027 550 0611Pneumatopteris pennigera,
There are two ferns known as Gully ferns
- Pneumatopteris pennigera which we have here and is usually under 1m but can grow to 1.5m
- Cyathea cunninghamii which is actually Gully tree fern and grows to 20m
Gully fern is found
On the road in to the lodge and on the nature trail.
Nationally through out the North island in forests and the south island west coast
Gully fern description
The Gully Fern if it has a trunk grows to about 1.5m. The trunk is short and hairy and often has frond stems hanging off it.
The Gully Fern is found in damp shaded areas.
Fronds
Gully fern fronds are pale, dark veined with brown stalks. they have 16-50 pairs of long notched leaflets which are very sparsely hairy and scaly.
The round sori on the underside on frond are evenly spaced along either side of the midribs in the centre of frond segments.
Significance to Maori
The fronds are placed around food in a hangi for flavour and to keep the dirt off. The young fronds can be eaten.
