Zealandia novae-zealandiae
Common names
mountain hound’s tongue fern
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Ferns
Detailed description
Rhizomes long creeping, 5–10 mm diameter, covered in erect, orange-brown (rust-coloured) hyaline scales. Stipes 100–300 mm long, pale brown, wiry and pliant. Frond lamina pinnate, 100–1200 × 70–350 mm, dark green or yellow green, upper surface glossy, undersides dull and paler in colour, ovate, coriaceous, more or less glabrous. Pinnae in 3–30 pairs, 70–180 × 5–15 mm, long tapering to obtuse or subacute apices, bases adnate, margins smooth or undulose. Sori conspicuous, orange, positioned near margins of pinna.
Similar taxa
Readily distinguished from Dendroconche scandens and Zealandia pustulata subsp. pustulata by its restriction to North Island montane cloud forests; larger, narrower, non-fragrant fronds, and by the distinctive erect, orange-brown, hyaline rhizome scales. The genus Zealandia differs from Dendroconche by the usually pruinose rhizomes and holoepiphtic rather than hemiepiphytic growth habit, absence of laterally inserted climbing roots and sori which are deeply impressed in the lamina (Testo et al. 2019).
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island from about Maumaupaki (Camels Hump) and Table Mountain (Kauaeranga Valley) and Mt Karioi south to the southern Tararua Ranges.
Habitat
An epiphytic species of montane to subalpine (600–1400 m a.s.l.) cloud forest and scrub. Very rarely found growing on rocks or logs on the forest floor.
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.
- 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
Threats
Not Threatened. A fairly widespread endemic of upper montane and cloud forests. It can be locally very common.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Phymatosorus novae-zealandiae (Baker) Pic. Serm.; Phymatodes novae-zealandiae (Barker) Pic. Serm.; Polypodium novae-zealandiae Baker in Hook.; Microsorum novae-zealandiae (Baker) Copel.; Lecanopteris novae-zelandiae (Baker) Perrie & Brownsey
Taxonomic notes
The treatment of Testo et al. (2019) in which the New Zealand ferns previously treated by New Zealand authors as Microsorum (see Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth 2000) are segregated into two genera, Dendroconche and Zealandia is followed here.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
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]
UPL: Obligate Upland
Rarely is a hydrophyte, almost always in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
novae-zealandiae: Of New Zealand
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.
MICNOV
Chromosome number
2n = 74
Previous conservation statuses
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.
- 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.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Sparse
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.
Testo WL, Field AR, Sessa EB, Sundue M. 2019. Phylogenetic and morphological analyses support the resurrection of Dendroconche and the recognition of two new genera in Polypodiaceae Subfamily Microsoroideae. Systematic Botany 44(4): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364419X15650157948607.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (9 January 2005). Description adapted from Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Zealandia novae-zealandiae Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/zealandia-novae-zealandiae/ (Date website was queried)