About Alsophila colensoi Hook.fil.
Alsophila colensoi, which also goes by the common names creeping tree fern, mountain tree fern, and golden tree fern, is a species of tree fern. It is native to New Zealand, where its range extends from the southern part of the North Island southward to Stewart Island. This fern grows in submontane to montane forest, in damp locations especially near the tree line. Its trunk is usually prostrate, though it can occasionally be erect, and may reach roughly 1 meter in height. Its fronds are tripinnate, and measure about 1.5 meters long or longer. The rachis and stipe are slender, pale brown, and covered in brown scales. Sori grow in two rows, with one row along each side of the fertile pinnule midvein, and do not have indusia. When growing in the wild, individual plants can form thickets with no visible trunk. For cultivation, this species needs rich humus, adequate shade, and abundant moisture. As a montane plant, it grows well in cooler regions. Its specific epithet colensoi honors William Colenso (1811–1899), a missionary and New Zealand botanist.
