Pteris cretica L., Pteridaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: cretan brake

Habit:  fern

Description:  "Rhizomes short-creeping, scaly. Stipes 25-75 cm long, more or less devoid of scales except at very base. Laminae ovate or broadly ovate, 20-40 x 10-30 cm, 1-pinnate or with lower pinnae forked. Primary pinnae in 2-7 pairs, widely spaced, linear, tapering to acute apices, entire or minutely crenate at apices, 12-27 x 0.8-1.8 cm; upper pinnae adnate; lower pinnae stalked. Sori occupying whole of both margins of pinnae except at apices, protected by reflexed margins" (Webb et al., 1988; p. 35).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Zealand, in "waste ground, cemeteries, road and tracksides. This is a commonly cultivated plant and occasionally escapes." (Webb et al., 1988; p. 35).

Propagation:  (no propagation information known by PIER)

Native range:  "Widely cultivated and naturalized, exact native range obscure" (GRIN).

Presence:

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	introduced invasive cultivated	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007) "A commonly cultivated fern, very rarely naturalised in N.S.W".
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 35)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)		Rejmánek, M. (1996)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Comments:  Reported to be an invasive species in Peru per Rejmánek, 1996.

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

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

References:

Australian Biological Resources Study. 2007. Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.

Rejmánek, M. 1996. Species richness and resistance to invasions. In: Orians, G., R. Dirzo and J. H. Cushman (eds.). Biodiversity and ecosystem processes in tropical forests. Springer-Verlag. pp. 153-172.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.