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Silver fern

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Cyathea dealbata)
For other uses, see Silver fern (disambiguation).

Silver fern
The silver-white underside of a much divided compound leaf. The main stem at the bottom of the image is quite thick and green-brown under the white coating. A smaller division, called a pinnae for its resemblance to a feather, is centered in the photograph. Even smaller pinnae are attached alternately to either side of the leaf stem, each with numerous leaflets, classic fern frond. Behind the upturned leaf there is a background of more fern leaves and an unfurling fiddlehead of a new leaf that is still quite brown and fuzzy.
Frond, showing the silver-white underside

Not Threatened (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Alsophila
Species:
A. dealbata
Binomial name
Alsophila dealbata
Synonyms

[1]

  • Alsophila tricolor (Colenso) R.M.Tryon
  • Cyathea dealbata (G.Forst.) Sw.
  • Cyathea falciloba (Colenso) Domin
  • Cyathea tricolor Colenso
  • Hemitelia falciloba Colenso
  • Polypodium dealbatum G.Forst.

Alsophila dealbata (synonyms Alsophila tricolor and Cyathea dealbata), commonly known as the silver fern[2] or silver tree-fern,[3] or as ponga /ˈpɒŋə/ or punga /ˈpʌŋə/ (from Māori kaponga or ponga), is a species of medium-sized tree fern, endemic to New Zealand. The fern is usually recognisable by the silver-white colour of the under-surface of mature fronds. It is a symbol commonly associated with the country both overseas and by New Zealanders themselves.

Description

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This fern is known to grow to heights of 10 metres (33 ft) or more (though it occasionally takes a rare creeping form).[4] The crown is dense, and mature fronds can be as much as 3 metres (9.8 ft) long and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) wide with a silver-white colouration on the undersides. The fronds may be bipinnately compound or tripinnate. The underside colouration is less intensely silvery or patchy in younger plants and juveniles are pale green.[5] This distinctive silver colouration has made them useful for laying along tracks for night walking. The scales are a dark brown and are often twisted and glossy.[4] Rhizomes very rarely prostrate, usually erect, forming a woody trunk up to 12 metres (39 ft) tall, 160 to 450 millimetres (6.3 to 17.7 in) in diameter, covered in light brown or white projecting stipe bases, bearing scales near the apex.[6]

  • Herbarium specimen
    Herbarium specimen
  • A sunlit silver fern
    A sunlit silver fern
  • Silver fern in the subcanopy of a forest
    Silver fern in the subcanopy of a forest
  • Trunk
    Trunk
  • A koru, or silver fern fiddlehead
    A koru, or silver fern fiddlehead
  • Higher section of a trunk, where older fronds have fallen
    Higher section of a trunk, where older fronds have fallen

Taxonomy

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The species was first formally described in 1786 by German naturalist Georg Forster in the book Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus, who used the name Polypodium dealbatum.[7] The species was moved to the genus Cyathea by Olof Swartz in 1801, leading to the scienfici name Cyathea dealbata.[8] The species was moved to the genus Alsophila in 1970 by Rolla M. Tryon Jr., who used the name Alsophila tricolor, citing William Colenso's 1883 description of Cyathea tricolor, which Colenso believed was a species distinct from Cyathea dealbata.[9][10]

The current preferred scientific name is disputed, with Plants of the World Online, New Zealand Plant Conservation Network, and the Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World Version 25.06 preferring Alsophila dealbata,[11][12][13] Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research preferring Cyathea dealbata[14] and World Flora Online preferring Alsophila tricolor.[15] The name Alsophila tricolor was considered the correct scientific name for the species, due to the species epithet dealbata being preoccupied in the genus by a species described in 1848 by Carl Borivoj Presl, now considered a synonym of Sphaeropteris glauca. In 2025 it was shown that the silver fern has priority to use this name over the species Presl described, due to a reference made by August Carl Joseph Corda to the species in 1838, making Presl's use an illegitimate later homonym.[12]

Etymology

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The species epithet dealbata means whitish, and refers to the underside of the fronds.[16] The Māori word ponga, pronounced [ˈpɔŋa], is a term used across Polynesian languages to describe tree ferns,[16] such as Sphaeropteris lunulata in Tongan and Samoan or Angiopteris evecta in Samoan.[17] It has been borrowed into New Zealand English using both the spelling ponga and punga,[16] and is used as a generic term for tree ferns, and to refer to tree fern logs when used for landscaping purposes.[citation needed] English speakers generally pronounce the word /ˈpʌŋə/ PUNG-ə.[citation needed] Other Māori language names for the plant include kaponga, kātote,[18] or poka in southern dialects.[19]

Habitat

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Arriving relatively late in New Zealand's history during the Pliocene epoch[20] (around 5.0–1.8 million years ago), the silver fern occurs on the main islands of New Zealand—although absent from the west and south regions of the South Island,[21] on the Chatham Islands to the east, and is also native to Lord Howe Island.[1] It has also become naturalised in Ireland.[22] Its primary habitat is subcanopy areas of drier forests and in open scrub, although it is occasionally found on bush margins and in more open areas, and has been recorded from amongst rushes in a dune slack.

The fern is known to grow well in well-drained humus, and once established, it will tolerate drier conditions.[23] It does best when sheltered from winds and should be protected from frost. Evidence of large amount of macro-charcoals in the top layers of soil suggest that Alsophila tricolor establishes itself in areas where anthropogenic fires occur.

Traditional Māori culture

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In traditional Māori culture, ponga is seen as a symbol new life and growth. Ponga trunks were often used in the construction of whare, walls and palisades.[16] The koru symbol, which depicts the shape of an unfurling silver fern frond, is found extensively in Māori art, including in designs of carvings, marae and tā moko,[16][24] Pūrākau (traditional stories) involve the silver fern once living in the sea, and that hunters at night time would use the white underside of fern fronds to mark a path home in the darkness, as the undersides could easily catch moonlight.[25][16]

Modern uses

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Ponga logs are widely used in landscaping in New Zealand, used to create retaining walls and edging for gardens.[16]

As a symbol of New Zealand

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Koru or unfurling frond of silver fern

The silver fern is one of the most widely recognised symbols of New Zealand.[16][26] The first use of the silver fern as a symbol representing New Zealand was during the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team tour of Britain,[27] after which the symbol came to be used on dairy products exported from New Zealand to the United Kingdom.[16]

The silver fern was used as an identified by the New Zealand Army during the Second Boer War. Since then, the silver fern has been used by the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during both world wars, and all Commonwealth war graves of fallen New Zealand soldiers have the silver fern engraved on their tombstones.[21] During the 1956 Suez Crisis, Egyptians took exception to New Zealand and Canadian peacekeepers having the Union Flag on their uniforms. Canadian troops wore the Maple Leaf whereas the New Zealand contingent wore a silver fern symbol. New Zealand peacekeepers have since used both the silver fern and kiwi symbols for different deployments to differentiate from their Australian and British counterparts.[citation needed] Additionally, several British Army units wear the silver fern, normally as a battle honour granted for serving with New Zealand troops. For example, the Queen’s Royal Hussars, the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry and the Warwickshire Yeomanry, all of whom fought with 2nd New Zealand Division at the Second Battle of El Alamein.

The silver fern has long been used on dairy products, including the logo of New Zealand Natural, and was trademarked as early as 1885.[citation needed] It is a logo for many other organisations, such as (heavily stylised) the rail operator KiwiRail. The Silver Fern is also the name of a class of railcar.[28]

Silver fern fronds appear on the coat of arms of New Zealand.[29] Some alternative flags for New Zealand, such as the silver fern flag, utilise the fern. The official proposal of the 2015–2016 New Zealand flag referendums featured the silver fern.[30] The silver fern is also used extensively within politics and printed material, such as the logo of the New Zealand Labour Party.[31]

The koru is part of the design of the Māori flag, and is used in a stylised form as the logo for national airline Air New Zealand.[32] Its circular shape conveys the idea of perpetual movement, and its inward coil suggests a return to the point of origin.[24]

Use in sport

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The silver fern has been used as a symbol by New Zealand national sports teams, in various stylised forms, since it was first worn by players in the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team which toured Britain.[27] "Silver Ferns" is the name of the national netball team, and most other national women's sports teams have nicknames based on the term "Ferns", such as Black Ferns (women's rugby union), Tall Ferns (women's basketball) and Football Ferns (women's association football).[26]

National sport teams using the silver fern include:

The silver fern is also extensively used as part of the official symbols of New Zealand Olympics teams.[33]

In 1991, the New Zealand Rugby Football Union obtained trade marks for the name "All Blacks" and its own stylised fern, however the scope of the application was broader because they sought to register any 'fern'. In 2005, after a legal case lasting four years, the union failed in its bid to stop anyone else using any fern logo on any black jersey.[34]

References

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  1. ^ a b Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019). "Alsophila dealbata". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Vol. 8. Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  2. ^ Brownsey, Patrick (24 September 2007). "Ferns and lycophytes – Ferns and lycophytes in New Zealand". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  3. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  4. ^ a b Large, Mark F.; Braggins, John E. (2004). Tree Ferns. Timber Press, Inc. pp. 120–121. ISBN 0-88192-630-2.
  5. ^ Allan, Harry H. (2024) [1961]. "Cyathea dealbata (G.Forst.) Sw". Flora of New Zealand Series. Lincoln, New Zealand: Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. ISBN 978-0-477-01056-6. OCLC 59242307. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  6. ^ "Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Cyathea dealbata". www.nzflora.info. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Polypodium dealbatum G.Forst". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  8. ^ Swartz, O. (1801). "Genera et species filicum ordine systematico redactarum, adiectis synonymis et iconibus selectis, nec non speciebus recenter detectis, et demum plurimis dubiosis, ulterius investigandis". Journal für die Botanik (Schrader). 1800 (2): 94.
  9. ^ Tryon, Rolla (1970). "The classification of the Cyatheaceae". Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University. 200: 3–53. ISSN 0195-6094. JSTOR 41764693. Wikidata Q94389203.
  10. ^ Colenso, W. (1883). "A Description of four new Ferns from our New Zealand Forests". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 15: 304–310. ISSN 1176-6166. Wikidata Q135147203.
  11. ^ "Alsophila dealbata (G.Forst.) Corda". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  12. ^ a b de Lange, P. J. "Alsophila dealbata Fact Sheet". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Alsophila dealbata (G.Forst.) C.Presl". GBIF. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Cyathea dealbata (G.Forst.) Sw". NZ Flora. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Alsophila tricolor (Colenso) R.M.Tryon". World Flora Online. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i Vennell, Robert (2019). The Meaning of Trees. Auckland: HarperCollins UK. pp. 148–151. ISBN 978-1-77554-130-1. LCCN 2019403535. OCLC 1088638115. OL 28714658M. Wikidata Q118646408.
  17. ^ Benton, R. A. "*Ponga [Proto Polynesian]". Te Māra Reo. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  18. ^ Benton, R. A. "Ponga". Te Māra Reo. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Cyathea dealbata. Ponga. Silver fern". Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  20. ^ Parsons, Stuart; et al. (2006). Biology Aotearoa. Pearson Education New Zealand. ISBN 1-877268-00-3.
  21. ^ a b "The significance of the silver fern". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ. 6 June 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  22. ^ "Alsophila tricolor (Colenso) R.M.Tryon". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  23. ^ de Lange, P. J. (March 2004). "Cyathea dealbata | New Zealand Plant Conservation Network". www.nzpcn.org.nz. Archived from the original on 2019-12-23. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
  24. ^ a b Walrond, Carl. "The koru". Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  25. ^ "New Zealand icon: Silver fern". TNZ Media. Archived from the original on 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  26. ^ a b "Government and nation – National animal and flower". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 3 March 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  27. ^ a b Wilson, John (16 September 2016). "Nation and government – Nationhood and identity". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  28. ^ "Silver Fern railcar". NZHistory. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 16 October 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  29. ^ Levine, Stephen (12 June 2012). "Coat of arms – Coat of arms overview". e Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  30. ^ "NZ confirms flag referendum candidate". BBC News. 15 December 2015. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  31. ^ "Register of Political Parties". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  32. ^ Wedde, Ian (2005). Making Ends Meet: Essays and Talks, 1992–2004. Victoria University Press. p. 187. ISBN 9780864735034.
  33. ^ Strang, Ben. "The history of black: Why do Kiwi sports teams wear black and when did it start?". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  34. ^ "NZRU bid for silver fern rights thrown out". The New Zealand Herald. 14 December 2005. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

Further reading

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