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{{Short description|Species of fern}}
{{Taxobox
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2024}}
⚫
| name = ''Cyathea smithii''
{{Speciesbox
| status =
| status =
| image = Cyathea smithii.jpg
| image = Cyathea Smithii treefern.jpg
⚫
| image_caption = Illustration of ''Cyathea smithii'' from ''The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror''.
| image_caption = Whole tree
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| genus = Alsophila (plant)
| divisio = [[Pteridophyta]]
⚫
| species = smithii
| classis = [[Pteridopsida]]
| authority = ([[Joseph Dalton Hooker|Hook.f.]]) [[Rolla M. Tryon Jr.|R.M.Tryon]]<ref name=CFLW/>
| ordo = [[Cyatheales]]
| familia = [[Cyatheaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Cyathea]]''
| subgenus = ''[[Cyathea subg. Cyathea|Cyathea]]''
| sectio = ''[[Cyathea sect. Alsophila|Alsophila]]''
⚫
| species = '''''C. smithii'''''
| binomial = ''Cyathea smithii''
| binomial_authority = J. D. Hooker, 1854
| synonyms =
| synonyms =
{{Species list
*''Hemitelia smithii'' <small>(J. D. Hooker) W. J. Hooker, 1865</small>
⚫
|Cyathea smithii|Hook.f.
*''Hemitelia stellulata'' <small>Col., 1886</small>
|Cyathea novae-zelandiae|Domin
*''Alsophila smithii'' <small>(J. D. Hooker) Tryon , 1970 (''non Alsophila smithii'' Trevis., 1851; ''quae Alsophila glauca''?)</small>
|Hemitelia microphylla|Colenso
|Hemitelia smithii|(Hook.f.) Hook
|Hemitelia stellulata|Colenso
}}
| synonyms_ref = <ref name=CFLW/>
}}
}}


'''''Cyathea smithii''''',<ref>John E. Braggins and Mark F. Large. 2004</ref> commonly known as the '''Soft Tree Fern''' or '''Katote''', is a species of [[Cyatheales|tree fern]].
'''''Alsophila smithii''''', [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] '''''Cyathea smithii''''',<ref name=CFLW/> commonly known as the '''soft tree fern''' or '''kātote''', is a species of [[Cyatheales|tree fern]] from New Zealand.


==Distribution and ecology==
==Distribution and ecology==
The species natural distribution covers [[North Island]], [[South Island]], [[Stewart Island/Rakiura]], and the [[Chatham Islands]] of [[New Zealand]] south to the [[Auckland Islands]]. It is common in [[montane forest]], with populations from the southern regions of its range growing in lowland forest. In the [[Westland]] forests of South Island, ''C. smithii'' occurs in the understory of certain broadleaf/[[podocarp]] forests.<ref>C. Michael Hogan. 2009</ref>
The species' natural distribution covers all major islands of New Zealand: the [[North Island|North]] and [[South Island]]s, [[Stewart Island|Stewart Island / Rakiura]], the [[Chatham Islands]], and south to the [[Auckland Islands]]. It is common in [[montane forest]], with populations from the southern regions of its range growing in lowland forest. In the [[Westland temperate forests|Westland forests]] of South Island, ''A.&nbsp;smithii'' occurs in the understory of certain broadleaf/[[podocarp]] forests.<ref name=Hogan09/>

[[Image: Cyathea smithii3.jpg|thumb|left| ''Cyathea smithii'' showing stem detail.]]
==Description==
[[Image: Cyathea smithii6.jpg|thumb|left| ''Cyathea smithii'' showing spores.]]
Katote is an understory tree fern that grows up to 8&nbsp;m tall but tends not reaching into the canopy as do other iconic members of this genus. It grows slowly and is not a strong competitor except at higher altitudes. Like related tree ferns, it has rough scales along its rachis and trunk. A distinctive feature is the retention of dead fronds as a skirt. The skirt is not the whole frond, only the central rachis, making it a more compact skirt than that of ''[[Dicksonia fibrosa]]'', another skirt clad tree fern.<ref name=LargBrag04/>

''Alsophila smithii'' produces masses of very soft and delicate looking fronds which spread horizontally from the crown and reach 2–2.5&nbsp;m in length.<ref name=LargBrag04/>

==Cultivation==
''Alsophila smithii'' suffers in exposure to wind, sun and frost and is prone to drying out, but can be grown successfully in sheltered areas.<ref name=LargBrag04/>

==Uses==
The pith was traditionally used as a starch source, but as it is rich in resin, it would likely be a food of last resort or at least an acquired taste. Tree fern trunks have been used as rough building material, fencing, and makeshift trackwork.<ref name=LargBrag04/>

<gallery mode=packed heights=160>
⚫
File:Cyathea smithii.jpg|Illustration from ''The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror''
File:Cyathea smithii6.jpg|Showing spores
File:Cyathea smithii grove.jpg|Habitat and distinctive skirts

</gallery>


==References==
==References==
⚫
{{reflist|refs=
* John E. Braggins and Mark F. Large. 2004. ''Tree Ferns''. Timber Press, Inc., p. 260. ISBN 0-88192-630-2
<ref name=CFLW>{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Hassler |first1=Michael |last2=Schmitt |first2=Bernd |date=June 2019 |contribution=Alsophila smithii |title=Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World |volume=8 |issue=2 |url=https://worldplants.webarchiv.kit.edu/ferns/ |accessdate=2019-08-20 |name-list-style=amp |archive-date=2017-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902225743/http://worldplants.webarchiv.kit.edu/ferns/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* C. Michael Hogan. 2009. [http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=95431 ''Crown Fern: Blechnum discolor'', Globaltwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg]

* [http://www.ipni.org/ipni/plantsearch?id=17074360-1&query_type=by_id&output_format=object_view&back_page=plantsearch&ret_wholeName=Cyathea%20smithii The International Plant Names Index: ''Cyathea smithii'']
<ref name=Hogan09>{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Hogan |first1=C. Michael |date=April 2009 |title=Crown Fern: ''Blechnum discolor'' |website=GlobalTwitcher |url=http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=95431 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213134120/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=95431 |archive-date=2012-02-13 }}</ref>

<ref name=LargBrag04>{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Large|first1=Mark F.|last2=Braggins|first2=John E. |author-link2=John E. Braggins |date=2004 |title=Tree Ferns |publisher=Timber Press |isbn=978-0-88192-630-9 |name-list-style=amp |page=[https://archive.org/details/treeferns00mark/page/260 260] |url=https://archive.org/details/treeferns00mark/page/260 }}</ref>
}}


{{Taxonbar|from1=Q17185418|from2=Q5197626}}
==Line notes==
⚫
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Cyathea|smithii]]
[[Category:Alsophila (plant)|smithii]]
[[Category:Fern species]]
[[Category:Ferns of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Ferns of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Flora of the Auckland Islands]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Joseph Dalton Hooker]]

Latest revision as of 16:44, 29 September 2024

Alsophila smithii
Whole tree
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Alsophila
Species:
A. smithii
Binomial name
Alsophila smithii
Synonyms[1]
  • Cyathea smithii Hook.f.
  • Cyathea novae-zelandiae Domin
  • Hemitelia microphylla Colenso
  • Hemitelia smithii (Hook.f.) Hook
  • Hemitelia stellulata Colenso

Alsophila smithii, synonym Cyathea smithii,[1] commonly known as the soft tree fern or kātote, is a species of tree fern from New Zealand.

Distribution and ecology

[edit]

The species' natural distribution covers all major islands of New Zealand: the North and South Islands, Stewart Island / Rakiura, the Chatham Islands, and south to the Auckland Islands. It is common in montane forest, with populations from the southern regions of its range growing in lowland forest. In the Westland forests of South Island, A. smithii occurs in the understory of certain broadleaf/podocarp forests.[2]

Description

[edit]

Katote is an understory tree fern that grows up to 8 m tall but tends not reaching into the canopy as do other iconic members of this genus. It grows slowly and is not a strong competitor except at higher altitudes. Like related tree ferns, it has rough scales along its rachis and trunk. A distinctive feature is the retention of dead fronds as a skirt. The skirt is not the whole frond, only the central rachis, making it a more compact skirt than that of Dicksonia fibrosa, another skirt clad tree fern.[3]

Alsophila smithii produces masses of very soft and delicate looking fronds which spread horizontally from the crown and reach 2–2.5 m in length.[3]

Cultivation

[edit]

Alsophila smithii suffers in exposure to wind, sun and frost and is prone to drying out, but can be grown successfully in sheltered areas.[3]

Uses

[edit]

The pith was traditionally used as a starch source, but as it is rich in resin, it would likely be a food of last resort or at least an acquired taste. Tree fern trunks have been used as rough building material, fencing, and makeshift trackwork.[3]

  • Illustration from The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror
    Illustration from The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror
  • Showing spores
    Showing spores
  • Habitat and distinctive skirts
    Habitat and distinctive skirts

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (June 2019). "Alsophila smithii". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Vol. 8. Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
  2. ^ Hogan, C. Michael (April 2009). "Crown Fern: Blechnum discolor". GlobalTwitcher. Archived from the original on 2012-02-13.
  3. ^ a b c d Large, Mark F. & Braggins, John E. (2004). Tree Ferns. Timber Press. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-88192-630-9.
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