It is regarded as related to Cyathea, but is considered to retain more primitive traits, dating back at least to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

The genus contains 20–25 species, distributed from Mexico to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, St. Helena, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Philippines.

Species of Dicksonia found in cultivation include: The genus was first described by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle in 1788.

The name honors James Dickson, a prominent nurseryman and botanist.

[1] Plants of the World Online as of As of January 2023[update] recognizes the following species:[2] Phylogeny of Dicksonia[3][4] D. squarrosa (Forster 1786) Swartz (New Zealand tree fern) D. baudouinii Fournier D. lanata Colenso (stumpy tree fern) D. brackenridgei Mettenius D. perriei Noben & Lehnert D. munzingeri Noben & Lehnert D. thyrsopteroides Mettenius D. timorensis Adjie D. antarctica de Labillardière (Australian soft tree fern) D. fibrosa Colenso (golden tree fern) D. stuebelii Hieronymus D. karsteniana (Klotzsch 1847) Moore D. navarrensis Christ D. sellowiana (Presl 1836) Hooker (xaxim) D. berteroana (Colla 1836) Hooker D. arborescens L’Héritier de Brutelle (Saint Helena tree fern) D. blumei (Kunze 1848) Moore D. herbertii Hill D. youngiae Moore ex Baker (Bristly tree fern) D. mollis Holttum D. hieronymi Brause D. lanigera Holttum D. grandis Rosenstock D. archboldii Copeland D. sciurus Christensen Other species include: This Cyatheales-related article is a stub.