Hymenophyllum rufescens
Common names
filmy fern
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Terrestrial or low epiphytic fern forming diffuse creeping patches. Rhizomes long-creeping, thin, rather brittle. Fronds somewhat reddish yellow-green to red-green or dark red-green. Stipes 10–800 mm long, thin, brittle, not winged, bearing long, pale red-brown to brown unbranched hairs; rachises very narrowly winged in upper portion. Laminae 10–50 × 1–50 mm, deltoid, 1–(2)-pinnate, adaxially and abaxially bearing long pale red-brown, brown or reddish white curly hairs (these increasing in density toward laminae base and rachis). Pinnae deltoid-flabellate, flabellate, margins smooth. Sori terminating ultimate segments, slightly sunk in lamina, several on each primary pinna. Indusial flaps entire or minutely toothed.
Similar taxa
Allied to Hymenophyllum flabellatum from which it differs by its smaller size, and strongly deltoid fronds whose surfaces are covered in curly usually reddish hairs. The stipes of H. rufescens are generally as long as or longer than the frond laminae. Intermediates between H. rufescens and H. flabellatum occur and these could be hybrids.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand. North Island (from Te Moehau and Mt Pirongia south but often rather uncommon), South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Habitat
Lowland to subalpine. Strictly montane to subalpine in the North Island but descending to almost sea level in the western South Island. Usually a low epiphyte on tree trunks where it is commonly found in tree root caves or on overhanging tree roots. Also in holes on rotting logs, or on damp rock faces, overhangs or amongst boulders. Occasionally sympatric with H. flabellatum with which it appears to hybridise.
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 | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
Threats
Not Threatened but not that common and biologically sparse so possibly worthy of listing as “At Risk/Naturally Uncommon”
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Hymenophyllaceae
Synonyms
Mecodium rufescens (Kirk) Copel.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Difficult—should not be removed from the wild
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Etymology
hymenophyllum: Membranous leaf, from the Greek humen and phullon
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.
HYMRUF
Chromosome number
2n = 44
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DP
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Brownsey PJ, Smith-Dodsworth JC. 2000. New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. David Bateman, Auckland, NZ. 168 p.
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 (20 April 2011). Description adapted from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Hymenophyllum rufescens Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/hymenophyllum-rufescens/ (Date website was queried)