The Harsh Ground Fern is December's plant of the month.
Common name:
Harsh Ground Fern
Botanical name:
Hypolepis meulleri
Family:
Dennstaedtiaceae
Distribution:
East coast of Australia
Native Habitat
Harsh Ground Fern grows in wet soils in gullies, creeks, rainforest edges, swamps and open forests along the east coast of Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and Queensland. Its habit is semi-shade to dappled shade.
Description
Usually grows between 30 - 100 cm tall with an erect habit. Despite the common name, the fronds are soft to touch; it is the axis or midrib that is harsh to touch due to bristly hairs. H. meulleri can be mistaken for other ferns such as Batswing fern (Histiopteris incisa) but the branches are more widely spaced and the midrib rough to touch.
This fern has single firm, stiffly upright fronds, distantly spaced, spreading along branched underground stems to form large colonies.
The fronds are triangular, dark green, thin-textured and soft, with 1-pinnate at the apex and at least 3-pinnate at the base. The axis is harsh in texture with scattered bristly pale hairs. Ultimate segments are oblong, simple or lobed. Branches are opposite. The spore cases are round and hairy in two rows on the segment, away from margins. Usually uncovered.
This plant was named in honour of pioneering botanist Ferdinand von Mueller (1825 – 1896), appointed as government botanist for Victoria in 1853.
Uses
These ferns provide important habitat for frogs of Centennial Parklands. You may hear the calls of some such as the common eastern froglet (Crinia signifera) or Peron’s Tree Frog (Litoria peronei).
Interesting facts
Ferns are one of the oldest groups of plants on Earth, with a fossil record dating back to the Devonian period (383 – 393 million years ago). They do not have flowers or fruit, instead produce reproductive spores on the backs of their fronds throughout the year.
Today, recently evolved ferns are the second most diverse group of vascular plants, with flowering plants being the most diverse. There are over 10,000 species of ferns world-wide and the Australian flora consists of more than 400 species.
These ferns provide important habitat for frogs of Centennial Parklands. You may hear the calls of some such as the common eastern froglet (Crinia signifera) or Peron’s Tree Frog (Litoria peronei).
Where to see the Saw Banksia in Centennial Parklands
Guriwal trail, Mission Fields canals and Lachlan Wetland.