Cyathea lechleri Mett., Fil. Lechl.

Lehnert, Marcus & Kessler, Michael, 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. XX. Cyatheaceae, Phytotaxa 334 (2), pp. 118-134 : 127

Cyathea lechleri Mett., Fil. Lechl. 2. 32. 1859.

Range: — Colombia to Bolivia (LP).

Ecology: —Uncommon in montane rain forests, also with distinct dry seasons; uncommon, ususally close to ridges; 750–1560 m.

Notes: —This name is often erroneously applied to other species of the sphaeropteroid indusiate group, mostly C. squamipes and C. delgadii . Cyathea lechleri is best described as a medium-sized tree fern without notable features: scurf is ephemeral and hairs are largely absent, petiole scales are of average size and non-descript brown color; the frond axes are abaxially smooth and dark brown but not conspicuously dark or shiny. The best defining character is the relatively small maximum size of the pinnules (5.0–7.0 × 1.1–1.8 cm), which are sessile to stalked 2.0(–3.0) mm and linear-oblong with weakly cordate bases and long acuminate apices. In other tall species, pinnules of that size are never stalked and have acute to shortly attenuate apices, and the largest pinnules exceed these measurements (>10 × 2 cm).