Lindsaea linearis
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Terrestrial, tufted fern. Rhizome short- to long-creeping, c. 0.6–1.0 mm diameter; scales to 2 mm long, golden brown. Fronds dimorphic. Stipes widely spaced 20–260 mm long in fertile fronds, shorter in sterile fronds, red-brown, purplish black or black. Lamina 50–250 × 5–15 mm long in fertile fronds shorter in sterile fronds, 1-pinnate, linear. Pinnules sessile to shortly stalked, gradually reduced towards apex, often more distant towards base. Sterile pinnules flabellate (asymmetrical of not) to diamond-shaped, to 6–10 × 3–6 mm wide, herbaceous; outer margin crenate or more deeply incised. Fertile pinnules flabellate to broadly cuneate, 3–5 × 4–7 mm, herbaceous to coriaceous; outer margin uneven. Veins free, 2–4× forked. Sori usually continuous; indusium 0.7–1.0 mm wide, not extending to margin, pale greenish, often strongly reflexed. Spores pale brown, smooth. (Description from Kramer & McCarthy (1998)).
Similar taxa
Easily distinguished from other Lindsaea species by the red-brown, purple-black to black stipes; dimorphic sterile/fertile narrowly pinnate fronds (the fertile fronds are typically erect and the sterile ones prostrate); and by the flabellate (fan-shaped) pinnae.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, North Island (common from North Cape south to the Bay of Plenty, local south of here until Wellington where it is common), South Island (locally common in North-west Nelson, otherwise scarce), Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands (abundant on Chatham Island (Rēkohu)). Also Australia and New Caledonia.
Habitat
Coastal to lower montane. Usually in open ground (especially in gumland and pakihi), on clay pans, under light scrub and on the margins of bogs and swamps.
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: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Lindsaeaceae
Synonyms
Lindsaea linearis var. trilobata (Colenso) C.Chr.; Adiantum lineare (Sw.) Poir.; Lindsaea lunata Willd.; Lindsaea trilobata Colenso
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Not applicable—spore producing
Fruiting
Not applicable—spore producing
Propagation technique
Difficult—should not be removed from the wild
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]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Etymology
lindsaea: Named after John Lindsay, 19th century British surgeon who discovered fern spore
linearis: Linear (leaves)
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.
LINLIN
Chromosome number
2n = 68
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Kramer KU, McCarthy PM. 1998. Lindsaeaceae. Flora of Australia 48: 228–240.
Kramer KU, McCarthy PM. 1998. Lindsaeaceae. Flora of Australia 48, Ferns Gymnosperms and allied groups: 228–240. ABRS/CSIRO Victoria, Australia.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by: P.J. de Lange (Updated 4 May 2011)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Lindsaea linearis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lindsaea-linearis/ (Date website was queried)