Silver fern
76/1931/4 is the young frond at the top. The silver fern (ponga) has become one of New Zealand’s national symbols. The Maori use it as a building material, for food and as a wound dressing. In times of war the Maori have used the fern to mark out tracks through the forest. If a fern frond is broken off and laid silver side up it can easily be seen against the dark ground at first light or with a bright moon.
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- 76/1931/4
- Collection Class
- Plants
- Collection Area Region
- Australia and New Zealand
- Common Name
- silver fern
- Simple Name
- plant: fern
