Sphaeropteris cooperi (hook. ex F.muell.) R.m.tryon

Caudex erect, simple, up to 5 m high, up to 200 mm in diam., lower part thickened and covered by adventitious roots, with ovate stipe base scars higher up. Fronds up to 20 per plant, caespitose, arching, up to 4 m long. Stipe greenish brown, up to 950 mm long and 25 mm in diam., initially densely scaled, basal scaled up to 50 x 5 mm, chartaceous, pale brown, margins closely set with short and dark setae. Lamina elliptic, up to 3-pinnate, up to 3 x 1.4 m. Pinnae 1-pinnate-pinnatifid to 2-pinnate, narrowly ovate to ovate, up to 630 x 230 mm; petioles up to 40 mm long. Pinnules pinnatifid to 1-pinnate, oblong-acuminate, up to 120 x 30 mm; segments herbaceous, oblong-obtuse, up to 17 x 3 mm, falcate, denticulate, adaxially with rigid, curved hairs along the costae and costules, abaxially with reddish brown, fimbriate scales along the costae and costules; venation evident, branches once forked. Sori up to 11 pairs per segment, circular, up to 1.4 mm in diam. Indusium absent, scales with marginal setae around receptacle base.

It grows in tropical and subtropical rainforests. It grows in most forests in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. The roots need to be kept moist. It is frost tender when young. It can withstand exposure in moist positions. It grows up to 1400 m altitude. Hobart Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

The central growing heart is eaten after processing. Starch is extracted.

Plants can be grown from spores.