Leptopteris superba
Common names
heruheru, crêpe fern, Prince of Wales feathers
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Trunks up to 1 m tall. Stipes 15–80 mm long, pale brown, woolly hairy, with ear-like lobes at base. Frond delicate, membranous, translucent, laminae elliptic, tapering equally to base and apex, 3-pinnate, 0.25–0.1 m long × 80–250 mm wide, dark emerald green, woolly hairy, veins free. Primary pinnae in 35–60 pairs, crowded, basal pinnae 5–10 mm long. Ultimate segments linear, sticking up at 90° to plane of frond. Sporangia scattered on underside of pinnae (not in discrete sori), though tending to be more abundant toward frond centre. (Description modified from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000)).
Similar taxa
Leptopteris hymenophylloides differs by its longer stipe, triangular frond, longer and broader pinnae, and by its ultimate lamina segments flattened in one plane. Where both species meet they commonly hybridise.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (from Waipoua Forest south but scarce north of Auckland), South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Habitat
Widespread in dense forest though it is mainly found in montane forest in the northern part of its range. it is especially luxuriant in areas of high rainfall reaching its greatest densities on the West Coast of the South Island
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
Osmundaceae
Synonyms
Todea superba Colenso; Osmunda superba (Colenso) J.B.Armstr.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
N.A.
Fruiting
N.A.
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute spores are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al. 2009).
Propagation technique
Rather difficult. Best results are obtained where specimens are planted in a shaded, cool, humid site in deep humus enriched soil. Plants must never be allowed to dry out. By and large this species is only suitable for specialist cultivation and it is probably best to admire it in the wild rather than to try and grow it.
Other information
Etymology
leptopteris: Thin fern; from the Greek leptos and pteris
superba: Superb
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.
LEPSUP
Chromosome number
2n = 44
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 10 March 2011. Description modified from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth 2000.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Leptopteris superba Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/leptopteris-superba/ (Date website was queried)