Cyathea catacampta Alston, J. Wash. Acad. Sci.

Lehnert, Marcus & Kessler, Michael, 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XX. Cyatheaceae, Phytotaxa 334 (2), pp. 118-134 : 126

Cyathea catacampta Alston, J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 48: 231. 1958.

Range: —Andes from Colombia to Bolivia (LP).

Ecology: —Rare at higher elevations in montane rainforests; 2400–2850 m.

Notes: —Similar and closely related to C. squamipes H.Karst. Both species often grow together; in direct comparison C. catacampta can be distinguished by having relatively long and wide, downwardly curved fronds on short petioles with ± sessile pinnae while the fronds of C. squamipes are held patent-arching, with the lower pinnae visibly stalked. Cyathea frondosa H.Karst. , a regular species of high elevations in the northern Andes, may also occur scatteredly in Peru and Bolivia. It differs from C. catacampta in denser, finer scurf of pale brown to rarely whitish color, ± concolorous brown petiole scales that have a twisted apex, and presence of remote basal pinnae. See Lehnert (2009a) for further discussion of these species.