''Polystichum richardii'', commonly known as the common shield fern, or pikopiko 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 ...

found in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. The common shield fern is found in dry places from the coast to lowland forest areas. The size of the fronds can be up to 50 by 25 centimetres. Young fronds from the fern were traditionally eaten by the

Māori people The Māori (, ) are the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand (). Māori originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350. Over several ce ...

References

richardii Ferns of New Zealand Leaf vegetables {{Dryopteridaceae-stub