Hymenophyllum villosum
Common names
hairy filmy fern
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Terrestrial or epiphytic fern forming dense patches on suitable substrates. Rhizomes long-creeping, slender. Frond dark green, strongly aromatic, scent somewhat sanguinely metallic (especially when dry). Stipes 20–90 mm long, slender; stipes, rachises and laminae copiously covered in hairs, narrowly winged for most of length, black, wing often zig-zagged in upper portion. Laminae 50–180–(240) × 20–100 mm, narrowly ovate, elliptic to narrowly elliptic-deltoid, 3–4-pinnate, glabrescent. Ultimate segments 0.25–0.75 mm wide, oblong, margins entire though usually undulose especially toward distal portion of frond. Sori on short branches in distal portion of frond, many borne on each primary pinna. Indusium narrowly ovoid to ellipsoid, abaxially smooth; indusial flaps entire; receptacle included. (Description adapted from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000)).
Similar taxa
Closely allied to Hymenophyllum sanguinolentum from which it differs by its smaller over all dimensions, more finely divided fronds with narrower ultimate segments; by the copiously hairy stipes, rachises and laminae; and by the abaxially smooth rather than crested surfaces of the indusia. In some parts of its range is can be found growing syntopically with Hymenophyllum sanguinolentum, whilst in other locations, like the Chatham Islands it grows in apparent isolation from H. sanguinolentum which is not known there.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island, South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands, Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku, Auckland Islands. From Te Moehau and Mt Pirongia south becoming more common in the southern North Island. Widespread through the remaining islands.
Habitat
Montane to subalpine in closed forest and subalpine scrub. Usually epiphytic, occasionally on rotting logs, mossy hummocks, rocks and cliff faces.
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
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Hymenophyllaceae
Synonyms
Mecodium villosum (Colenso) 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.
HYMVIL
Chromosome number
2n = 72
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened
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 (21 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 villosum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/hymenophyllum-villosum/ (Date website was queried)