Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 31, 2026

Lomaria discolor

Lomaria discolor, synonym Blechnum discolor, commonly called crown fern, is a species of fern in the family Blechnaceae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. As noted by C. Michael Hogan, this species is found in a number of forest communities in diverse locations within New Zealand, and is sometimes a dominant understorey component.

Last revised
Jul 31, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
213 w
Citations
6
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Crown fern
Growing near the Buller River, New Zealand
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Polypodiales
Suborder: Aspleniineae
Family: Blechnaceae
Genus: Lomaria
Species:
L. discolor
Binomial name
Lomaria discolor
(G.Forst.) Willd.1
Synonyms1
  • Acrostichum rufum Spreng.
  • Gymnopteris discolor (G.Forst.) Bernh.
  • Hemionitis discolor (G.Forst.) Schkuhr
  • Blechnum discolor (G.Forst.) Keyserl.
  • Lomaria falcata Spreng.
  • Onoclea discolor (G.Forst.) Sw.
  • Osmunda discolor G.Forst.
  • Spicanta discolor (G.Forst.) Kuntze
  • Stegania discolor (G.Forst.) A.Rich.
  • Struthiopteris discolor (G.Forst.) Ching

Lomaria discolor, synonym Blechnum discolor, commonly called crown fern (Māori: piupiu),2 is a species of fern in the family Blechnaceae. This species is endemic to New Zealand.3 As noted by C. Michael Hogan, this species is found in a number of forest communities in diverse locations within New Zealand, and is sometimes a dominant understorey component.4

Spores are produced on specialised fronds. These are more erect, with a dark and shrivelled look.5

References

References

  1. Hassler, Michael & Schmitt, Bernd (November 2019). "Lomaria discolor". Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. 8.11. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  2. "Lomaria discolor". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  3. Primitive Plants. 2009
  4. C. Michael Hogan. 2009
  5. Andrew Crowe (1994). Which Native Fern?, p. 39. Auckland: Viking. ISBN 0-670-85549-9.