king fern
Angiopteris evecta (Forst.) Hoffm.
Angiopteris evecta (Forst.) Hoffm., known as king fern, is a large rainforest fern in the family Marattiaceae. Native to Southeast Asia and Oceania, it has a long evolutionary history and is reported to have the longest fronds of any fern species.
Description
Angiopteris evecta is a member of the Marattiaceae family and is widely distributed across regions such as the Caroline Is., Cook Is., Fiji, Hawaii, and others. It is a prominent rainforest fern known for its exceptionally large fronds. With a history spanning approximately 300 million years, it is one of the longest-lived fern species. Common names include giant fern, elephant fern, and mule's foot fern. First described in 1794, it is a significant component of tropical and subtropical ecosystems.
Other common names
Mule's-foot fernking fernOriental vessel fern
Distribution
CU · CK · Kosrae · WS · PW · FM · JM · PG · CR · TW · Hawaii · Bismarck Archipelago · Caroline Is. · Cook Is. · Costa Rica · Fiji · Jamaica · Leeward Is. · Marianas · New Caledonia · New Guinea · New South Wales · Niue · Northern Territory · Queensland · Samoa · Society Is. · Tonga · Tubuai Is. · Vanuatu
Synonyms
Angiopteris acrocarpaAngiopteris alataAngiopteris aurataAngiopteris beecheyanaAngiopteris brongniartianaAngiopteris canaliculataAngiopteris commutataAngiopteris cupreataAngiopteris elongataAngiopteris erectaAngiopteris evanidostriataAngiopteris hellwigiiAngiopteris lasegueanaAngiopteris lauterbachiiAngiopteris longifoliaAngiopteris lorentziiAngiopteris muricataAngiopteris naumanniiAngiopteris novocaledonicaAngiopteris palauensisDanaea evectaCallipteris heterophyllaPolypodium evectumAngiopteris evecta var. rurutensisAngiopteris evecta var. vaupelii
