Polyphlebium endlicherianum
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Terrestrial (rarely epiphytic) fern forming dense carpets on suitable substrates. Rhizomes c. 0.1 mm diameter, long-creeping; hairs dense short, red-brown. Fronds 13–40(–100) mm long, dark green. Stipes widely spaced, 3–13(–25) mm long, winged almost to the base. Rachises winged. Lamina 11–40(–80) × 5–15(–25) m, narrowly ovate to linear, deeply 2–3-pinnatifid; ultimate segments 0.5–0.7 mm wide; margins entire; marginal cells clear, elongate, with oblique end walls; apices obtuse, often notched; false veins absent. Sori immersed in short, basal acroscopic segments of the pinnae; involucre funnelform, 1.5–2.0 × 1.0–1.5 mm wide, winged; mouth dilated, entire; receptacle exserted up to 4 mm beyond mouth.
Similar taxa
Of the New Zealand species, Polyphlebium endlicherianum is most likely to be confused with P. colensoi, which is a much less common plant of montane forested habitats. Polyphlebium colensoi differs from P. endlicherianum by its more widely spaced pinnae, the lack of a wing on the stipes or rachises, finely divided fronds and stalked (pedunuculate) indusia. From P. endlicherianum the New Zealand form of Abrodictyum caudatum differs by its deltoid frond and by the lobed involucre of the fruiting receptacle and by its epiphytic habit. Polyphlebium venosum is easily distinguished from both these species by its conspicuously veined pinnae.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: Kermadec (Raoul Island), Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, North Island, South Island, Chatham Islands. Common in the North Island but scarce over much of the South Island part of its range. Also Australia, Borneo, New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and Norfolk Island (the type locality).
Habitat
Coastal to montane but most common in lowland closed forest. Usually found growing along streams sides in deeply shaded sites on rocks, overhangs and in crevices. Because of this habitat preference it is very easily overlooked.
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
Hymenophyllaceae
Synonyms
Trichomanes endlicherianum C.Presl; Crepidomanes endlicherianum (C.Presl) P.S. Green; Crepidopteris endlicheriana (C. Presl) Copel.; Trichomanes humile sensu Hook.f.; Reediella endlicheriana (C.Presl) Pic.Serm.;
Taxonomic notes
NZPCN now follows Ebihara et al. (2006) in recognising Polyphlebium as distinct from Trichomanes. Although Brownsey & Perrie (2016) rejected this idea, the generic segregation was adopted by the PPG I (2016) and is now widely followed throughout the world.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Propagation technique
Difficult—should not be removed from the wild.
Other information
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.
POLEND
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Bostock PD, Spokes TM. 1998. Hymenophyllaceae. Flora of Australia 48, Ferns Gymnosperms and allied groups: 116–148. ABRS/CSIRO Victoria, Australia.
Brownsey PJ, Perrie LR. 2016. Hymenophyllaceae. In: Breitwieser I, Heenan PB, Wilton AD. Flora of New Zealand - Ferns and Lycophytes. Fascicle 15. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, NZ. https://doi.org/10.7931/B1QP4Z.
Ebihara A, Dubuisson, J-Y, Iwatsuki K, Hennequin S, Ito M. 2006. A taxonomic revision of the Hymenophyllaceae. Blumea 51: 2–57. https://doi.org/10.3767/000651906X622210.
PPG 1: The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group 2016. A community-derived classification for extant lycophytes and ferns. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 54: 563–603. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12229.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (23 April 2011). Description adapted from Bostock & Spokes (1998).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Polyphlebium endlicherianum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/polyphlebium-endlicherianum/ (Date website was queried)