The tree fern Highland Lace had an unusual introduction into cultivation almost thirty years ago in Eastern Australia and was initially identified as Sphaeropteris tomentosissima (Copel.) R.M.Tryon. Since then, it has been introduced to Europe and the US, and it remains a popular tree fern found in both public and private collections. We re-examined this fern, comparing it to a herbarium type specimen, and conclude that it is not S. tomentosissima, but is most likely a variant form of Sphaeropteris cooperi (F.V. Mueller) R.M.Tryon. Sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA [rbcL, atpA and trnL (UAA) intron] confirmed this species identification.
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1 January 2012
The Tree Fern Highland Lace is a Cultivar of Sphaeropteris cooperi
Daniel G. Yansura,
Barbara J. Hoshizaki
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American Fern Journal
Vol. 102 • No. 1
January 2012
Vol. 102 • No. 1
January 2012
atpA
chloroplast DNA sequence analysis
Highland Lace
rbcL
Sphaeropteris cooperi
Sphaeropteris excelsa
Sphaeropteris tomentosissima