Species

Cyathea colensoi

Etymology

Cyathea: From the Greek kyatheion 'little cup', referring to the shape of the indusium
colensoi: Named after William Colenso (7 November 1811 - 10 February 1899) who was a Cornish Christian missionary to New Zealand, and also a printer, botanist, explorer and politician.

Common Name(s)

rough tree fern, mountain tree fern

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Cyathea colensoi (Hook.f.) Domin

Family

Cyatheaceae

Brief Description

Small tree fern with green-stalked roughish leaves to 1.5m long. Trunk to 1m tall or not present. Leaf stems covered in small red and white star-shaped hairs, star-tipped scales and pointed scales (lens needed). Sporangia arranged in small round hairy clusters underneath fronds.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CYACOL

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Ferns

Synonyms

Alsophila colensoi Hook.f.

Distribution

Endemic. North, South and Stewart Islands from Mt Pirongia and the Kaimai Range south.

Habitat

Montane to subalpine in dense forest, along stream courses, often near the bush line, sometimes extending into subalpine scrub.

Features

Trunks prostrate, or erect (up to 1 m tall). Stipes slender, pale brown, finely rugose, bearing numerous scales. Scales pale brown to red-brown, lacking margin spines. Fronds up to 1.5 m long, held upright, 3-pinnate, soft; dead fronds falling (not persistent). Longest primary pinnae 150-400 mm long, adaxially hairy, abaxially covered in red stellate hairs and scales ending in single or stellate spines. Indusia absent; long hairs present amongst sporangia. Description adapted from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).

Similar Taxa

Most often confused with young Cyathea smithii with which it sometimes grows but distinguished by its prostrate to shortly erect trunk, finely and copiously hairy upper frond surface, absence of an indusia, and by the long hairs protruding from the sorus.

Flowering

N.A.

Flower Colours

No Flowers

Fruiting

N.A

Propagation Technique

Difficult to grow and probably best left well alone. Some success has been had planting specimens into a rich, permanently damp soil within a shaded situation. Dislikes humidity and heat.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 138

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Occasionally available from specialist native plant nurseries.

Attribution

Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 22 March 2011. Description adapted from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).

References and further reading

Brownsey, P.J.; Smith-Dodsworth, J.C. 2000: New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. Auckland, David Bateman

 

This page last updated on 30 Dec 2014