Angiopteris evecta (G.Forst.) Hoffm., Marattiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Polypodium evecta G. Forst.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: giant fern, king's fern, mule's-foot fern

Kosraean: kalme

Kwara‘ae: gwaegwae

Maori (Cook Islands): ne‘e

Niuean: palatao

Palauan: bersarm, demarm, dermarm

Pohnpeian: paiued, payuit, umpai

Samoan: fa‘agase, gase, la‘au fau pale, nase, oli oli

Tahitian: nahe

Tongan: hulufe vai, ponga

Yapese: mong, mongmong

Habit:  fern

Description:  "Rhizome forming a massive, somewhat spherical trunk to ca 60-90 cm high and 45 cm diameter  Stipes thick and fleshy, to ca 2 m long, the base swollen and bearing two flat, rounded, dark brown, leathery, stipule-like outgrowth ca 5-10 cm long.  Lamina 2- to 4-pinnate, glabrous, very large and spreading, to over 7 m long and to ca 2.5 m broad, the pinnae ca 30 cm wide; ultimate segments shortly stalked, commonly (8-) 10-13 (-20) cm long, (0.8-) 1.5-2.5 (-4) cm wide, linear, the base unequally wedge-shaped to more or less rounded, especially on the basal side, the margins shallowly toothed, often with a long, narrow, acuminate, more deeply toothed apex.  Veins close, making a wide angle with the midrib, free, simple or once forked near the base, with pale, translucent false-veins running between them for a short distance from the margin.  Sori without indusia, consisting of 3-7 pairs of sporangia clustered along the lateral veins near the margin"  (Andrews, 1990; pp. 16-17).

Habitat/ecology:  Moist forest and rainforest at low to middle elevations.  In Hawai‘i, "naturalizing freely in the Lyon Arboretum and other local botanical gardens, apparently spreading by spores shed from cultivated plants into nearby areas.  This fern appears to naturalize freely in wet valleys.  It soon overtops the surrounding native and exotic vegetation, quickly spawning swarms of offspring downslope/downwind of the parent plant"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 39).

Propagation:  Wind-borne spores.

Native range:  Western Melanesia, Polynesia.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 15) Voucher cited: Garber 579
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 6) Voucher cited: Fosberg 31623 (BISH, US, Fo)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	native	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 56) Vouchers cited: CBM-BS-59015, CBM-BS-59100
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 6) Vouchers cited: Hosokawa 7941 (BISH), Kanehira 2176 (US), Falanruw 1931 (US), Anderson 427 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	native	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 56) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-58968
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 6) Voucher cited: Falanruw 1711 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 6) Vouchers cited: Hosokawa 7894, Evans 2370 (US, BISH, Fo, NY, L, P)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	native	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. Field notes.)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2005) (p. 14) Voucher cited: Flynn 7195 (PTBG)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 36) Vouchers cited: Kanehira 719 (NY), Glassman 2310 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (1998) (p. 4)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (1997) (p. 2)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 74)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 74)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 74)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 74)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wood, K. R. (2006) (p. 18)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. (2000) (p. 24)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wood, K. R. (2006) (p. 18) Voucher cited: K.R. Wood & T. Menard 10933 (PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wood, K. R. (2006) (p. 18)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wood, K. R. (2006) (p. 18)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wood, K. R. (2006) (p. 18)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2008) (p. Voucher specimens) Voucher cited: Neal s.n. (BISH 789)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	native	Brownlie, G. (1969) (p. 42) Vouchers cited: Balansa 80, Boudouin s.n. s.loc., Franc 20 B, Guillaumin et Baumann 10110
Niue Niue	Niue Island	native	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 28) Vouchers cited: CHR 150627, CHR 150628
Niue Niue	Niue Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 16) As Angiopteris commutata Presl. Voucher cited: Yuncker 9772 (BISH)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996) (p. 12)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. Field notes)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1978) (voucher ID: BNM 991) Taxon name on voucher: Angiopteris evecta (Fosrt. F.) Hoffm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1982) (p. 30)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. Field notes)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)	native	Fosberg, F. R./Otobed, D./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L./Powell, D. A./Canfield, J. E. (1980) (p. 1)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 46)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	native	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. Field notes.)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 19) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 15331, Hürlimann 219
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	native	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. Field notes.)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Late Island	native	Sykes, W. R. (1981) (p. 347)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Tafahi Island	native	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 19) Voucher cited: Hürlimann 429

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2008)
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2008)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2008)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Angiopteris evecta is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Angiopteris evecta as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Angiopteris evecta may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

Other Latin names:  Polypodium evecta G. Forst.

References:

Andrews, S. B. 1990. Ferns of Queensland. Queensland Dept. of Primary Ind., Brisbane.

Australian Biological Resources Study. 2008. Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1978. Voucher specimen #BNM991(Canfield, J.E. 515).

Brownlie, G. 1969. Ptéridophytes. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et Dépendances. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Vol. 3, 165 pp.

Christenhusz, Maarten J. M./Toivonen, Tuuli K. 2008. Giants invading the tropics: the oriental vessel fern, Angiopteris evecta (Marattiaceae). Biological Invasions.

Falanruw, Marjorie C./Maka, Jean E./Cole, Thomas G./Whitesell, Craig D. 1990. Unpublished database and supplement to: Common and scientific names of trees and shrubs of Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands. Pac. SW Forest and Range Expt. Stn. Resource Bulletin PSW-67. 91 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1975. Vascular flora of the northern Marianas Islands. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 22:1-45.

Fosberg, F. R./Otobed, D./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L./Powell, D. A./Canfield, J. E. 1980. Vascular plants of Palau with vernacular names. Department of Botany, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 43 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1982. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian pteridophyta and gymnospermae. Micronesica 18(1):23-82.

Glassman, S. F. 1952. The flora of Ponape. Bishop Mus. Bull. 209: 1-152.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2008. Annotated checklist of cultivated plants of Hawai‘i (online searchable database).

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 1997. Checklist of the plants of Yap. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 21 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 1998. Checklist of the plants of Pohnpei. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 21 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy. 2005. Botanical survey of the Yela River valley, Kosrae, F.S.M. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kalaheo, Hawaii. 19 pp.

Ohba, T. 1994. Flora and vegetation of the northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. Biological Expedition to the Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. In A. Asakua & T. Furuki, eds.  Natural History Research, Special issue no. 1, Chiba, Japan: Natural History Museum and Institute. pp. 13-69.

Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. 1996. A botanical reconnaissance of the proposed Compact-impact road alignment on Babeldaob Island, Republic of Palau. U. of Guam Herbarium Cont. No. 32. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2009. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. (In press).

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. 2000. Survey of invasive or potentially invasive cultivated plants in Hawai‘i. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers No. 65. 35 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1981. The vegetation of Late, Tonga. Allertonia 2(6):323-353.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Whistler, W. A. 1984. Annotated list of Samoan plant names. Economic Botany 38:464.489.

Wood, K. R. 2006. New plant records and rediscoveries within the Hawaiian Islands. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2004-2005. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 88:15-19.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1945. Plants of the Manua Islands. Bishop Mus. Bull. 184. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 73 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.