Cyathea brevipinna is a species of tree fern

Cyatheales

The order Cyatheales is a taxonomic division of the fern subclass, Cyatheatae, which includes the tree ferns. No clear morphological features characterize all of the Cyatheales, but DNA sequence data indicates that the order is monophyletic. Some species in the Cyatheales have tree-like growth...

 endemic

Endemic (ecology)

Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...

 to the higher parts of Mount Gower

Mount Gower

Mount Gower dominates the southern tip of Lord Howe Island and has its peak at 875 metres .Average climbing time to Mount Gower's summit is 8 – 10 hours. The path is rope-assisted and rated as one of the world's best one-day hikes...

 (875 m) on Lord Howe Island

Lord Howe Island

Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about from Norfolk Island. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of...

, where it grows in exposed areas at an altitude of about 790 m. The trunk is erect and may reach 3 m in height. It is often covered with reddish brown scale

Scale (zoology)

In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...

s and stipe

Stipe (botany)

In botany, a stipe is a stalk that supports some other structure. The precise meaning is different depending on which taxonomic group is being described....

 bases. This species may produce stolon

Stolon

In biology, stolons are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external skeletons.-In botany:...

s at ground level. Frond

Frond

The term frond refers to a large, divided leaf. In both common usage and botanical nomenclature, the leaves of ferns are referred to as fronds and some botanists restrict the term to this group...

s are tripinnate, densely crowded, and up to about 3 m long. The stipe is brown and sometimes warty after scales fall off. The scales are long, glossy dark brown, with a distinctly narrow apex and fragile paler edges. Sori

Sorus

A sorus is a cluster of sporangia .In fungi and lichens, the sorus is surrounded by an external layer. In some red algae it may take the form of a depression into the thallus....

 are attached to deeply divided fertile pinnules that may uncurl over the sori. Indusia are firm and large. C. brevipinna is a stunted plant with short pinnae.

Reportedly, only one plant survives outside of its native habitat. No one is known to have successfully raised C. brevipinna from spore

Spore

In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...

s.