Lophosoria quadripinnata

Lophosoria quadripinnata is a species of tree fern belonging to the family Dicksoniaceae. This fern is widely distributed in Neotropical mountains, found from southern Mexico down to Bolivia and Brazil, as well as on islands like Cuba and the Juan Fernández Islands.1

Tree ferns, like Lophosoria quadripinnata, are characterized by their trunk-like stems, which are modified rhizomes that grow vertically and are covered in a dense layer of roots. Their leaves are often highly divided and can be several meters long. The sori, which contain the sporangia, are typically circular and are protected by a flap called an indusium. In L. quadripinnata, the sori lack an indusium, and the spores are globose with a distinctive flange around their circumference.1