Multiplication of the Tree Fern Cyathea dregei

Abstract

Cyathea dregei (Alsophila dregei) Kunze, is a tree fern indigenous to Southern Africa. Due to its popularity for landscape gardens and water features, this species has been over-exploited from the wild and currently is classified as a protected plant. For this reason, attempts were made to multiply this plant by partial tissue culture (2). This simple system was adopted because it eliminates the multiple stages of culture recommended by Murashige (4), but nevertheless allows the production of large numbers of pathogen-free sporophytes (2).