Uluhe
Names
- ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: Uluhe
- Common: Old World Forked Fern
- Scientific: Dicranopteris linearis
Conservation Status
- NatureServe Heritage Rank G5 – Secure
Species Information
Uluhe is indigenous to Hawai’i and is found on all the main Hawaiian islands (Romanchak, 1998). Uluhe is a member of the family Gleicheniaceae. Uluhe can grow to 6 m (20 ft) or more. The blue to purple fiddleheads grow from underground rhizomes (Kinsey,2009). It is a keystone species in Hawaiian ecosystems and dominates many areas in Hawaiian rainforests (Russell, 1998). It can colonize bare sites such as lava flows, talus, and abandoned roads.
Distribution
Uluhe can be found on all the Hawaiian islands except Ni’ihau and Kaho’olawe.
Habitat
Can grow in wet forests, mesic sites, and every type of canopy coverage (Russell, et al., 1998).
Threats
- Wildfire
- Tramping by feral ungulates
Plans & Projects
‘Ua’u
References & Additional Resources
Kinsey, T. Beth. “Dicranopteris Linearis – Old World Forkedfern.” Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers, 22 Oct. 2009, https://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/454/dicranopteris-linearis-old-world-forkedfern/.
Romanchak, Ethan A., et al. “The Propagation of Uluhe Fern (Discranoperis linearis): Vegetative Versus Spores.” Department of Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Hawai’i, 1998.
Russell, Ann E., et al. “The Ecology of the Climbing Fern Dicranopteris Linearis on Windward Mauna Loa, Hawaii.” Journal of Ecology, vol. 86, no. 5, 1998, pp. 765–79, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2648572.
Photos
