Family: Cyathaceae
English name: Tree Fern
Pohnpeian name: Katar
Chuukese name: Aamaaree
Kosraen name: Foa
Yapese name: None
Location collected: Beside the road up to the mountain. Paies forest area.
Date collected: 24 November1998
Collected by: Jenson Santos
Vegetative characteristics:
Habit: Terrestrial; usually found in shady, damp areas such as in some forest areas in Pohnpei.
Leaf shape and morphology: Large clustered fronds with 1-2m petioles are arranged at furry, terminal end of stem. Blackish and hairy (pubescent) midribs are about 3-5m long. Fertile fronds are divided twice.
Stem type: Rhizome forming a thick, dark fibrous trunk. Durable soft inner core; can remain in contact with soil for a long period of time.
Spore Description: Brown spores are contained in numberous round sporangia on the underside of frond. They are arranged oppositely on each sub-leaflets.
Uses: Thick fibrous stems are used for house posts, fense posts, support for commercial black pepper vines, and many other things. Soft inner core is used as treatments for cuts and wounds. Leaves and leaf buds are also sources of local medicine.
** The growing need for commercial pepper has led to the decrease in Cyathea nigricans especially in the lowland forest areas. If this problem continues, this plant species will eventually become extinct in Pohnpei.