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NZ Plants

Gleichenia dicarpa - tangle fern

Tangle and umbrella fern family: Gleicheniaceae

  • Plants

    L Jensen

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  • Frond from above with repeated branching of the midrib (rachis)

    L Jensen

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  • Frond from below

    L Jensen

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  • Terminal bud at base of pair of rachis branches

    L Jensen

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  • Growth of terminal bud to form an extension of the rachis

    L Jensen

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  • Rachis extension with leaflets

    L Jensen

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  • Leaflet upper surface, midrib with leaflets

    L Jensen

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  • Leaflet midrib with stellate hairs

    L Jensen

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  • Leaflet midrib with fringed scales

    L Jensen

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  • Frond lower surface, midrib with leaflets

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  • Leaflet lower surface, unopened sporangia

    I MacDonald

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Gleichenia dicarpa is a large terrestrial fern with long-creeping scaly rhizomes. The frond axis (rachis) repeatedly forks at wide angles with a bud between the new pair of branches. This bud will grow into another extension of the frond rachis forming a new tier of paired, leaflet-bearing branches with bud . Branching of a frond can continue almost indefinitely. Ultimate leaflets are pouched and sporangia are in groups of 2.
Found throughout New Zealand often forming dense impenetrable tangles.
 

Vegetative characteristics

Fertile frond and sporangia

Plant form: creeping rhizome with branching fronds up to 2 m tall

Frond appearance: similar to sterile frond
Frond stalk, midrib: fringed scales, stellate hairs

Sporangium location: on lower frond surface

Frond shape: ultimate branches narrowly elliptic

Sporangium position: away from margin

Frond blade: ultimate branches pinnate (divided 1x into leaflets or pinnae)

Sporangia distribution: in groups (sori) each consisting of 2 sporangia

Frond surface: leathery;  hairs

Sorus shape: circular

Leaflets: rounded, pouched below; attached along base (adnate)

Sorus covering: 0

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