Cheilanthes caudata

Pteridaceae

Cheilanthes caudata R.Br.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/62335

Fronds to 64 cm long and 16 cm wide; stipe and rachis red-brown to black, glabrous or with sparse hairs (1–15 cells). Lamina ovate or triangular, 3-pinnate or 4-pinnatifid at base, 2-pinnate for most of length; larger pinnae triangular-ovate; pinnules linear, oblong, lanceolate or ovate; ultimate pinnules incised at the base and caudate at apex; margins slightly crenate; upper and lower surfaces glabrous or with sparse, short or minute hairs, often along the midrib. Spores with varying amount of echinate ornamentation, either tetrahedral, trilete, 32–48 µm diam. and 32 per sporangium, or spherical, 51–60 µm diam. and 16 per sporangium. 

Tropical Australia in QLD, NT and WA, possibly also in New Caledonia

Terrestrial in soil pockets and rock crevices in arid, semi-arid and monsoonal open woodland. Not usually a rainforest fern.

Similar to C. nitida but the two can be distinguished by the following key:

1a. Fronds 2-pinnate, segments very narrow linear = Cheilanthes nitida

1b. Fronds 3–4 pinnate, segments narrow oblong to lanceolate = Cheilanthes caudata

Occasional intermediates have been reported.