''Lygodium articulatum'', commonly referred to as mangemange or Bushman's mattress, is a

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...

endemic to the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

forests of New Zealand. Mangemange is an

endemic species Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

and is unique compared to other ferns in the area due to the vine–like curtain it creates in the canopy. Although the majority of the plant is found in the canopy of the surrounding forest, the roots and stem of mangemange form on the ground, meaning it cannot be classified as an

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

Description

''Lygodium articulatum'' roots extend laterally from the stem (rhizome) of the plant. The

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

s of mangemange are hairy and long-creeping, giving rise to widely spaced fronds. Fronds grow alternately from the stem and form

dichotomous A dichotomy is a partition of a whole (or a set) into two parts (subsets). In other words, this couple of parts must be * jointly exhaustive: everything must belong to one part or the other, and * mutually exclusive: nothing can belong simultan ...

costae that twist and climb until they find nearby branches or trees. Once the plant has the support of a branch, stipes and pinnae form. Mangemange will form either sterile vegetative pinnae (10 cm) or fertile pinnae (1 cm). Sterile pinnae are flat and smooth while fertile pinnae are wrinkled and fan shaped, terminating in spore structures that release a yellow spore-dust when ripe. ''Lygodium articulatum'' will often grow rapidly high in a tree, where it may become a wall or curtain of leaves and twiggy vines. It is often difficult to navigate through due to the strength of the rhizomes.

Distribution and habitat

Mangemange is mainly found on the North Island of New Zealand, specifically in the Northland,

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

, Volcanic Plateau, Gisborne and

Taranaki Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth Dist ...

regions. It grows from sea level to in elevation. Since it is a climbing fern that uses neighboring structures to grow, its habitat is mainly based on the distribution of other species such as the

mānuka ''Leptospermum scoparium'', commonly called mānuka, () mānuka myrtle, New Zealand teatree, broom tea-tree, or just tea tree, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, native to New Zealand (including the Chatham Islands ...

and

kānuka ''Kunzea ericoides'', commonly known as kānuka, kanuka, white tea-tree or burgan, is a tree or shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has white or pink flowers similar to those of '' Leptospermum'' and from it ...

scrub, and in kauri, podocarp and

broadleaved forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

Native use

The term "Bushman's mattress" comes from the springiness of the vines and stems of ''L. articulatum''. The

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

would make beds by coiling the springy vines and putting them in sacks, then stuff the sacks with available soft flora. Natives also used the tough wiry stems for things like fishhooks, rope, thatching, and eel traps. The leaves and fronds were infused with water and drunk to cure stomach aches and pains. When dried out, the leaves give off a pleasant aroma and were at times even used as a type of diaper.

References

Flora of the North Island Ferns of New Zealand articulatum {{Polypodiidae-stub