Common name: soft tree-fern, brown tree-fern
Dicksonia antarctica Labill. APNI* 
Description: Trunk thick, commonly to 30 cm diam.
and 4.5 m high but may get considerably larger, densely covered with dark red-brown hairs towards the crown and covered with coarse, brown, fibrous roots towards the base.
Fronds mostly 1–3 m long, spreading; stipe to 30 cm long, green to yellowish brown, ± smooth except for a clump of red-brown hairs at base, base later persistent on the trunk; lamina to 3.5 m long, 3-pinnate, quite leathery, dark glossy green above, paler below. Sori c. 1 mm diam., indusium persistent.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in mountain gullies, especially in cooler rainforest, usually along creeks.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, CWS
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A.
Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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