Adiantum fulvum
Common names
maidenhair
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Tufted, terrestrial fern. Rhizomes short-creeping, c. 1.5–2.0 mm diameter. Fronds spreading, dark green, concolorous, to 500 mm long. Stipe to 150 mm long, clad in short setose hairs. Lamina 150–350 × 100–250 mm, ovate to broadly ovate, 2–3-pinnate at base and 1-pinnate above; rachises flexuous, glossy, covered in short setose hairs. Pinnules attached by a short stalk on one corner, oblong to oblong falcate, curved acroscopically at apices, distal margins irregularly lobed, proximal margins smooth, adaxially glabrous, abaxially covered in sparse to dense short, setose hairs. Sori 1–7–(10) along distal margins, one per lobe; soral flaps subreniform to reniform, glabrous, ± immersed in the lobe.
Similar taxa
Easily confused with Adiantum cunninghamii with which it sometimes grows and from which it differs by its dark green rather than glaucescent fronds, and by the hairy stipes, rachises and undersides of the pinnules. Adiantum viridescens is also superficially similar it can be distinguished from A. fulvum by the narrower often sickle-shaped, shiny, dark green, glabrous pinnules.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island, South Island, Chatham Islands. From Te Paki south to the Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay thence rather local reaching a southern limit on Banks Peninsula.
Habitat
Coastal to lower montane in closed forest on clay banks, amongst boulders, along stream sides and in moderately open sites on the forest floor.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Threats
Not Threatened but often rather uncommon over large parts of its range.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Pteridaceae
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Life cycle
Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al. 2009).
Propagation technique
Slow but once established easy. Flourishes in deep shade, planted in a moist, well drained, fertile soil. Best grown from spores which must be sown fresh. Spores may take several years to produce plants.
Other information
Etymology
adiantum: From the Greek a- ‘without, lacking’ and diantos ‘moistened’, the fronds of this fern are supposed to remain dry after submersion in water
fulvum: Tawny yellow
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
ADIFUL
Chromosome number
2n = 116
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
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.
Attribution
Fact Sheet including description prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (Updated 4 May 2011).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Adiantum fulvum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/adiantum-fulvum/ (Date website was queried)