Prince of Wales feather facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince of Wales feather |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leptopteris
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| Species: |
superba
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The Prince of Wales feather (scientific name: Leptopteris superba) is a special type of fern found only in New Zealand. It's also sometimes called the common crape fern. This beautiful plant is known for its large, feathery leaves, which are called fronds.
About the Prince of Wales Feather Fern
This fern is endemic to New Zealand. This means it grows naturally there and nowhere else in the world! It belongs to a group of ferns called Leptopteris.
Where It Lives
The Prince of Wales feather fern is found on both the North Island and the South Island of New Zealand, as well as on Stewart Island.
On the North Island, you can find it in areas like Northland, Auckland, and the Volcanic Plateau. It's also common in mountain forests from Te Aroha down to Wellington. It usually grows at heights from about 250 meters up to 1400 meters.
On the South Island, it's very common in wet forests, especially on the western side of the main mountain range. You can also see it around Dunedin and the Catlins. It grows from sea level in places like Fiordland up to about 1600 meters high in the Takitimu Ranges.
What It Looks Like
This fern is quite large! Its fronds (leaves) can grow to be around one meter (about three feet) long. The fronds have an oval shape, a bit like the leaves of an Ostrich Fern.
If you look underneath the fronds, you'll see large sporangia. These are like tiny cases that hold the fern's spores, which are how ferns reproduce.
Where It Grows
The Prince of Wales feather fern likes wet places. It can be found growing in damp lowlands and also in cooler, wet mountain forests.
