{{Short description|Genus of ferns}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Blendys garden inferno ag.jpg | image_caption = ''Sphaeropteris cooperi'' in Blandys Garden, Madeira | taxon = Sphaeropteris | authority = Bernh.<ref name=POWO_30025301-2/> | type_species = ''Sphaeropteris medullaris'' | type_species_authority = (Forster) Bernh. | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text | synonyms_ref = <ref name=CFLW/> | synonyms = * ''Eatoniopteris'' <small>J.Bommer</small> * ''Fourniera'' <small>J.Bommer</small> * ''Schizocaena'' <small>J.Sm.</small> * ''Cyathea'' (''Sphaeropteris'') <small>(Bernh.) Holttum</small> }} [[File:Cyathea RGBS.jpg|thumb|upright|''Sphaeropteris excelsa'' (syn. ''Cyathea brownii'') in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney]] [[File:CyatheaIntermedia.JPG|thumb|upright|''Sphaeropteris intermedia'' in habitat in New Caledonia]] [[File:Cyathea medullaris.JPG|thumb|upright|''Sphaeropteris medullaris'' in Auckland, New Zealand]]
'''''Sphaeropteris''''' is a genus of tree ferns in the family Cyatheaceae. It has been treated as a subgenus within the genus ''Cyathea'', but is accepted in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I).<ref name=PPGI/>
==Description== Species of ''Sphaeropteris'' have a treelike habit, usually with a single tall stem, and large fronds to {{cvt|5|m|ft|0}} or more in length. The stalk (stipe) of the frond is strawlike or purple in colour, with pale to brown scales. The sori (spore-bearing structures) are rounded, with or without indusia (covers).<ref name=FoC_130914/>
''Sphaeropteris'' is now separated from the other genera in the family Cyatheaceae primarily on the basis of molecular phylogenetic studies.<ref name=PPGI/> However, the scales on the stalks (petioles) provide a morphological distinction. ''Sphaeropteris'' has scales without distinct margins, whereas the other genera have scales with distinct margins.<ref name=WeigLehn16/><ref name=KoraConaMetzSchn07/>
==Taxonomy== The genus ''Sphaeropteris'' was erected by Johann Jakob Bernhardi in 1801.<ref name=IPNI_30025301-2/> It is placed in the family Cyatheaceae.<ref name=PPGI/> The division of the family into genera has had a long and controversial history.<ref name=KoraConaMetzSchn07/> Three or four clades have been suggested based on molecular phylogenetic studies. The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I) accepts three genera, related as shown in the cladogram below.<ref name=PPGI/> ''Sphaeropteris'' is sister to the remaining members of the family. {{clade |label1=Cyatheaceae |1={{clade |1=''Sphaeropteris'' |2={{clade |1=''Cyathea'' |2=''Alsophila'' (including ''Gymnosphaera'') }} }} }}
Older sources, such as the New Zealand Organisms Register {{As of|lc=yes|2025|July}}, place ''Sphaeropteris'' within a very broadly defined ''Cyathea''.<ref name=NZOR/>
==Phylogeny== {{As of|2019|August}}, the ''Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World'' accepted the following species:<ref name=CFLW/>
{| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan=1 | Phylogeny of ''Sphaeropteris''<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nitta |first1=Joel H. |last2=Schuettpelz |first2=Eric |last3=Ramírez-Barahona |first3=Santiago |last4=Iwasaki |first4=Wataru |display-authors=et al. |year=2022 |title=An Open and Continuously Updated Fern Tree of Life |journal=Frontiers in Plant Science |volume=13 |issue= |article-number= 909768| doi=10.3389/fpls.2022.909768 |pmid= 36092417|pmc= 9449725|bibcode= 2022FrPS...1309768N|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |display-authors=et al. |year=2024 |title=Tree viewer: interactive visualization of FTOL |url=https://fernphy.github.io/viewer.html |version=FTOL v1.7.0 (GenBank release 261) |access-date=1 May 2025}}</ref> ! colspan=1 | Other species include: |- | style="vertical-align:top| {{Clade |style=font-size:90%;line-height:80% |1={{clade |label1=section |sublabel1=''Fourniera'' |1={{clade |1=''S. novae-caledoniae'' <small>(Mettenius ex Fournier) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. auriculifera'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2=''S. tripinnata'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> }} |2={{clade |1=''S. truncata'' <small>(Brackenridge) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. aciculosa'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. australis'' <small>(Presl) Tryon</small> |2=''S. celebica'' <small>(Blume) Tryon</small> }} }} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1=''S. albifrons'' <small>(Vieill. ex Fournier) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. nigricans'' <small>(Mettenius) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |label1=section |sublabel1=''Schizocaena'' |1={{clade |1=''S. pulcherrima'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. philippinensis'' <small>(Bak.) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. megalosora'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. capitata'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. polypoda'' <small>(Bak.) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. squamulata'' <small>(Bl.) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. moluccana'' <small>(Desvaux) Tryon</small> |2=''S. trichodesma'' <small>(Scort. ex Beddome) Tryon</small> }} }} }} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. werneri'' <small>(Rosenstock) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. tripinnatifida'' <small>(Wallich ex Roxburgh) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. brackenridgei'' <small>(Mettenius) Tryon</small> |2=''S. propinqua'' <small>(Mettenius) Tryon</small> }} }} }} |2={{clade |1=''S. rosenstockii'' <small>(Brause) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. procera'' <small>(Brause) Tryon</small> |2=''S. setifera'' <small>(Holttum) Tryon</small> }} |2={{clade |1=''S. microlepidota'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. marginata'' <small>(Brause) Tryon</small> |2=''S. runensis'' <small>(van Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh) Tryon</small> }} }} }} }} }} }} }} |label2=section |sublabel2=''Sphaeropteris'' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. insignis'' <small>(Eaton) Tryon</small> |2=''S. horrida'' <small>(Liebmann) Tryon</small> }} |2={{clade |1=''S. quindiuensis'' <small>(Karsten) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. gardneri'' <small>(Hooker) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. brunei'' <small>(Christ) Tryon</small> |2=''S. cuatrecasasii'' <small>Tryon</small> }} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. elmeri'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. intermedia'' <small>(Mettenius) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. feani'' <small>(Brown) Tryon</small> |2=''S. medullaris'' <small>(Forster) Bernh.</small> }} }} }} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. brunoniana'' <small>(Wallich ex Hooker 1844) Tryon</small> |2=''S. lepifera'' <small>(Smith ex Hooker) Tryon</small> }} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. robusta'' <small>(Moore ex Watts) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. cooperi'' <small>(von Mueller) Tryon</small> |2=''S. excelsa'' <small>(Endl.) Tryon</small> }} }} |2={{clade |1=''S. persquamulifera'' <small>(van Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. aeneifolia'' <small>(van Alderwerelt van Rosenburgh) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. atrox'' <small>(Christensen) Tryon</small> |2=''S. tomentosissima'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> }} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1=''S. lunulata'' <small>(Forster) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. tenggerensis'' <small>(Rosenstock) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. angiensis'' <small>(Gepp) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''S. atrospinosa'' <small>(Holttum) Tryon</small> |2=''S. glauca'' <small>(Bl.) Tryon</small> }} |2={{clade |1=''S. mertensiana'' <small>(Kunze) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. pilulifera'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> |2={{clade |1=''S. felina'' <small>(Roxburgh) Pichi Sermolli</small> |2=''S. vittata'' <small>(Copeland) Tryon</small> }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} | {{div col|colwidth=25em}} *''Sphaeropteris agatheti'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris albidosquamata'' <small> (Rosenst.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris albosetacea'' <small> (Bedd.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris angustipinna'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris aramaganensis'' <small> (Kaneh.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris arthropoda'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris assimilis'' <small> (Hook.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris binuangensis'' <small> (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris carrii'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris crinita'' {{small|(Hook.) R.M.Tryon}} *''Sphaeropteris curranii'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris discophora'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris elliptica'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris fugax'' <small> (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris fusca'' <small> (Bak.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris inaequalis'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris insularum'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris integra'' <small> (J.Sm.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris intramarginalis'' <small>Windisch</small> *''Sphaeropteris ledermannii'' <small>(Brause) Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris leucolepis'' <small> (Mett.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris leucotricha'' <small> (Christ) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris lockwoodiana'' <small> P.G.Windisch</small> *''Sphaeropteris macarenensis'' <small> (Alston) R. Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris magna'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris mollicula'' <small> (Maxon) R. Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris moseleyi'' <small> (Bak.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris obliqua'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris obscura'' <small> (Scort.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris papuana'' <small> (Ridl.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris parianensis'' <small> P.G.Windisch</small> *''Sphaeropteris parksiae'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris parvifolia'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris parvipinna'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris pukuana'' <small> (M.Kato) Lehnert & Coritico</small> *''Sphaeropteris robinsonii'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris samoensis'' {{small|(Brack.) R.M.Tryon}} *''Sphaeropteris sarasinorum'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris senex'' <small> (Alderw.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris sibuyanensis'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris stipitipinnula'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris strigosa'' <small> (Christ) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris subsessilis'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris suluensis'' <small> (Bak.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris teysmannii'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris tomentosa'' <small> (Bl.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris trichophora'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris vaupelii'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris verrucosa'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris wallacei'' <small> (Mett. ex Kuhn) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris womersleyi'' <small> (Holtt.) R.M.Tryon</small> *''Sphaeropteris zamboangana'' <small> (Copel.) R.M.Tryon</small> {{div col end}} |}
==Distribution and habitat== The native distribution of the genus ''Sphaeropteris'' extends from southern China down through eastern tropical Asia to New Zealand, with a separate area in Central America and north-western South America. Some species are also naturalized in Africa and western Australia.<ref name=POWO_30025301-2/>
Species of ''Sphaeropteris'' are large plants and require space to grow. They usually prefer less shaded conditions than species of ''Alsophila''. They are found in rain forests and tropical montane forests, often in clearings or on the margins, from the canopy layer down to the understorey layer. They are also found in ravines, swamps and disturbed areas.<ref name=FoC_130914/>
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=CFLW>{{Citation |last1=Hassler |first1=Michael |last2=Schmitt |first2=Bernd |date=June 2019 |title=Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World |volume=8 |issue=2 |url=https://worldplants.webarchiv.kit.edu/ferns/ |access-date=2019-08-22 |name-list-style=amp }}</ref>
<ref name=FoC_130914>{{cite book |first1=Xianchun |last1=Zhang |first2=Harufumi |last2=Nishida |contribution=Alsophila |contribution-url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=130914 |access-date=2019-09-27 |editor-last=Wu |editor-first=Zhengyi |editor2-last=Raven |editor2-first=Peter H. |editor3-last=Hong |editor3-first=Deyuan <!--|year=1994 onwards--> |title=Flora of China ''(online)'' |publisher=eFloras.org |url=http://www.efloras.org/flora_page.aspx?flora_id=2 |name-list-style=amp }}</ref>
<ref name=IPNI_30025301-2>{{cite web |title=''Sphaeropteris'' Bernh. |work=The International Plant Names Index |url=https://www.ipni.org/n/30025301-2 |access-date=2019-09-27 }}</ref>
<ref name=KoraConaMetzSchn07>{{Cite journal |last1=Korall |first1=Petra |last2=Conant |first2=David S. |last3=Metzgar |first3=Jordan S. |last4=Schneider |first4=Harald |last5=Pryer |first5=Kathleen M. |date=2007 |title=A molecular phylogeny of scaly tree ferns (Cyatheaceae) |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=94 |issue=5 |pages=873–886 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51186907 |access-date=2019-08-22 |doi=10.3732/ajb.94.5.873 |pmid=21636456 |bibcode=2007AmJB...94..873K |name-list-style=amp }}</ref>
<ref name=NZOR>{{Citation |title=Sphaeropteris Bernh. |website=NZOR New Zealand Organisms Register |url=http://www.nzor.org.nz/names/e2ff6338-8619-4b92-8d0b-6f0bca0e4967 |access-date=2025-07-15 }}</ref>
<ref name=POWO_30025301-2>{{citation |title=''Sphaeropteris'' Bernh. |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30025301-2 |access-date=2019-08-23 }}</ref>
<ref name=PPGI>{{citation |author=PPG I |year=2016 |title=A community-derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns |journal=Journal of Systematics and Evolution |volume=54 |issue=6 |pages=563–603 |doi=10.1111/jse.12229|bibcode=2016JSyEv..54..563. |s2cid=39980610 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
<ref name=WeigLehn16>{{Citation |last1=Weigand |first1=Anna |last2=Lehnert |first2=Marcus |date=2016 |title=The scaly tree ferns (Cyatheaceae-Polypodiopsida) of Brazil |journal=Acta Botanica Brasilica |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=336–350 |doi=10.1590/0102-33062016abb0065 |bibcode=2016AcBBr..30..336W |name-list-style=amp |doi-access=free |url=https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/124857/1/Acta_Botanica_Brasilica_2016_epub-ahead-of-print.pdf }}</ref> }}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q17166793}} Category:Sphaeropteris Category:Fern genera