Alsophila sledgei (Ranil, Pushpakumara & Fraser-Jenk.) Ranil, 2021

Rajapaksha, Ranil, 2021, Six new combinations and one new natural hybrid of ferns from Sri Lanka, Phytotaxa 511 (2), pp. 183-186 : 184

2. Alsophila sledgei (Ranil, Pushpakumara & Fraser-Jenk.) Ranil , comb. nov.

Basionym: Cyathea sledgei Ranil, Pushpakumara & Fraser-Jenk. (2010: 319) .

Type:— SRI LANKA, Sabaragamuwa Province, Ratnapura District, Sinharaja forest , 380 m, R. H. G . Ranil 314, 28 July 2008 (holotype PDA 314 A!, isotypes PDA 314 B!, 314 C!) .

Distribution:— Sri Lanka (endemic).

Note:—This species was originally mentioned by Sledge (1982) as a putative hybrid between Alsophila sinuata (Hook. & Grev.) R.M.Tryon and Alsophila hookeri (Thwaites) R.M.Tryon considering its intermediate morphology. Later Ranil et al., (2010a) described it as a species after conducting a comprehensive investigation. All three species are endemic to Sri Lanka and confined to restricted populations in southern lowland rainforests. Alsophila sledgei is an extremely rare and critically endangered species confined to small populations in Kanneliya Man and Biosphere Reserve and Sinharaja World Heritage site.