{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Short description|Species of plant}} {{Speciesbox | status = | image = Cyathea affinis (G.Forst.) Sw. (AM AK360101).jpg | image_caption = | taxon = Cyathea affinis | authority = (G.Forst.) Sw.<ref name=WF_85/> | synonyms = {{Species list |Alsophila tahitensis|Brack. |Amphicosmia tahitensis|(Brack.) Moore |Cyathea bisulca|Schkuhr |Cyathea rapensis|Copel. |Cyathea tahitensis|(Brack.) Copel. |Cyathea thurstonii|Baker |Hemitelia durvillei|Mett. ex Kuhn |Hemitelia raiateensis|J.W.Moore |Hemitelia tahitensis|(Brack.) Mett. |Polypodium affine|G.Forst. }} | synonyms_ref =<ref name=WF_85/> }}
'''''Cyathea affinis''''' is a variable species of tree fern native to Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Austral Islands, Tahiti, and the Marquesas Islands. The trunk of this plant is erect and {{convert|2|–|6|m}} tall. Fronds are bipinnate and {{convert|2|–|3|m}} in length. The rachis and stipe are pale to brown in colour, or flushed with red towards the pinnule rachis. The stipe is sparsely covered in narrow basal scales, which are pale to dark and have broad fragile edges. Characteristically of this species, the lowest one or two pairs of pinnae may be slightly reduced and occur towards the base of the stipe. Sori are located near the pinnule midvein and are partially or fully covered by indusia, which open towards the pinnule margin.<ref name=LargBrag04/>
Large and Braggins (2004) note that there is much variation between individual plants of ''C. affinis'' in terms of frond and scale details and ''Cyathea tahitensis'', which is usually regarded as synonymous, may in fact represent a separate species.<ref name=LargBrag04/>
''Cyathea affinis'' <small>(G.Forst.) Sw.</small> is not to be confused with ''Cyathea affinis'' <small>Brack</small>, a synonym of ''Sphaeropteris propinqua'',<ref name=WF_84/> nor ''Cyathea affinis'' <small>A.Rojas</small>, a synonym of ''Cyathea retanae''.<ref name=WF_85/>
Young shoots of ''C. affinis'' are eaten in the Marquesas Islands.<ref name=LargBrag04/>
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=LargBrag04>{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Large|first1=Mark F.|last2=Braggins|first2=John E. |author-link2=John E. Braggins |year=2004 |title=Tree Ferns |publisher=Timber Press |isbn=978-0-88192-630-9 |name-list-style=amp |p=[https://archive.org/details/treeferns00mark/page/89 89] |url=https://archive.org/details/treeferns00mark/page/89 }}</ref>
<ref name=WF_84>{{Citation |last1=Hassler |first1=Michael |date=2004–2021 |title= Genus ''Sphaeropteris'' Bernh. |website=World Ferns. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Version 12.3 |url=https://www.worldplants.de/world-ferns/ferns-and-lycophytes-list#g-84 |access-date=2021-07-25 }}</ref>
<ref name=WF_85>{{Citation |last1=Hassler |first1=Michael |date=2004–2021 |title=Genus ''Cyathea'' J.E.Sm. |website=World Ferns. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Version 12.3 |url=https://www.worldplants.de/world-ferns/ferns-and-lycophytes-list#g-85 |access-date=2021-07-25 }}</ref> }} *[http://www.ipni.org/ipni/plantsearch?id=17071720-1&query_type=by_id&output_format=object_view&back_page=plantsearch&ret_wholeName=Cyathea%20affinis The International Plant Names Index: ''Cyathea affinis'']
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5197500}}
affinis Category:Flora of Fiji Category:Flora of Samoa Category:Flora of the Cook Islands Category:Flora of the Society Islands Category:Flora of the Tubuai Islands Category:Flora of the Marquesas Islands
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