Cyathea dealbata
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| Silver Fern | ||||||||||||||||
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 Frond, showing silver underside
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Secure
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| Cyathea dealbata (G. Forster) Swartz, 1801 |
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Cyathea dealbata, or the silver tree fern or silver fern (Kaponga or Ponga in the Māori language), is a species of medium-sized tree fern, endemic to New Zealand.[1]
This fern is known to grow to heights of 10 m or more (though it occasionally takes a rare creeping form). The crown is dense, and the fronds tend to be about 4 m long and have a silver-white colouration on the undersides. This distinctive silver colouration has made them useful for laying along tracks for night walking. The scales are a dark brown and are often twisted and glossy.
Arriving relatively late in New Zealand's history during the Pliocene epoch[2] (around 5 - 1.8 million years ago), the silver fern occurs on the main islands of New Zealand and on the Chatham Islands to the east, mostly in the subcanopy areas of drier forests and in open scrub. It is known to grow well in well-drained humus, and once established, it will tolerate drier conditions. It does best when sheltered from winds and should be protected from frost. It does not grow under the dense canopy of mature forests.
[edit] Silver fern in culture
- The silver fern is also used as an emblem on the clothing and marketing of many sports teams; it is used most famously as the logo of the All Blacks New Zealand Rugby Union team and the Black Caps New Zealand Cricket team.
- The Silver Ferns is the name of the New Zealand netball team, world champions in 2003 in Jamaica.
- The silver fern is also used in politics - it features on the logos of Jim Anderton's Progressive Party and United Future New Zealand.
- The Silver Fern is also the name of a passenger train.
- The koru symbol found in Māori art is said to be inspired by the shape of a young ponga frond.
- Silver fern leaves appear on the Coat of arms of New Zealand.
- Many alternative flags for New Zealand, such as the silver fern flag, use the Silver fern.
[edit] References
- ^ The Māori word ponga (IPA:'poŋa) has been borrowed into New Zealand English as a generic term for tree ferns. It is also used to refer to tree fern logs when used for landscaping purposes. English speakers generally pronounce the word as punga (IPA:'pʌŋə).
- ^ Parsons, Stuart; et al. (2006). Biology Aotearoa. Pearson Education New Zealand. ISBN 1 877268 00 3.
- Braggins, John E. & Large, Mark F. 2004. Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc., pp. 120-121. ISBN 0-88192-630-2
- The International Plant Names Index: Cyathea dealbata
