The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Pellaea falcata

Etymology

Pellaea: dark fern; from the greek pellos; dark leaf and leaf stalk
falcata: From the Latin falx 'scythe' or 'sickle', meaning sickle-shaped

Common Name(s)

Sickle fern, Australian cliff brake

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Declining

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 - At Risk - Relict
2004 - Gradual Decline

Qualifiers

2012 - PD, SO
2009 - SO, DP

Authority

(R.Br.) Fée

Family

Pteridaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

PELFAL

Structural Class

Ferns

Synonyms

Pteris falcata R.Br., Platyloma falcata (R.Br.) J.Smith, Allosorus falcatus (R.Br.) Kunze, Pteris seticaulis Hook.

Distribution

Indigenous. Common in eastern Australia. In New Zealand primarily a species of northern offshore islands but also known from a few locations in Northland, Auckland and Coromandel.

Habitat

Coastal in short scrub, on cliff faces and in open forest. Often on small islands, also inland on scoria and basalt rocks around Auckland City.

Features

Shortly rhizomatous, tufted fern. Stipes 70-250 mm, stipes and rachises erect, dark brown, densely clad in spreading scales. Frond linear, pinnate, 200-500 x 30-70 mm. Pinnae, shortly stalked, oblong-falcate to distinctly falcate, 15-40 x 7-15 mm, evenly spaced, margins smooth, glossy green above, paler below. Sori in two marginal bands reaching toward but not meeting at pinna apices.

Similar Taxa

Differs from P. calidirupium by a more northerly habit, has larger, distinctly falcate pinnules, smaller less offset terminal pinna, spreading stipe and frond scales, and by the sori which are not continuous along the margin of the pinna. Differs from P. rotundifolia by oblong-falcate pinnules. Inland intermediates are frequent but seem to represent another form or complex of forms allied to P. rotundifolia. True P. falcata is rarely seen in NZ except on some northerly offshore islands.

Flowering

Spore bearing fronds may be found throughout the year

Flower Colours

No Flowers

Fruiting

Spore bearing fronds may be found throughout the year

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh spores. Very fast growing and an excellent pot plant. Does well in a variety of soils, light levels and moisture regimes but intolerant of weeds.

Threats

Its status has been confused due to the occurrence of intermediate forms between it and P. rotundifolia. Some appear to be stable, apomictic races requiring further study. Excluding these forms means the typical species is very uncommon primarily confined to northern offshore islands, on several of which it is now threatened by weeds. It has also been collected from mainland stations as far south as Kawhia and Thames. Many mainland sites are threatened by weeds and coastal development. In some places it is or has recently been threatened by over-collection. Herbarium evidence shows this species was once common on the volcanic cones of Auckland City, but due to targetted collection, the species has all but vanished from this area within the last forty years.

Chromosome No.

2n = 116

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 13 May 2014