Ferns and Fern Allies in the Canberra Regio

Pyrrosia rupestris - Rock Felt Fern

Pyrrosia rupestris is a curious little scrambling fern that grows over rocks and on tree trunks often in quite exposed areas. The fronds have a succulent appearance. The fertile fronds are elongated, and up to 8cm in length, while the sterile fronds are often nearly circular and typically up to 2cm across. It can form quite dense clumps.

Sterile fronds and one fertile frond (lower right) with a network of rhizomes on a mossy rock. The colour of the moss shows there has not been rain for some time. The fern is quite tolerant of dry spells if the rhizome can reach into moist cracks.

A clump of sterile fronds on a tree trunk. On this plant, the sterile fronds were about 1cm across (1/2").

Fertile fronds on the same tree trunk. The fern is reported to be very easy to grow and hardy in most situations. This plant, not a Canberra region specimen, was growing within 20 meters of an
inlet from the sea.

David Nicholls
January 1998