Sphaeropteris medullaris

Black tree fern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Sphaeropteris
Species:
S. medullaris
Binomial name
Sphaeropteris medullaris
(G.Forst) Bernh.
Synonyms
  • Alsophila extensa Desv.
  • Cyathea medullaris (G.Forst.) Sw.
  • Cyathea polyneuron Colenso
  • Polypodium medullare G.Forst.

Sphaeropteris medullaris, synonym Cyathea medullaris, commonly known as mamaku or black tree fern, is a large tree fern up to 20 m (66 ft) tall. It is distributed across the south-west Pacific from Fiji to Pitcairn Island and is a common plant found in forests of New Zealand.