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{{Taxobox | color = lightgreen | name = Silver Fern | status = Conservation status: Secure | image = Silver Fern.JPG | image_width = 240px | image_caption = Underside of silver fern frond | regnum = Plantae | divisio = Pteridophyta | ordo = Cyatheales | familia = Cyatheaceae | genus = Cyathea | species = C. dealbata | binomial = Cyathea dealbata | binomial_authority = (G. Forst. The Silver fern (Cyathea dealbata) is a species of medium-sized tree fern endemic to New Zealand. Silver fern is the commonly used name for what the Maori call Punga or Ponga. The term Punga is used a generic term for tree fern logs when used for landscaping purposes. The Silver fern is the fern which is most commonly referred to as a "ponga". Divisions Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants Adiantum pedatum (a fern... Classes Marattiopsida Osmundopsida Gleicheniopsida Pteridopsida A fern, or pteridophyte, is any one of a group of some twenty thousand species of plants classified in the Division Pteridophyta, formerly known as Filicophyta. ... Familes and Genera Cyatheaceae     Alsophila     Cnemidaria     Cyathea     Sphaeropteris     Trichipteris Dicksoniaceae     Calochleana     Cibotium     Culcita     Cystodium     Dicksonia     Thyrsopteris Losophoriaceae     Lophosoria Loxomaceae     Loxoma     Loxsomopsis Metaxyaceae     Metaxya The order Cyatheales is a taxonomic division of the fern (Division Pteridophyta) subclass, Cyatheatae, which includes the Tree ferns. ... Genera Alsophila Cnemidaria Cyathea Sphaeropteris The Cyatheaceae is a family of fern that includes the worlds tallest tree ferns, which reach heights up to 20 m. ... Species See text Cyathea is a genus of tree ferns, the type genus of the fern order Cyatheales. ... Tree Fern refers to any fern that grows with a trunk elevating the fronds above ground level. ... In biology and ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or biota, in contrast to cosmopolitan or introduced. ... Te Puni, Māori Chief Māori is the name of the indigenous people of New Zealand, and their language. ...

This fern is known to grow to heights of 10 m or more (though it occasionally takes a rare creeping form). The crown is dense, and the fronds tend to be about 4 m long and have a silver-white colouration on the undersides. This distinctive silver colouration has made them useful for laying along tracks for night walking. The scales are a dark brown and are often twisted and glossy.

The silver fern occurs on the main island of New Zealand east to the Chatham Islands, mostly in the subcanopy areas of drier forests and in open scrub. It is known to grow well in well-drained humus, and once established, it will tolerate dryer conditions. It does best when sheltered from winds and should be protected from frost. The Chatham Islands from space. ... For article about the oriental food, see Hummus. ...

Silver fern in culture

The All Blacks emblem

The silver fern is also used as an emblem on the clothing and marketing of many sports teams; it is used most famously as the logo of the All Blacks New Zealand Rugby Union team. ALL BLACKS File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ALL BLACKS File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The international rugby union team of New Zealand are known as the All Blacks, a name derived from their playing strip of black shirts, shorts and socks. ... The international rugby union team of New Zealand are known as the All Blacks, a name derived from their playing strip of black shirts, shorts and socks. ... Rugby union (often referred to as just rugby, or union) is a variant of rugby football. ...

The Silver Ferns is the name of the New Zealand netball team, world champions in 2003 in Jamaica. The Silver Ferns are the national netball team of New Zealand. ... CODFISHΝ€νō Řσχ is a team sport similar to and derived from basketball. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Silver fern is also used in politics - it features on the logos of Jim Anderton's Progressive Party and United Future New Zealand. Current Progressive Party logo The Progressive Party is a political party in New Zealand. ... Current United Future logo United Future New Zealand is a political party in the New Zealand parliament with three MPs -- two list MPs, and one electorate MP, leader Peter Dunne (see MMP for the difference). ...

The Silver Fern is also the name of an express passenger train. The Silver Fern is a class of railcar used for rail passenger transport in New Zealand. ...

The koru symbol found in Maori art is inspired by the shape of a newborn punga frond. The koru is the Maori name given to the newborn, unfurling fern frond and symbolises new life, growth, strength and peace. ...

References

• Braggins , John E. and Large, Mark F. Tree Ferns. Timber Press (2004). ISBN 0881926302