AusTraits

Pteridium esculentum

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Family Dennstaedtiaceae

Taxonomy: Pteridium esculentum (G.Forst.) Cockayne

Synonyms: 12 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Allosorus esculentus (G.Forst.) C.Presl (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Cincinalis esculenta (G.Forst.) Trevis. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Ornithopteris esculenta (G.Forst.) J.Sm. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Pteridium aquilinum subsp. esculentum (G.Forst.) C.Chr. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Pteridium aquilinum var. aequipinnulum Domin (taxonomic synonym)
  • Pteridium aquilinum var. esculenta Kuhn (orthographic variant)
  • Pteridium aquilinum var. esculentum (G.Forst.) Kuhn (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Pteridium aquilinum var. pseudocaudatum Domin (taxonomic synonym)
  • Pteridium esculentum (G.Forst.) Cockayne subsp. esculentum (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Pteris aquilina f. esculenta (G.Forst.) Christ (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Pteris aquilina var. esculenta (G.Forst.) Hook.f. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Pteris esculenta G.Forst. (nomenclatural synonym)
Misapplied names: 3 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (pro parte misapplied)
  • Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (misapplied)
  • Pteris aquilina L. (misapplied)

Distribution (APC): WA, SA, Qld, NSW, NI, ACT, Vic, Tas

Profiles: APC, Flora of Australia, ALA, iNaturalist, NSW Flora, SA eFlora, Vic Flora, Florabase, ATRP

Traits

Top source datasets: ABRS_2022 (3), ABRS_2023 (5), Burrows_2008_2 (1), Burrows_2020 (2), Carey_2003 (3), Cheal_2017 (7), Doherty_2021 (2), Dong_2017 (8), Fonseca_2000 (9), Kubiak_2009 (4), Laxton_2005 (11), Leishman_2007 (35), Meers_2007 (8), Mokany_2015 (2), Moles_2011 (10), Morgan_2011_1 (5), Munroe_2019 (1), NHNSW_2014_2 (2), NHNSW_2022 (3), NHNSW_2023 (5), NSWFRD_2014 (10), RBGV_2022 (3), RBGV_2023 (11), SAH_2023 (6), Schmidt_1993 (1), Standish_2019 (7), WAH_2022_2 (4), WAH_2023_2 (3), Wenk_2022 (2), Wenk_2023 (1), Westman_1977 (11), White_2020 (19), Williams_2011 (11), Yang_2023 (5). See below for a full list of sources.
Summary: AusTraits contains 83 traits from 220 records in 34 datasets.

Traits by category (click to expand). For categorical traits, the values are listed. For numerical traits, the mean and range are shown.

fire response
  • resprouting_capacity (categorical): fire_killed (1); resprouts (9) [sources: Carey_2003; Cheal_2017; Doherty_2021; Kubiak_2009; Meers_2007; NSWFRD_2014; Standish_2019; White_2020; Yang_2023]
  • post_fire_recruitment (categorical): post_fire_recruitment (1); post_fire_recruitment_absent (3) [sources: Carey_2003; Cheal_2017; NSWFRD_2014; Yang_2023]
  • fire_time_from_fire_to_flowering (numerical): 24 mo (24-24 mo) [sources: NSWFRD_2014]
fruit morphology
leaf morphology
  • leaf_area (numerical): 48077.59 mm2 (257.06-285807 mm2) [sources: Fonseca_2000; Laxton_2005; Mokany_2015; Moles_2011]
  • leaf_length (numerical): 1275 mm (300-2500 mm) [sources: RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • leaf_width (numerical): 2.8 mm (2.5-3.1 mm) [sources: Fonseca_2000]
  • leaf_dry_mass (numerical): 50 mg (47-53 mg) [sources: Fonseca_2000]
  • leaf_mass_per_area (numerical): 139.25 g/m2 (55.6-212.15 g/m2) [sources: Dong_2017; Fonseca_2000; Laxton_2005; Leishman_2007; Moles_2011]
  • leaf_dry_matter_content (numerical): 0.39 g/g (0.39-0.39 g/g) [sources: Moles_2011]
  • leaf_shape (categorical): linear (2); narrowly_oblong (1); obtriangular (1); triangular (2); widely_elliptical (1); widely_ovate (1) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_margin (categorical): entire (2) [sources: ABRS_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_margin_posture (categorical): revolute (2) [sources: NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_lobation (categorical): lobed (1); unlobed (1) [sources: RBGV_2023]
  • leaf_compoundness (categorical): compound (4) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
  • leaf_hairs_adult_leaves (categorical): glabrous (1) [sources: Moles_2011]
  • leaf_hairs_immature_leaves (categorical): glabrous (1) [sources: Moles_2011]
  • leaf_phyllotaxis (categorical): alternate (1); opposite (1) [sources: RBGV_2023]
  • plant_photosynthetic_organ (categorical): leaf (4) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023]
life history
  • photosynthetic_pathway (categorical): c3 (3) [sources: Munroe_2019; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • plant_growth_form (categorical): fern (9); herb (3); shrub (1) [sources: ABRS_2022; Fonseca_2000; Leishman_2007; Moles_2011; NHNSW_2022; NSWFRD_2014; RBGV_2022; Standish_2019; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • life_form (categorical): geophyte (2); hemicryptophyte (2) [sources: Cheal_2017; Meers_2007; Morgan_2011_1; Williams_2011]
  • life_history (categorical): perennial (7) [sources: Burrows_2008_2; Burrows_2020; Cheal_2017; Morgan_2011_1; Standish_2019; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2023]
  • plant_growth_substrate (categorical): terrestrial (3) [sources: ABRS_2022; NHNSW_2022; RBGV_2022]
  • woodiness_detailed (categorical): herbaceous (5) [sources: ABRS_2022; NHNSW_2022; RBGV_2022; WAH_2022_2; Wenk_2022]
  • stem_growth_habit (categorical): rhizomatous (1) [sources: WAH_2022_2]
  • nitrogen_fixing (categorical): non_nitrogen_fixer (5) [sources: Dong_2017; Meers_2007; Standish_2019; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • root_structure (categorical): arbuscular_mycorrhizal (4) [sources: Meers_2007; Schmidt_1993; Standish_2019; Williams_2011]
  • parasitic (categorical): not_parasitic (1) [sources: White_2020]
  • pollination_syndrome (categorical): abiotic (1) [sources: White_2020]
  • pollination_system (categorical): abiotic (1) [sources: Williams_2011]
  • dispersal_syndrome (categorical): anemochory (3); barochory (2) [sources: Meers_2007; Morgan_2011_1; NSWFRD_2014; White_2020; Williams_2011]
  • dispersers (categorical): wind (2) [sources: NSWFRD_2014; White_2020]
  • seedbank_location (categorical): soil_seedbank (1) [sources: Standish_2019]
  • seedbank_longevity_class (categorical): transient (2) [sources: NSWFRD_2014; White_2020]
  • vegetative_reproduction_ability (categorical): vegetative (4) [sources: Meers_2007; Morgan_2011_1; NHNSW_2014_2; White_2020]
  • clonal_spread_mechanism (categorical): rhizome (3) [sources: Meers_2007; Williams_2011; Yang_2023]
  • storage_organ (categorical): rhizome (5); rhizome_woody (1) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2023; RBGV_2023; SAH_2023; WAH_2023_2; Yang_2023]
  • bud_bank_location (categorical): basal_buds (1); bud-bearing_root (1); rhizome (2) [sources: Carey_2003; Doherty_2021; NSWFRD_2014; Yang_2023]
nutrient and stable isotope
  • leaf_N_per_dry_mass (numerical): 14.44 mg/g (7.16-21.2 mg/g) [sources: Dong_2017; Laxton_2005; Leishman_2007; Westman_1977]
  • leaf_P_per_dry_mass (numerical): 0.96 mg/g (0.93-1 mg/g) [sources: Leishman_2007; Westman_1977]
  • leaf_delta13C (numerical): -28.59 {delta}[ppth] (-28.59--28.59 {delta}[ppth]) [sources: Dong_2017]
seed morphology
  • seed_dry_mass (numerical): 0 mg (0-0 mg) [sources: Standish_2019; Williams_2011]
  • dispersal_unit (categorical): spore (1) [sources: Burrows_2020]
whole plant morphology

Sources

dataset_idn_traitsn_recordsreference
Leishman_2007835M. R. Leishman, T. Haslehurst, A. Ares, and Z. Baruch. “Leaf trait relationships of native and invasive plants: community- and global-scale comparisons”. New Phytologist 176.3 (2007), pp. 635-643. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02189.x.
White_20201919M. White, S. Sinclair, and D. Frood. Victorian Vital Attributes Database. database. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria, 2020.
Laxton_20051111E. Laxton. “Relationship between leaf traits, insect communities and resource availability”. PhD. Macquarie University, 2005. url: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/483.
RBGV_2023911VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
Westman_19771111W. Westman and R. V. Roggers. “Nutrient stocks in a subtropical eucalypt forest, North Stradbroke Island”. Austral Ecology 2.4 (1977), pp. 447-460. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1977.tb01160.x.
Williams_20111111R. P. Duncan, S. E. Clemants, R. T. Corlett, A. K. Hahs, M. A. McCarthy, M. J. McDonnell, M. W. Schwartz, K. Thompson, P. A. Vesk, and N. S. G. Williams. “Plant traits and extinction in urban areas: a meta-analysis of 11 cities”. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20.4 (2011), pp. 509-519. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00633.x.
Moles_2011710A. T. Moles, I. R. Wallis, W. J. Foley, D. I. Warton, J. C. Stegen, A. J. Bisigato, L. Cella-Pizarro, C. J. Clark, P. S. Cohen, W. K. Cornwell, W. Edwards, R. Ejrnaes, T. Gonzales-Ojeda, B. J. Graae, G. Hay, F. C. Lumbwe, B. Magana-Rodriguez, B. D. Moore, P. L. Peri, J. R. Poulsen, R. Veldtman, H. von Zeipel, N. R. Andrew, S. L. Boulter, E. T. Borer, F. F. Campon, M. Coll, A. G. Farji-Brener, J. D. Gabriel, E. Jurado, L. A. Kyhn, B. Low, C. P. H. Mulder, K. Reardon-Smith, J. Rodriguez-Velazquez, E. W. Seabloom, P. A. Vesk, A. van Cauter, M. S. Waldram, Z. Zheng, P. G. Blendinger, B. J. Enquist, J. M. Facelli, T. Knight, J. D. Majer, M. Martinez-Ramos, P. McQuillan, and L. D. Prior. “Putting plant resistance traits on the map: A test of the idea that plants are better defended at lower latitudes”. New Phytologist 191.3 (2011), pp. 777-788. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03732.x.
NSWFRD_20141010B. Kenny, C. Orscheg, E. Tasker, M. A. Gill, and R. Bradstock. NSW Flora Fire Response Database, v2.1. database. NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment, 2014.
Fonseca_200059C. R. Fonseca, J. M. Overton, B. Collins, and M. Westoby. “Shifts in trait-combinations along rainfall and phosphorus gradients”. Journal of Ecology 88 (2000), pp. 964-977. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2745.2000.00506.x.
Dong_201788N. Dong, I. C. Prentice, B. J. Evans, S. Caddy-Retalic, A. J. Lowe, and I. J. Wright. “Leaf nitrogen from first principles: field evidence for adaptive variation with climate”. Biogeosciences 14.2 (2017), pp. 481-495. doi: 10.5194/bg-14-481-2017.
Meers_200788T. Meers. “Role of plant functional traits in determining the response of vegetation to land use change on the Delatite Peninsula, Victoria.”. PhD. University of Melbourne, 2007.
Cheal_201777D. Cheal. Growth stages and tolerable fire intervals for Victoria's native vegetation data sets. Fire and adaptive management, report no. 84. Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, 2010.
Standish_201977R. Standish. “Unpublished data: Jarrah forest, Murdoch University”. 2019.
SAH_202356S. H. of South Australia. eFlora of SA, Electronic Flora of South Australia. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/.
ABRS_202355Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2023. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
Morgan_2011_155J. Morgan. “Unpublished data: Grassy woodland traits, La Trobe University”. 2011.
NHNSW_202355N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Yang_202355S. Yang. “Unpublished data: Fire response traits scored from national and state floras and the taxonomic literature, University of New South Wales”. 2023.
Kubiak_200934P. J. Kubiak. “Fire responses of bushland plants after the January 1994 wildfires in northern Sydney”. Cunninghamia 11.1 (2009), pp. 131-165.
WAH_2022_244Western Australian Herbarium. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
ABRS_202233Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
Carey_200333A. C. &. M. E. &. P. H. &. M. L. &. T. M. &. P. O. &. S. S. &. D. S. &. N. Webb. Wildfires in the ACT 2003: Report on Initial Impacts on Natural Ecosystems. Technical Report No. 17. Environment ACT, 2003. url: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/2539593/17-wildfires-in-the-act-report-on-initial-impacts-on-natural-ecosystems-2003.pdf.
NHNSW_202233N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
RBGV_202233VicFlora. Flora of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/.
WAH_2023_223Western Australian Herbarium. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2023. url: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/.
Burrows_202022N. Burrows. Data from 'Plant Ecological Attributes' theme, NatureMap, DBCA, WA. 2020.
Doherty_202122M. Doherty. “Fire Severity and Plant Community Dynamics in the Australian Alps, Southeastern New South Wales”. PhD. Australian National University, 2021. url: http://hdl.handle.net/1885/224564.
Mokany_201522K. Mokany, J. J. Thomson, A. J. J. Lynch, G. J. Jordan, and S. Ferrier. “Linking changes in community composition and function under climate change”. Ecological Applications 25.8 (2015), pp. 2132-2141. doi: 10.1890/14-2384.1.
NHNSW_2014_222Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET: NSW flora online. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Wenk_202222E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant growth forms dataset”. 2022.
Burrows_2008_211N. D. Burrows, G. Wardell-Johnson, and B. Ward. “Post-fire juvenile period of plants in south-west Australia forests and implications for fire management”. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 91 (2008), pp. 163-174. ISSN: 0035922X. url: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/19156 (visited on 03/27/2025).
Munroe_201911S. E. M. Munroe, F. A. McInerney, J. Andrae, N. Welti, G. R. Guerin, E. Leitch, T. Hall, S. Szarvas, R. Atkins, S. Caddy-Retalic, and B. Sparrow. “The Photosynthetic Pathways of Plant Species Surveyed in Australia's National Terrestrial Monitoring Network”. Scientific Data 8 (2021), p. 97. doi: 10.1038/s41597-021-00877-z.
Schmidt_199311S. Schmidt. “Unpublished data: Compilation of mycorrhizal status data, University of Queensland”. 1993.
Wenk_202311E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant life history dataset, University of New South Wales, Sydney”. 2023.