Dicksonia fibrosa
Species of fern
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dicksonia fibrosa, the golden tree fern, whekī-ponga, wheki-kōnga,[3] or kurīpākā (in Māori) is a species of medium-sized tree fern native to New Zealand. It is similar to the related Dicksonia antarctica in that it is slow-growing and can withstand sub-zero temperatures.[4][5]
| 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 | |
Etymology and taxonomy
Dicksonia fibrosa Colenso in Hooker, Sp. Fil. 1, 68 (1844) was originally collected by Colenso, but was inadvertently described by Hooker.[6] Dicksonia refers to James Dickson. fibrosa refers to the fibrous trunk.[3]
D. fibrosa is known by the names kuranui-pākā, kurīpākā, pūnui, tūkirunga, wekī, whekī, wheki-ponga, whekī-kōhunga, wheki-kohoonga, or whekī-ponga in Māori.[7]
Description
D. fibrosa has a thick, soft and fibrous rusty brown trunk. According to Large & Braggins, the trunk can be up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in diameter.[4] It holds on to its dead leaves producing a distinctive pale brown skirt, distinguishing it from the related Dicksonia squarrosa.[8] A slow-growing plant, similar to Dicksonia antarctica,[9] D. fibrosa can reach a height of 6 metres (20 ft). It requires winter protection in any area that is subject to winter frosts. A local race or variety of D. fibrosa found to the region of Tauranga regularly branches dichotomously producing as many as nineteen forks.[10]
Distribution and habitat
D. fibrosa can be found in the South Island, Chatham Islands, and in the North Island, but is uncommon north of the Waikato River and Coromandel Peninsula.[3] It is rare on Stewart Island.[6]
It is now naturalised in the Auckland area, and on Hawaiʻi.[6]
D. fibrosa inhabits coastal and montane areas. It extends up to 1100 m in elevation in Kaweka and Ruahine ranges of the North Island, but only to around 400 m in Marlborough.[6]
D. fibrosa prefers wet areas and gulleys, under full forest cover, particularly podocarp, southern beech or broadleaf forests.[6][3]
It is quite cold-hardy and can be found in many temperate regions that experience sub-zero temperatures.[5]
Ecology
D. fibrosa is a long-lived species, up to 250 years. They are important for nutrient cycling, as well as for influencing the light locally where they can shade-out light-loving species. Their stems can also provide locations for epiphytes.[7] The species is also a host for many species of fungi.[11]
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.[12]
It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[13][14]
