Synonym:
Dicksonia antarctica.
Family:
Dicksoniaceae.
Region: southeastern Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales.
Habitat: in cool, moist environments, temperate rainforests, along shaded gullies; thrives in rich, well-drained soils with high organic matter and consistent moisture.
Ecology: provides habitat for insects, birds, and small mammals; understory plant.
Use: ornamental, in gardens and landscapes for its majestic appearance and adaptability to shaded areas; starchy pith of the trunk as a food source in survival situations; noted for its resilience and cultural significance.
BotanyFern; large tree, 4 to 5, up to 15 m tall.
Stem: dense mass of fibrous roots, covered with old leave bases.
Rhizome: erect; robust, forming a thick trunk.
Leaves: large; arching, up to 4 m in long; bipinnate to tripinnate; leaflets leathery, dark green; grow in a crown at the top of the trunk.
Sori: on the underside of fertile fronds, near the midrib; protected by thin, cup-like indusia.
Roots: fibrous; form a thick mat around the base of the trunk.