FloraOfNewZealand-Ferns-4-BrownseyPerrie-2014-O ...

The family Osmundaceae is represented in New Zealand by two native genera (Leptopteris and Todea), with three species, and one naturalised genus (Osmunda) with one species. The two endemic species of Leptopteris have membranous, translucent fronds and are widespread, but confined to forest where they sometimes hybridise. Todea barbara has coriaceous fronds and is confined to the far north of New Zealand where it is a rare and threatened species. Osmunda regalis is characterised by markedly different fertile and sterile pinnae on the same frond, and is naturalised in wet or swampy areas of northern New Zealand. All members of the family form short, sometimes trunk-like stems, and produce sporangia that are not arranged in discrete sori and contain green spores.