Gleichenia alpina
Common names
alpine tangle fern
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Rhizome 0.8–2.0 diameter, at first with scattered appressed dark brown rounded prominently ciliate scales. Fronds of 1–8 tiers of branches, 100–220–(420) mm long, rarely more than 0.6 m wide, at first completely covered with red-brown scales, glabrescent; lower tiers often branched 1–3×. Stipes clustered along rhizomes, 40–420 mm long, initially bearing dark brown scales with long white matted ciliate margins, glabrescent, smooth; rachis and undersurfaces of upper branches with persistent, red-brown scales with paler ciliate margins, completely obscuring undersurface of pinnules. Pinnules with brown hairs along costae on upper side, with dense reddish scales at first completely obscuring the undersurface; ultimate segments 0.7–1.0 mm long, 0.6–1.1 mm wide,round, obtuse, strongly convex above, puched below; undersurface usually white. Sori of 2 sporangia.
Similar taxa
Gleichenia alpina is very similar to G. dicarpa from which it differs by its consistently smaller fronds (rarely > 60 mm wide, and rounded rather than lanceolate scales. Recently it has been shown that G. alpina is present in New Zealand, though its exact distribution is still unclear (Perrie et al. 2007; Perrie et al. 2012).
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North Island, South Island. Exact distribution still unclear but plants matching G. alpina are known from the Central Volcanic Plateau, Takaka, and Denniston Plateau, and plants sharing the same haplotype as limited sampling of Tasmanian G. alpina are known from Mt Somers (Perrie et al. 2007). Currently the status of G. alpina in New Zealand requires further study as some reduced forms of G. dicarpa can be easily confused with it.
Habitat
Lowland to alpine. In peat bogs, on the margins of tarns and in poor drained fellfield.
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.
- 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 | Qualifiers: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Mertensia alpina (R.Br.) Poir.; Platyzoma alpinum (R.Br.) Desv.; Calymella alpina (R.Br.) C.Presl, Gleichenia dicarpa var. alpina (R.Br.) Hook.f.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Not applicable—spore producing
Fruiting
Not applicable—spore producing
Propagation technique
Fickle. Probably best left alone. Transplants have been successfully grown when planted into a half peat and pumice mix within pots kept partially immersed in water. But results vary and plants tend to resent any root disturbance.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACW: Facultative Wetland
Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
gleichenia: After the German naturalist and plant physiologist Wilhelm Friedrich (Baron) von Gleichen (1717-1783)
alpina: From the Latin alpes ‘the Alps’, refers to plants growing in mountainous areas
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.
GLEALP
Previous conservation statuses
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.
- 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.
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Otago, 2025” Jarvie S et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Chinnock RJ, Bell, G.H. 1998. Gleicheniaceae. Flora of Australia 48, Ferns Gymnosperms and allied groups: 148–162. ABRS/CSIRO Victoria, Australia.
de Lange PJ, Rolfe JR. 2010. New Zealand indigenous vascular plant checklist. New Zealand Plant Conservation Network, Wellington, NZ. 131 p.
Perrie LR, Bayly MJ, Lehnebach CA, Brownsey PJ. 2007. Molecular phylogenetics and molecular dating of the New Zealand Gleicheniaceae. Brittonia 59(2): 129–141. https://doi.org/10.1663/0007-196X(2007)59[129:MPAMDO]2.0.CO;2
Perrie LR, Shephard LD, Brownsey PJ. 2012. Gleichenia inclusisora, a new and uncommon tangle fern from New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 50(4): 401–410. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2012.724015.
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (15 March 2011). Description adapted from Chinnock & Bell (1998).