About Cyathea cunninghamii Hk.fil., 1854
Cyathea cunninghamii (published by Hk.fil. in 1854) has the synonym Alsophila cunninghamii. It is commonly called the gully tree fern and slender tree fern, and is a species of tree fern. It is indigenous to New Zealand, where it grows on the North Island (its type locality), South Island, and Chatham Islands; it is also native to Victoria, Australia, and possibly also grows in New South Wales, southeastern Queensland, and Tasmania. It grows in damp forest, and often grows from stream gullies and riverbanks. Brownsey noted that this species has a lower tolerance for drought than other related tree fern species. Its erect trunk can reach up to 20 m in height, and usually measures 6–15 cm in diameter, occasionally reaching as much as 20 cm across. Its fronds are tri- to tetrapinnate and are 3 m or more in length. The rachis and stipe are slender, black brown, warty, and covered with brown scales. Sori grow along each side of the pinnule midvein, and are covered by hood-like indusia. Alsophila cunninghamii is an uncommon and slow-growing tree fern. Plants from New Caledonia classified as Alsophila stelligera may belong to this same species. In the wild, A. cunninghamii hybridizes with Alsophila australis to produce the fertile hybrid Alsophila × marcescens. To grow well in cultivation, A. cunninghamii requires consistent moisture. Rich humus is an ideal growing medium for this species, and plants should be protected from wind. The specific epithet cunninghamii commemorates Allan Cunningham (1791–1839), a botanist who traveled widely across Australia and New Zealand.
