silver fern
Cyathea dealbata
The reflective silver underside of the fronds was used by Māori hunters and travelers to lay face-up on paths, catching moonlight to guide their way back home through the dark forest.
- Scientific name
- Cyathea dealbata
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Polypodiopsida › Cyatheales › Cyatheaceae › Cyathea
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Sub-canopy of temperate rainforests, scrublands, and forest margins.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (sunlight, water, and soil nutrients)
- Range
- New Zealand
- Size
- Trunk up to 10 meters (33 feet) tall; fronds 2 to 4 meters in length.
- Lifespan
- 80 to 100+ years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat clearance, forest degradation, and competition from invasive weed species.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless. You can safely touch the fronds, though the underside has a powdery silver coating that can rub off. Enjoy its beauty from a respectful distance to avoid damaging the delicate fronds, and do not harvest wild plants.
Cyathea dealbata , also known as the silver tree-fern or silver fern , or as ponga /ˈpɒŋə/ or punga /ˈpʌŋə/ (from Māori kaponga or ponga ), is a species of medium-sized tree fern, endemic to New Zealand. It is a symbol commonly associated with the country both overseas and by New Zealanders themselves.
Photo: Ian Armitage, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/787de3b3-f535-48c5-847c-0bd6acc4b83c.md