Species
Pteris dentata subsp. flabellata
Etymology
Pteris: A fern known to the ancient Greeks; from the Greek pteris
dentata: toothed
flabellata: fan shaped; from the Latin flabellum; shape of the leaves
Common Name(s)
toothed brake, South African brake
Authority
Pteris dentata subsp. flabellata (Thunb.) Runemark
Family
Pteridaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Ferns
Distribution
Naturalised. New Zealand: North Island (Auckland and Hamilton). Indigenous to South Africa.
Habitat
An uncommon urban fern that is usually found on base rich substrates such as basalt rock, basalt stone and/or concrete walls in urban areas.
Similar Taxa
Pteris tremula from which P. dentata differs by the 1-2(-3) pinnate fronds. The pinnae of sterile fronds are distinctly pectinate.
Flowering
Not Applicable - Spore Producing
Flower Colours
No Flowers
Fruiting
Not Applicable - Spore Producing
Year Naturalised
1979
Origin
South Africa
Control Techniques
<b>Disposal Method</b><br>Hand pull and burn - ideally before sporangia are ripe<br><br><b>Preferred Control</b><br>As above<br><br>
Notes
Pteris dentata is very occasionally cultivated and all wild occurrences appear to have stemmed from deliberate nearby plantings. Although cold sensitive, once established P. dentata is remarkably resilient, e.g., it has survived repeated attempts to eradicate it from the grounds of the University of Auckland since it first established there in the 1970s.It was first recorded wild in 1979 (Heenan et al. 1999).
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange (18 January 2012).
References and further reading
Heenan, P.B.; de Lange, P.J.; Glenny, D.S.; Breitwieser, I.; Brownsey, P.J.; Ogle, C.C. 1999: Checklist of dicotyledons, gymnosperms, and pteridophytes naturalised or casual in New Zealand: additional records 1997-1998. New Zealand Journal of Botany 37: 629-642
This page last updated on 28 Jul 2014