They can often be found in abundance on the edge of forests beside roads, open spaces and regenerated forests. They are popular choice in landscaping and gardens because of their tall trunks and attractive collection of large, highly dissected fronds at the top. At a quick glance, a tree fern looks like a palm tree, but it is easily distinguished by its large fronds at the top of the trunk, with roots growing out from almost the whole surface of the trunk except the area just below the crown. The roots grow in all directions and become entangled with each other to form a very tough fibrous black cover for the trunk, a perfect base for other smaller epiphytic ferns and orchids to grow from. Another characteristic feature is the covering of scales on young fronds, when they are coiled up at the top of the trunk.
Tree ferns have no flowers, and therefore no fruits or seeds.
They reproduce via its microscopic spores, which are dispersed by wind. The spores appear on the lower surface of the leaves. The tallest specie, C. contaminans , is easily recognised by their glaucous, purplish and thorny stripe bases of the fronds. It was once traditionally used to stem bleeding wounds, they are now being collected and sold to tourists as a so-called charm to ward off evil. Threats Indiscriminate collection by collectors and dealers in unique-looking plants.