A few seeds/fruits from Las Alturas.

Tree ferns are a fascinating, diverse, monophyletic group of ferns in Order Cyatheales. From my anecdotal observations, they seem to thrive in wet secondary forests and some anthropogenically disturbed areas.

Many individuals have spines along their trunks and fronds, so while they look quite beautiful, especially from underneath, slipping around in the muddy under-story with them around is dangerous—I’ve reached for a few trunks, only to quickly pull back after a poke.

The individuals pictured here may be of genus Cyathea, as were the previous photographs I’ve posted.