Dicksonia

Australian Taschenfarn ( Dicksonia antarctica) in Nunniong, Australia

Dicksonia is a genus of tree ferns ( Cyatheales ). They are also called pocket ferns.

Features

Dicksonia are terrestrial growing, large tree-like ferns. Rhizome or stem axis are upright and wearing a tuft of fronds at the top. The shoot axis is a Diktyostele and is solidified by strong Sklerenchymbänder. Young sprout sections and the leaf bases are covered with long, fine hair. The stems of the fronds are short to medium in length. At the stem base three separate curved vascular bundles are present, which unite towards the tip. The leaf stem is increased on the upper leaf surface ( adaxial ). The leaf blade is three times pinnate or fiederlappig. The fertile pinnules are more lobed than the sterile.

The sori are round and are submarginal. They are protected by the recurved leaf blade ( false indusium ), and have a sack -shaped inner indusium. The spores are trilet, and of smooth or skulpturierter surface.

Dissemination

The genus occurs in tropical America, the Juan Fernández Islands, in front of Malaysia's, New Caledonia, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand. They grow in rainforests and humid mountain forests.

Culture

The starchy pith of the Australian tree fern was used by the natives of Tasmania as food. Dicksonia antarctica is a popular ornamental plant in frost-free areas of England, Cornwall, the U.S. and Japan. Here especially old specimens with tall trunks are preferred, which are removed from Australian forests, which has led to a threat to the species in the wild. Dicksonia antarctica is easy to reproduce, but this is economically unattractive because of the slow growth. In Tasmania, the taking of wild plants by the Forest Practices Authority is monitored and is subject to a management plan ( Tree Fern Management Plan ).

System

There are around 30 species:

  • Australian Taschenfarn ( Dicksonia antarctica Labill. ): Endemic to Australia, SE Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, southern Victoria and Tasmania
  • Dicksonia arborescens L' Hér.
  • Dicksonia archboldii Copel.
  • Dicksonia baudouinii E. Fourn.
  • Dicksonia berteroana ( Colla ) Hook.
  • Dicksonia blumei ( Kunze ) T. Moore
  • Dicksonia brackenridgei Mett.
  • Dicksonia domingensis Desv.
  • Dicksonia externa C. AD & Skottsb.
  • Felted Taschenfarn ( Dicksonia fibrosa Colenso ), Origin: New Zealand
  • Dicksonia grandis Rosenst.
  • Dicksonia herbertii W. Hill: endemic to Australia
  • Dicksonia Hieronymi shower
  • Dicksonia lanata Colenso
  • Dicksonia lanigera Holttum
  • Dicksonia mollis Holttum
  • Dicksonia Sciurus C. Chr
  • . Dicksonia sellowiana Hook, Origin: South America
  • New Zealand Taschenfarn ( Dicksonia squarrosa (G. Forst) Sw.. ), Origin: New Zealand
  • Dicksonia stuebelli Hieron.
  • Dicksonia thyrsopteroides Mett.
  • Dicksonia youngiae C. Moore ex Baker: endemic to Australia

Sources and further information

  • Australian National Herbarium
  • Entry in the Flora of Australia online
  • Walter Erhardt et al: The big walleye. Encyclopedia of plant names. Volume 2 Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, 2008. ISBN 978-3-8001-5406-7
Leptosporangiate fern Dicksoniaceae Stele (biology) Sorus Malesia Aboriginal Tasmanian
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