Phytotaxa 449 (1): 015–022 ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) https://www.mapress.com/j/pt/ PHYTOTAXA Copyright © 2020 Magnolia Press Article ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.449.1.2 The true identity of the Gymnosphaera gigantea (Cyatheaceae) in China SHI-YONG DONG1,2,5*, A.K.M. KAMRUL HAQUE3,6 & MOHAMMAD SAYEDUR RAHMAN4,7 1 Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China. 2 Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China. 3 Department of Botany, Mohammadpur Government College, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 4 Bangladesh National Herbarium, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh. 5 �
[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8449-7856 6 �
[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6276-8424 7 �
[email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3589-1846 *Author for correspondence: �
[email protected] Abstract The scaly tree fern widely accepted as Gymnosphaera gigantea in China is demonstrated to be a separate species, G. henryi. Our field observations show that G. henryi is a good species and is readily recognized by the combination of stipe bearing 2-rowed scales throughout, pinnae being sessile, and most or at least lower pinnae being opposite on rachis. However, G. gigantea is different in stipe without 2-rowed scales above the base and pinnae being more or less petiolate and mostly alternate on rachis. Gymnosphaera henryi is common in southern and southwestern China and Vietnam and is currently known also in Laos and Myanmar.