Hypolepis rufobarbata
Synonyms
Polypodium punctatum var. rugosulum sensu G.M.Thomson; Polypodium rufobarbatum Colenso; Polypodium rugosulum sensu Hook.f.; Polypodium viscidum Colenso; Dryopteris punctata sensu Cheeseman; Hypolepis rugosula sensu Dobbie; Polypodium punctatum sensu Cheeseman
Family
Dennstaedtiaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Ferns
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.
HYPRUF
Chromosome number
2n = 104
Current conservation status
The threat classification status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: EF
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands. Scarce on Chatham Island.
Habitat
Coastal to montane. Usually in wet forest and wet, open, often peaty ground. Also on exposed though damp clay banks, along stream sides or on rotten logs, in scrub, along bush margins or in plantation forestry
Features
Rhizome long-creeping, 1–2 mm diam., covered in dark red-brown hairs up to 4 mm long, giving rise to stipes at intervals of 20–80 mm. Stipes 45–300 mm long, 0.7–2.5(–3.0) mm diam., dark purple-red to red-brown, bearing abundant red-brown eglandular hairs (to 3 mm long) and shorter red-brown glandular hairs. Laminae narrowly ovate to ovate, (60–)150–550(–650) × (20)–50–250 mm, pinnate or bipinnate at apex, tripinnate at base (occasionally bipinnate in very small specimens). Rachis red-brown at base becoming pale yellow-brown only near apex, densely covered in red-brown hairs of various lengths with some widely-spaced eglandular hairs up to 3 mm long but the majority shorter (< 1 mm) and either glandular or eglandular. Primary pinnae in 17-25 pairs + pinnatifid apex, opposite or subopposite, the lower arising at (30–)40–70(–90)°, upper ones at nearly 90°, longest ones below middle 25–190 mm; lowest pairs 35-120 mm apart, middle ones 10-50 mm; upper ones parallel sided or narrowly ovate, lower ovate or triangular. Secondary pinnae ovate or narrowly ovate, longest 8–40 × 4–17 mm, those on the lower pinnae decreasing markedly in length along the pinnae. Tertiary pinnae 3–8 × 1.5–5.0 mm, slightly incised, bearing 1–3 pairs sori (deeply incised in very large specimens). Veins reaching the margin at a tooth apex. Hairs, brown, bristly (mostly 0.25-0.5 mm) abundant on margins and both surfaces (especially upper) of lamina (often rather pale in young specimens), interspersed with pale glandular and eglandular hairs on lamina undersurface (few also on top surface); pinna midribs similar to rachis with longer red-brown bristly hairs and some red-brown short glandular and non-glandular hairs. Sori in pairs on ultimate pinnules, originating away from margin, unprotected. Spores pale brown.
Similar taxa
Most likely to be confused with Hypolepis amaurorachis and H. lactea. From Hypolepis amaurorachis it is best separated by the lamina margins of the fronds which bear numerous red-brown (rarely colourless) bristly, eglandular hairs. The lamina hairs of H. amaurorachis are glandular rather than bristly, but otherwise both species are superficially very similar, and as they appear to be hybridise, arriving at an accurate identification is not always easy. From H. lactea, H. rufobarbata is distinguished by its narrowly ovate to ovate fronds covered in bristly red-brown, eglandular hairs. The fronds of H. lactea are deltoid, and covered in glandular hairs, these often burst leaving milky white exude on the frond surfaces (hence the species epithet “lactea”).
Flowering
Not Applicable - Spore Producing
Flower colours
No flowers
Fruiting
Not Applicable - Spore Producing
Life cycle
Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Often difficult though once established usually thrives. Best grown from fresh spores. Prefers an open, but shady, deep, damp, peaty soil.
Etymology
hypolepis: From the greek hypo (under) and lepis (scale), referring to the position of the sori on the ferns
rufobarbata: Red bearded; from the Latin rufus and barba; reddish hairs on its leaves and leaf stalks
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (7 November 2012). Description from Brownsey & Chinnock (1984).
References and further reading
Brownsey, P.J.; Chinnock, R.J. 1984: A Taxonomic revision of the New Zealand species of Hypolepis. New Zealand Journal of Botany 22: 43-80.
Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Hypolepis rufobarbata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/hypolepis-rufobarbata/ (Date website was queried)