Flora of New Zealand Series

holly fern

Rhizomes short, erect, densely clothed in broad dark brown scales. Stipes 15-35 cm long, densely scaly especially at base. Laminae narrowly ovate or elliptic, 1-pinnate, to 45-80 × 15-20 cm. Primary pinnae in up to 15 alternate pairs, unequally ovate to almost parallelogrammoid, acuminate at apex, often with a lobe on one side at the base, serrate, stalked, coriaceous, to 12 × 4 cm. Sori round, numerous, in several rows either side of midrib. Indusia peltate.

N.: Auckland City, S. Auckland (Hamilton, Coromandel).

S.E. Asia 1981

Cliff faces, rocky slopes.

Holly fern is a popular horticultural plant. It is easily recognised by its characteristically shaped primary pinnae which bear round sori protected by peltate indusia in several rows either side of the midrib (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. A-B Cyrtomium falcatum, A primary pinna, B indusium; C-D Dryopteris affinis, C primary pinna, D indusium; E-F D. filix-mas, E primary pinna, F indusium; G-H D. dilatata, G primary pinna, H indusium. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X4Y]