Sphaeropteris cooperi
NPPA pest plant
Environmental Weed (2024)
Common names
tree fern
Biostatus
Exotic
Conservation status
Not applicable
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Cyathea cooperi (F.Muell.) Domin
Taxonomic notes
Currently it is unclear if the tree fern attributed to Sphaeropteris cooperi in New Zealand is that species or the Norfolk Island Sphaeropteris excelsa (Cyathea brownii), or if both species are present here (both have been cultivated in New Zealand in the past, and so naturalisation from either of them is now possible). For the time being the name used here for naturalised occurrences accords with that accepted by the N.Z. eFlora (Brownsey & Perrie 2015).
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Year naturalised
1993
Origin
Australia
Life cycle and dispersal
Hard to distinguish from natives, there is a possibility that it might hybridise.
Other information
National Pest Plant Accord species
This plant is listed in the 2020 National Pest Plant Accord. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is an agreement to prevent the sale and/or distribution of specified pest plants where either formal or casual horticultural trade is the most significant way of spreading the plant in New Zealand. For up to date information and an electronic copy of the 2020 Pest Plant Accord manual (including plant information and images) visit the MPI website.
Environmental Weed (2024)
This plant is named in a list of 386 environmental weeds in New Zealand 2024 prepared by DOC. 759 candidate species were considered for inclusion on this new comprehensive list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. The species considered were drawn from published lists of weed species, lists of plants that must be reported or managed by law if observed, existing national and regional programmes and agreements for pest management, and species already managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Candidate species were then assessed to see if they were fully naturalised and whether they have more than minor impacts in natural ecosystems. Read the full report here.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Brownsey PJ, Perrie LR. 2015. Cyatheaceae. In: Breitwieser I, Heenan PB, Wilton AD. Flora of New Zealand - Ferns and Lycophytes. Fascicle 13. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, NZ.
https://doi.org/10.7931/B10595.
Gardner R. 1994. Cyathea cooperi naturalised in Auckland. Auckland Botanical Society Journal 49: 43–44.