Hypolepis amaurorachis
Synonyms
Hypolepis subantarctica Brownsey et Chinnock; Polypodium rugosulum sensu Hook.f.; Polypodium viscidum sensu Hook.f.; Hypolepis rugosula sensu Dobbie; Hypolepis subantarctica Brownsey et Chinnock; Polypodium punctatum sensu Cheeseman; Cheilanthes amaurorachis Kunze; Dryopteris punctata sensu Cheeseman
Family
Dennstaedtiaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Ferns
Chromosome number
2n = 104
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, EF, SO, Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: EF, SO, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: SO, EF
2004 | Sparse
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: southern South Island (Catlins and Fiordland coastline), Rēkohu / Wharekauri / Chatham Island, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku. Australia: Victoria and Tasmania.
Habitat
A short-lived species favouring freshly disturbed ground in coastal habitats and lowland forest (Not far from the coast). Often frequenting the margins of seal haul outs, and sea bird colonies, also present along track sides. On Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku it grows where elephant seals congregate and also in and around tussock grasses in places kept open by the passage of seals and sea birds.
Detailed description
Rhizome long-creeping, 20–25 mm diam., covered in red-brown hairs. Stipes 70–230–(450) mm long, 1.0–3.5 mm diameter, dark red-brown, bearing abundant colourless or pale-brown glandular hairs up to 2 mm long. Laminae narrowly ovate to ovate, 150–550 × 100–350 mm, bipinnate at apex, tripinnate at base. Rachis dark red-brown at base becoming paler above and often green at apex, densely covered in colourless or pale-brown glandular hairs up to 1.5 mm long. Primary pinnae in 15–30 pairs + pinnatifid apex, opposite or alternate, lower arising at (20)–30–70°, upper ones at 70–90°, longest ones below the middle 50–200 × 20–90 mm; lowest pairs 30–100 mm apart, middle ones 15–50 mm apart; upper ones parallel-sided or narrowly ovate, lower ones ovate or narrowly ovate. Secondary pinnae ovate to ± parallel-sided, longest 5–45 × 10–20 mm, those on the lower pinnae decreasing markedly in length along the pinnae. Tertiary pinnae up to 6 × 10 mm, deeply incised reaching margin at a tooth apex. Hairs: colourless glandular hairs (0.3–0.7 mm on laminae, up to 1 mm on midribs) interspersed with a few bristly colourless hairs densely covering both surfaces of lamina, lamina margins, and pinna midribs and costae. Sori in 1–3 pairs on ultimate pinnules, originating away from margin, slightly protected by reflexed margins of pinnules. Spores pale brown, echinate.
Similar taxa
Most frequently confused with the hybrid Hypolepis ambigua × H. rufobarbata, which has a superficially similarity. However, this hybrid is sterile (the spores are aborted), and has much larger, coarser, dark green to reddish-green fronds that are scarcely as glandular hairy, and so less sticky. It could also be confused with H. lactea but that species has more strongly deltoid dark green fronds, darker rachises, and shorter, colourless glandular hairs on the fronds. These often rupture leaving a milky exudate covering the frond surfaces. Hypolepis amaurorhacis could also be confused with H. ambigua. However, that species has much larger, more coarsely divided non-glandular hairy fronds.
Flower colours
No flowers
Life cycle
Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Unknown. However, probably easily grown in a cool, peaty soil in full sun.
Threats
Hypolepis amaurorachis is a naturally uncommon, biological sparse species occupying freshly distrubed coastal and lowland habitats. It is probably short-lived and so transient, appearing in suitable habitats as and when the opportunity arise.
Etymology
hypolepis: From the greek hypo (under) and lepis (scale), referring to the position of the sori on the ferns
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (6 March 2008). Description from Brownsey & Chinnock (1984).
References and further reading
Brownsey PJ, Chinnock RJ. 1984. A Taxonomic revision of the New Zealand species of Hypolepis. New Zealand Journal of Botany 22(1): 43–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.1984.10425234.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Hypolepis amaurorachis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/hypolepis-amaurorachis/ (Date website was queried)