Gleichenia dicarpa
Common names
tangle fern, swamp umbrella fern
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Rhizome 1.5–3.0 mm diameter, at first bearing brown lanceolate ciliate scales. Fronds of 1–4 tiers of branches, 0.1–2.0 m or more long; lower tiers often branching, usually more than 150 mm wide. Stipes scattered along rhizomes, 0.6–0.95 m long, often bearing brown lanceolate ciliate scales; rachis bearing weak brown to white often matted stellate hairs and ciliate scales. Pinnules glabrous above or with scattered hairs along costa, with sparse or dense whitish to ferruginous scales along costa below; ultimate segments 0.8–1.5 mm long, 0.8–2.0 mm wide, more or less round, obtuse, flat or slightly convex above, pouched below; undersurface white, rarely green. Sori of 2 sporangia only. (Description adapted from Chinnock & Bell (1998)).
Similar taxa
Often confused with Gleichenia microphylla, which is a taller plant, with ultimate segments flattened, and distinctly triangular, which are abaxially green (never white), and which bear 2–4 sporangia. 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). Gleichenia inclusisora differs from G. dicarpa (with which it often grows) by the sori which are embedded up to ¾ of their depth into the undersides of the fronds, and also by the glossy rather than mostly dull upper frond surface.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand. North Island, South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chathams Islands. Also Australia, New Caledonia, Philippines, Borneo and Malaysia.
Habitat
Coastal to subalpine in poorly draining soils, clay pans and pakihi and peat bogs. In lowland peat bogs often forming dense, almost impenetrable masses hence the common name “tangle fern”.
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
Family
Synonyms
Gleichenia circinnata Sw.; Gleichenia dicarpa var. hecistophylla (A.Cunn.) G.Schneid.; Gleichenia semi-vestita var. hecistophylla (A.Cunn.) Hook.f.; Gleicheniastrum hecistophyllum var. majus (T.Moore) Nakai; Gleichenia circinnata var. hecistophylla (A.Cunn.) Hook.f.; Gleichenia dicarpa var. major T.Moore; Gleicheniastrum hecistophyllum (A.Cunn.) Nakai; Mertensia dicarpa (R.Br.) Poir.; Platyzoma dicarpum (R.Br.) Desv.; Calymella dicarpa (R.Br.) C.Presl; Calymella major Nakai; Gleichenia hecistophylla A.Cunn.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Not applicable—spore producing
Fruiting
Not applicable—spore producing
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al. 2009).
Propagation technique
Fickle. Probably best left alone. Transplants have sometimes been successfully grown in shaded conditions with plants planted in an acid, poorly drained soil. 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)
dicarpa: Two seeded; from the greek di and karpos; paired spore clusters
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.
GLEDIC
Chromosome number
2n = 40
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
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
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 “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Regionally Data Deficient
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Chinnock RJ, Bell GH. 1998. Gleicheniaceae. Flora of Australia 48, Ferns Gymnosperms and allied groups: 148–162. ABRS/CSIRO Victoria, Australia.
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.
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 prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (15 March 2011). Description adapted from Chinnock & Bell (1998).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Gleichenia dicarpa Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/gleichenia-dicarpa/ (Date website was queried)