Cyathea cooperi
Plant Number: 38
Common Name: Lacy Tree Fern; Tree Fern
Scientific Name: Cyathea cooperi
Derivation of name
Cyathea - is derived from the Greek word 'kyatheion' meaning little cup, referring to the structure that holds the spores
cooperi - named by Ferdinand von Mueller in honour of Sir Daniel Cooper (1821-1092) who was elected the first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and held that office until his resignation in 1860
Description
- They grow best in areas with high humidity and soil moisture such as rainforests and gullies and are found along the coast of Queensland and New South Wales
- They grow to 10m with a thin trunk with oval scars from fallen fronds
- They are attacked by a wide range of pests but they rarely cause significant damage
- The species must be propagated from spores as it cannot be propagated vegetatively as they do not produce offsets from the trunk or roots
Human use
Aboriginal people would remove the top of the tree fern and split it open to extract the central growing heart at the crown. It was eaten after a process of rinsing away tannin content. Fiddleheads could be eaten raw, or cooked in the hot ashes.
The tree fern was the identifying symbol for the Blackall Range People Dalla and Nalbo. The Turrubul people referred to the tree fern as Yug'ai
Acknowledgment: Australian National Botanical Gardens, Mangrove to Mountains and Bush Heritage
Photo: John Jennings