Dicksonia fibrosa
| Dicksonia fibrosa | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Cyatheales |
| Family: | Dicksoniaceae |
| Genus: | Dicksonia |
| Species: | D. fibrosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Dicksonia fibrosa | |
Dicksonia fibrosa, the golden tree fern, whekī-ponga or kuripaka (in Māori) is a species of medium-sized tree fern native to New Zealand.
D. fibrosa has a thick, soft and fibrous rusty brown trunk. It holds on to its dead leaves producing a distinctive pale brown skirt, distinguishing it from the related Dicksonia squarrosa.[2] A slow-growing plant, similar to Dicksonia antarctica,[3] D. fibrosa can reach a height of 6 metres (20 ft). It requires winter protection in any area that is subject to winter frosts. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4][5]
Distribution
D. fibrosa can be found in the South Island, Stewart and Chatham Islands; also in the North Island, but is uncommon north of the Waikato River and Coromandel Peninsula.[6]
Human Use
Slabs cut from the thick stem of the whekī-ponga, alongside D. squarrosa, were used by Māori over 150 years ago in constructing the outside of houses, or lining underground storage spaces.[7]
References
- ^ Colenso, W. (1845) Tasmanian J. Nat. Sci. 2(8): 179
- ^ Andrew Crowe (1997). A Guide to the Identification of New Zealand Native Ferns. Auckland, New Zealand: Penguin Books. p. 11.
- ^ "Dicksonia antarctica comparison".
- ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Dicksonia fibrosa". Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 29. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ^ "Dicksonia fibrosa details". nzpcn.org.nz. New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ "Dicksonia fibrosa. Whekī-ponga. Tree fern". rauropiwhakaoranga.landcareresearch.co.nz. Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
External links
Data related to Dicksonia fibrosa at Wikispecies
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