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''Dicksonia arborescens'', the Saint Helena tree fern, is a characteristic plant of the "
L'Héritier's original description online on Project Gutenberg
* Dicksoniaceae Flora of Saint Helena Ferns of Africa Vulnerable flora of Africa Plants described in 1789 {{Cyatheales-stub
''Dicksonia arborescens'', the Saint Helena tree fern, is a characteristic plant of the "tree fern
The tree ferns are arborescent (tree-like) ferns that grow with a trunk elevating the fronds above ground level, making them trees. Many extant tree ferns are members of the order Cyatheales, to which belong the families Cyatheaceae (scaly tree ...
thicket" vegetation of the highest parts of the central ridge of the island of Saint Helena. It is the type species of the genus ''Dicksonia
''Dicksonia'' is a genus of tree ferns in the order Cyatheales. It is regarded as related to ''Cyathea'', but is considered to retain more primitive traits, dating back at least to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record includes ...
''.
It is important as a major component of a vegetation type
Vegetation classification is the process of classifying and mapping the vegetation over an area of the earth's surface. Vegetation classification is often performed by state based agencies as part of land use, resource and environmental manageme ...
that is one of the last remnants of the native vegetation. Many of the other endemic plants of this vegetation germinate as seedlings on the trunks of the tree fern, which thus acts as a nursery for the native flora.
The genus ''Dicksonia
''Dicksonia'' is a genus of tree ferns in the order Cyatheales. It is regarded as related to ''Cyathea'', but is considered to retain more primitive traits, dating back at least to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record includes ...
'' contains several species widely dispersed around the world. L'Héritier described the Saint Helena species in 1789, from cultivated specimens he saw while living in London.
The species is most closely related to '' Dicksonia berteriana,'' native to the Juan Fernández Islands
The Juan Fernández Islands ( es, Archipiélago Juan Fernández) are a sparsely inhabited series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean reliant on tourism and fishing. Situated off the coast of Chile, they are composed of three main volcanic i ...
west of Chile.
See also
*Flora of St Helena The flora of Saint Helena, an isolated island in the South Atlantic Ocean, is exceptional in its high level of endemism and the severe threats facing the survival of the flora. In phytogeography, it is in the phytochorion St. Helena and Ascension R ...
References
* Cronk, Q.C.B. (1995) The endemic Flora of St Helena. Anthony Nelson Ltd, Oswestry.L'Héritier's original description online on Project Gutenberg
* Dicksoniaceae Flora of Saint Helena Ferns of Africa Vulnerable flora of Africa Plants described in 1789 {{Cyatheales-stub