
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Ash, J 
T1  - Demography and Production of <I>Leptopteris wilkesiana</I> (Osmundaceae), a Tropical Tree-Fern From Fiji
JF  - Australian Journal of Botany
JO  - Aust. J. Bot.
Y1  - 1986
VL  - 34
IS  - 2
SP  - 207
EP  - 215
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/BT9860207 
N2  - The demography of Leptopteris wilkesiana (Osmundaceae) was studied in an area of undisturbed primary forest near Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji. The tree-fern has a single growth flush of 3-9 new leaves each wet season, and this is apparent as a distinct annual band of stipe scars on the trunk. Trunk ages ranged up to 133 years and trunk height growth averages 1.6 cm year-1. Leaf longevity is normally 2-2&#189; years. There was a 1% probability that a trunk would fall over, or be knocked over, each year; most trunks produced new roots at the lowest part of the fallen stem and continued growing. Sporangia production commenced in plants 30-45 cm tall and increased with leaf size and the number of leaves. Spore pro- duction ranged up to 17 x 106 spores year-1 on a large plant, and 3 x 108 spores year-1 for a population of 100 plants, while recruitment of sporophytes was estimated at 1 year-1.  Annual net production ranged up to 38 g oven-dry tissues on a large plant of which 55% was leaf production and 8% sporangia production. 
ER  -

