Tmesipteris
Encyclopedia
Tmesipteris the "hanging fork fern", is a genus of fern-like vascular plants, one of two genera in the family Psilotaceae, order Psilotales, and class Psilotopsida (the other being Psilotum
).
Tmesipteris is restricted to certain lands in the Southern Pacific, notably Australia
, New Zealand
and New Caledonia
.
In New Zealand this hanging epiphyte
is not uncommon in the warm temperate rain forests of both main islands, where it can normally be found as short spiky dark-green fronds (10–15 cm long), often with lighter bag-like sporangia at the bases of some of its "leaves". The fronds emerge directly from the fibrous root-mats which clad the trunks of mature tree ferns such as Dicksonia
and Cyathea
. Tmesipteris is from the Greek language, meaning a "cut fern", referring to the truncated leaf tips.
Psilotum
Psilotum is a genus of fern-like vascular plants, one of two genera in the family Psilotaceae, order Psilotales, and class Psilotopsida...
).
Tmesipteris is restricted to certain lands in the Southern Pacific, notably Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
.
In New Zealand this hanging epiphyte
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
is not uncommon in the warm temperate rain forests of both main islands, where it can normally be found as short spiky dark-green fronds (10–15 cm long), often with lighter bag-like sporangia at the bases of some of its "leaves". The fronds emerge directly from the fibrous root-mats which clad the trunks of mature tree ferns such as Dicksonia
Dicksonia
Dicksonia is a genus of tree ferns in the order Cyatheales. It is regarded as related to Cyathea, but is considered more primitive, dating back at least to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record includes stems, pinnules, and spores....
and Cyathea
Cyathea
Cyathea is a genus of tree ferns, the type genus of the fern order Cyatheales. They are mostly terrestrial ferns, usually with a single tall stem. Rarely, the trunk may be branched or creeping. Many species also develop a fibrous mass of roots at the base of the trunk. The genus has a pantropical...
. Tmesipteris is from the Greek language, meaning a "cut fern", referring to the truncated leaf tips.
Species
Species include:- Tmesipteris elongata P.A.Dang - from Australia (Victoria and Tasmania) and New Zealand (North IslandNorth IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, South IslandSouth IslandThe South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
, Stewart Island, Chatham IslandsChatham IslandsThe Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun...
) - Tmesipteris horomaka Perrie, Brownsey & Lovis - New Zealand (Banks PeninsulaBanks PeninsulaBanks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves...
) - Tmesipteris lanceolata P.A.Dang. - from New Caledonia and New Zealand (presumed extinct in QueenslandQueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
). - Tmesipteris norfolkensis P.S.Green - Hanging Fork-fern
- Tmesipteris obliqua Chinnock - Long Fork-fern
- Tmesipteris ovata N.A.Wakef. - Oval Fork-fern
- Tmesipteris parva N.A.Wakef. - Small Fork-fern
- Tmesipteris sigmatifolia Chinn. - from New Caledonia and New Zealand
- Tmesipteris tannensisTmesipteris tannensisTmesipteris tannensis is a fern ally endemic to New Zealand. It is usually epiphytic on trees and tree ferns, but is occasionally terrestrial....
(Spreng.) Bernh. - New Zealand - Tmesipteris truncataTmesipteris truncataTmesipteris truncata is a fern ally endemic to eastern Australia. The habitat of this primitive plant is under waterfalls, or in sandstone gullies or rainforests. Commonly referred to as a Fork Fern. It is often found growing on the base of the King Fern. Usually seen as an epiphyte or lithophyte,...
(R.Br.) Desv. New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
& QueenslandQueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
(AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) - Tmesipteris vieillardii P.A.Dang - from New Caledonia