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NZ Plants

Todea barbara

Family Osmundaceae

  • Frond

    L Jensen

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  • Stipe with ear-like lobes at the base

    I MacDonald

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  • Frond upper surface, midrib (rachis) with leaflets

    I MacDonald

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  • Frond upper surface, rachis with leaflets

    L Jensen

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  • Fertile frond upper surface, basal portion with fertile secondary leaflets

    L Jensen

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  • Fertile frond lower surface, basal portion with fertile secondary leaflets

    L Jensen

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  • Fertile leaflet, lower surface with scattered sporangia

    L Jensen

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  • Sequence of sporangium opening-1

    L Jensen

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  • Sequence of sporangium opening-2

    L Jensen

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Todea barbara has a short stout stem bearing rough yellow-green leathery fronds. Fertile fronds are distinctive with sporangia completely covering the underside of only the lowermost leaflets.
In New Zealand confined to the upper half of the North Island in open scrub and forest, gumland and swampy areas.

Vegetative characteristics

Fertile frond and sporangia

Plant form: erect stem up to 1 m; fronds up to 85 cm

Frond appearance: fertile leaflets with recurved margins and often shorter in length; at base of frond

Frond stalk, midrib: stipe yellow-brown with basal lobes

Sporangium location: lower surface

Frond shape: oval, elliptical

Sporangium position: on the lowermost leaflets

Frond blade: 2-pinnate (divided 2x into leaflets or pinnae)

Sporangia distribution: not in groups (sori)

Frond surface: leathery

Sorus shape: 0

Leaflets: oblong with toothed margin, pointed tip and broad basal attachment

Sorus covering: 0

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