Cyrtomium falcatum (L.fil.) C.Presl
Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) is a long-lived, evergreen fern that is native to south-east Asia. It was introduced to New Zealand as a garden ornamental and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1981. The fern forms clumps from short creeping rhizomes and has glossy, dark green fronds with leathery, holly-like leaflets that have spiny margins. Unlike flowering plants, ferns reproduce by spores rather than seeds. Spores are produced on the underside of the fronds and are dispersed by wind. The plant also spreads vegetatively by rhizomes, which are spread by soil movement, dumped garden waste and other human activities.
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