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Virtual New Zealand Photo Library

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New Zealand Ferns Photos
Black Fern	Fern Forest	Tree Fern	Silver Fern
Ground Fern	Hound's Tongue	Fern leaf	Ground Fern
Hound's Tongue	Fern Leaves	Ground Ferns	Fiordland Fern
Hound's Tongue	Black Tree Ferns	Tree Ferns	Fern Branches
Related Albums
Silver Fern	Rainforest	Koru
Information

New Zealand's native bush has a huge variety of native ferns, with about 190 species native to New Zealand. The New Zealand bush is literally covered in ground ferns with fern trees protruding up toward the canopy. Epiphyte ferns also exist on giant trees in the forest. Most grow in shady and damp conditions such as valleys and deep gullies that get less direct sunlight.

The most common fern species is the Black Tree Fern which is also the the world' tallest, with some specimens reaching 24 metres (80 feet) high. At the other end of the scale are ferns that are only a few centremetres high.

The most recognisable fern is the Silver Fern which is a New New Zealand emblem and is used on the shirts of sports teams including the All Blacks rugby team, Silver Ferns netball team, and the New Zealand Olympic team.

The Koru shape, another New Zealand emblem is an unfurling fern frond and represents the unfolding of new life.

More Photos
Fern Branch	Fern Branch	Silver Fern	Fern Branch
Hound's Tongue	Black Fern	Black Fern	Black Ferns
Hound's Tongue	Fern Leaves	Epiphyte Ferns	Fern Leaves

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