Dicksonia is a genus of tree ferns in the order Cyatheales. It is regarded as related to Cyathea, but is considered to retain more primitive traits, dating back at least to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record includes stems, pinnules, and spores.
The genus contains 20–25 species, distributed from Mexico to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, St. Helena, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. New Guinea has the greatest diversity, with five species.
Species of Dicksonia found in cultivation include:
D. antarctica, soft tree fern
D. fibrosa, woolly tree fern
D. squarrosa, rough or slender tree fern
The genus was first described by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle in 1788. The name honors James Dickson, a prominent nurseryman and botanist.
Species
Plants of the World Online as of As of January 2023 recognizes the following species:
Image
Scientific name
Distribution
Dicksonia amorosoana Lehnert & Coritico
Philippines (Mindanao)
Dicksonia antarctica Labill., soft tree fern, Tasmanian tree fern
Australia
Dicksonia arborescens L'Hér.
St. Helena
Dicksonia archboldii Copel.
New Guinea
Dicksonia baudouinii E.Fourn.
New Caledonia
Dicksonia berteroana (Colla) Hook.
Juan Fernández Islands
Dicksonia blumei (Kunze) T.Moore
Indonesia, Philippines
Dicksonia brackenridgei Mett.
Fiji, Samoa
Dicksonia celebica Lehnert
Sulawesi.
Dicksonia ceramica Lehnert
Maluku (Seram)
Dicksonia externa Skottsb.
Juan Fernández Islands
Dicksonia fibrosa Colenso, woolly tree fern, kuripaka or wheki-ponga
New Zealand
Dicksonia grandis Rosenst.
New Guinea
Dicksonia herbertii W.Hill
Northeastern Queensland, Australia
Dicksonia hieronymi Brause
New Guinea
Dicksonia karsteniana (Klotzsch) T.Moore
Mexico to Venezuela and Bolivia
Dicksonia lanata Colenso
Tuokuro. New Zealand
Dicksonia lanigera Holttum
New Guinea
Dicksonia lehnertiana Noben, F.Giraldo, W.D.Rodr....
