Cibotium menziesii
COMMON NAME | Hapu'u or Hawaiian tree fern |
TYPE | Fern |
FAMILY | Dicksoniaceae |
NOTES | Hawai'i's
largest tree fern. It can reach 35 feet in height, but often grows only 7 to
25 feet tall. The trunk can be up to 2 1/2 feet in diameter. The fronds arch
and can grow as long as 12 feet. The fronds of Cibotium menziesii are smooth
and slightly paler underneath with yellowish midribs. The pulu (frond fibers)
are used to absorb bodily fluid from corpses in preparation for traditional
burials. These same fibers are also used in handcrafted pillows. It is named
after the Scottish naturalist Archibald Menzies |
GEOGRAPHIC REGION | Endemic on all the major Hawaiian islands |
NATIVE
HABITAT | Grows
in moist and wet forests and is most common at elevations ranging from 1,000
to 6,000 feet |
WEB SOURCES |
