Sphaeropteris medullaris, synonymCyathea medullaris,[2] commonly known as mamaku or black tree fern, is a large tree fern up to 20 m tall. It is distributed across the south-west Pacific from Fiji to Pitcairn Island. Its other Māori names include katātā, kōrau, or pītau.
Luxuriant groups are a common sight in the New Zealand forest.
Sphaeropteris medullaris is common in lowland forest throughout the North Island of New Zealand. In the South Island its distribution is more localised. It is fairly common in wetter coastal areas, but rare in the drier eastern parts and absent in Canterbury and Otago. In New Zealand it also occurs on the Three Kings Islands in the far north, on Stewart Island/Rakiura in the far south and in the Chatham Islands.[3]
The black trunk with characteristic hexagonal stipe bases seen here from this specimen from RBGE, Edinburgh
The trunk is black and covered with distinctive hexagonal stipe bases. The fronds may be up to 5 m long, and arch upwards from the crown. Dead fronds are shed except in very young plants. The primary pinnae are from 40 cm to 1 m long, and the undersides have scales with spines along their margins. As many as 40,000 leaflets have been counted on a single frond.[5] The stipes are thick, black, very rough to the touch, and are similarly covered in black scales with marginal spines. S. medullaris can be readily distinguished from related species by the hexagonal stipe scars on the trunk, and by the scales with spines on their margins.[6][7]
Cultivationedit
The expanding frond forms a fiddlehead or koru
Sphaeropteris medullaris will grow from fresh spores, but this is slow. Plants are easy to transplant when they are young. It is also possible to plant newly felled trunks which will generally sprout again, provided they are watered with care. They are hardy in various conditions once established.[6][7] It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental.[8]
Usesedit
Tree fern trunks, including those of S. medullaris, have been used as rough building material and also for makeshift trackwork.[7]
The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that Indigenous Australians ate the pith of this fern tree which contained a certain amount of starch similar to sago.[9]
Referencesedit
^"Sphaeropteris medullaris (G.Forst.) Bernh". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
^ abHassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019). "Sphaeropteris medullaris". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Vol. 8. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
^Brownsey, P.J.; Smith-Dodsworth, J.C. (1989). New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. David Bateman Ltd. p. 87. ISBN1-86953-003-9.
^Large, Mark F.; Braggins, John E. (2004). Tree Ferns. Timber Press. p. 222. ISBN0881926302.
^Crookes, Marguerite M.A.; Dobbie, H. B. (1973). New Zealand Ferns (6th ed.). Christchurch: Whitcomb & Tombs. p. 134.
^ ab"Cyathea medullaris". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
^ abc"Cyathea medullaris (G.Forst.) Sw. (1801)". Ngā Tipu o Aotearoa — New Zealand Plants. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
^J. H. Maiden (1889). The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania. Turner and Henderson, Sydney.
Bibliographyedit
C.Michael Hogan. 2010. Fern. Encyclopedia of Earth. eds. Saikat Basu and C.Cleveland. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sphaeropteris medullaris.
May 09, 2024
sphaeropteris, medullaris, synonym, cyathea, medullaris, commonly, known, mamaku, black, tree, fern, large, tree, fern, tall, distributed, across, south, west, pacific, from, fiji, pitcairn, island, other, māori, names, include, katātā, kōrau, pītau, black, tr. Sphaeropteris medullaris synonym Cyathea medullaris 2 commonly known as mamaku or black tree fern is a large tree fern up to 20 m tall It is distributed across the south west Pacific from Fiji to Pitcairn Island Its other Maori names include katata kōrau or pitau Black tree fern Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Division Polypodiophyta Class Polypodiopsida Order Cyatheales Family Cyatheaceae Genus Sphaeropteris Species S medullaris Binomial name Sphaeropteris medullaris G Forst Bernh 1 Synonyms 2 Alsophila extensa Desv Cyathea medullaris G Forst Sw Cyathea polyneuron ColensoPolypodium medullare G Forst Contents 1 Distribution 2 Description 3 Cultivation 4 Uses 5 References 6 BibliographyDistribution edit nbsp Luxuriant groups are a common sight in the New Zealand forest Sphaeropteris medullaris is common in lowland forest throughout the North Island of New Zealand In the South Island its distribution is more localised It is fairly common in wetter coastal areas but rare in the drier eastern parts and absent in Canterbury and Otago In New Zealand it also occurs on the Three Kings Islands in the far north on Stewart Island Rakiura in the far south and in the Chatham Islands 3 Its distribution also includes Fiji the Marquesas Islands Tahiti the Austral Islands and Pitcairn Island It is not present in the Kermadecs 4 Description edit nbsp The black trunk with characteristic hexagonal stipe bases seen here from this specimen from RBGE Edinburgh The trunk is black and covered with distinctive hexagonal stipe bases The fronds may be up to 5 m long and arch upwards from the crown Dead fronds are shed except in very young plants The primary pinnae are from 40 cm to 1 m long and the undersides have scales with spines along their margins As many as 40 000 leaflets have been counted on a single frond 5 The stipes are thick black very rough to the touch and are similarly covered in black scales with marginal spines S medullaris can be readily distinguished from related species by the hexagonal stipe scars on the trunk and by the scales with spines on their margins 6 7 Cultivation edit nbsp The expanding frond forms a fiddlehead or koru Sphaeropteris medullaris will grow from fresh spores but this is slow Plants are easy to transplant when they are young It is also possible to plant newly felled trunks which will generally sprout again provided they are watered with care They are hardy in various conditions once established 6 7 It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society s Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental 8 Uses editTree fern trunks including those of S medullaris have been used as rough building material and also for makeshift trackwork 7 The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that Indigenous Australians ate the pith of this fern tree which contained a certain amount of starch similar to sago 9 References edit Sphaeropteris medullaris G Forst Bernh Plants of the World Online Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Retrieved 2019 08 23 a b Hassler Michael amp Schmitt Bernd June 2019 Sphaeropteris medullaris Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World Vol 8 Retrieved 2019 08 23 Brownsey P J Smith Dodsworth J C 1989 New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants David Bateman Ltd p 87 ISBN 1 86953 003 9 Large Mark F Braggins John E 2004 Tree Ferns Timber Press p 222 ISBN 0881926302 Crookes Marguerite M A Dobbie H B 1973 New Zealand Ferns 6th ed Christchurch Whitcomb amp Tombs p 134 a b Cyathea medullaris New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Retrieved 2010 10 04 a b c Cyathea medullaris G Forst Sw 1801 Nga Tipu o Aotearoa New Zealand Plants Retrieved 2008 05 02 AGM Plants July 2021 c RHS ORNAMENTAL PDF The Royal Horticultural Society Retrieved 21 December 2021 J H Maiden 1889 The useful native plants of Australia Including Tasmania Turner and Henderson Sydney Bibliography editC Michael Hogan 2010 Fern Encyclopedia of Earth eds Saikat Basu and C Cleveland National Council for Science and the Environment Washington DC nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sphaeropteris medullaris Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sphaeropteris medullaris amp oldid 1139864071, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
