Plant · GBIF taxon 2650287
Amazonian Tree Fern
Cyathea pungensAmazonian tree ferns tower over the forest floor with slender, fibrous trunks topped by sprawling crowns of feathery fronds. Sharp spines line the leaf stalks to deter herbivores and protect the delicate growing apex from climbing animals. These ancient plants thrive in humid tropical understories, dispersing millions of microscopic spores into moist canopy breezes.
RainforestSpinyAncient
Licensed referencePjt56 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthetic (Sunlight, water, soil nutrients)
Predators
- Herbivorous insects
- Caterpillars
- Snails
ThreatsDeforestation, climate change, habitat loss
HabitatsHumid tropical rainforests, riverbanks, montane understories
Life span50–100+ years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyCyatheaceae
- SpeciesCyathea pungens
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spore Inspection: Examine the undersides of mature fronds for neat rows of spore-bearing sori.
- Trunk Safety: Maintain a comfortable distance to avoid brushing against the sharp petiole spines.
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Greg Tasney, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Greg Tasney · cc-by-sa
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