis Holttum, subsect. nov.
Content
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present, Polynesia present
Maloysio: Moluccas and New Guinea to Polynesia.
Taxonomy
Fleshy upcurved bases of stipe-scales () are the distinctive character of this subsection; distally these fleshy bases are more or less abruptly flattened to scales which have setiferous margins. The flat distal parts are often eroded from herbarium specimens; a careful morphological and developmental study from good fresh material is needed. Some species have the fleshy bases less developed, and I am not sure that there is a sharp distinction from subsect. Schizocaena. The scale-bases in C. polcherrimo COPEL. (subsect. sphoeropteris) are comparable developments, but they are slender, rigid, and spread at right angles to the surface of the stipe.