The endemic piupiu (crown fern; Blechnum discolor), one of Aotearoa's most common ferns, grows abundantly along the No. 1 Line track, along with many other species of ferns. This photograph shows a typical view of the interior of the bush along the upper part of the track, with a large piupiu growing a few metres from the track. The fronds in the middle that look a bit like the bill of a sawfish are the fertile (spore-bearing) fronds.
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5 comments:
One of the classic images of NZ - lovely!
Even the plants have awesome names! I hope the change of seasons is treating you fairly well. Take care.
Thanks Lisa :-) Yes, it's so typical of the New Zealand bush. It feels like home — one of them, that is.
Thank you, Barbara. We're in that transition time at the moment: that time when the weather seems unable to make up its mind. It's the rapidly shortening days that are the most noticeable reminder of the change, though. Sigh... :-)
Ancient creatures.
Zhoen, it does look like something I'd expect on a prehistoric seabed. And speaking of ancient creatures, in Aotearoa we have one of the oldest.
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