Haplopteris elongata

Pteridaceae

Haplopteris elongata (Sw.) E.H.Crane

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/51294653

Tape Fern, Ribbon Fern

Rhizome short- to moderately long-creeping, branched, densely scaly, thickly covered with dark roots with spreading ginger hairs; scales 4–7 (–10) mm long, very slender, uniformly reddish brown when young, ageing black; cell walls uniformly thick; apex hair-like with irregularly toothed margins. Fronds scattered. Lamina linear, 25–90 cm long, 3–5 (–10) mm wide, tapered to both ends, dark green, glossy, thinly coriaceous; midvein prominent in broad-leaved forms; lateral veins very oblique. Paraphyses branched; terminal cells clavate, about as long as wide. 

In Australia widespread in wet areas from Torres Strait to SE QLD. Widespread in the Palaeotropics.

Epiphytic in the canopy and subcanopy, often growing on other epiphytes, humus or moss, also on fallen logs and large boulders in rainforest.

Readily cultivated in moist tropical climates in a hanging basket, on a slab or planted in the base of an epiphytic nest fern. This species resents disturbance but grows well once established.

Haplopteris elongata and H. ensiformis are often confused. The rhizome of H. elongata is short to moderately long creeping and has uniformly coloured scales whereas the rhizome of H. ensiformis is very short creeping and has scales with a darker middle band and slightly paler margins. The fronds of H. elongata are generally flatter, broader and lighter green and new growth has a more revolute crozier than H. ensiformis, which has fronds that are somewhat thicker and sometimes cupped in cross section, darker green and with a less revolute crozier. Some plants of H. elongata from hot lowland tropical swamp forests are very large, have broad apple green fronds and a long creeping rhizome, and they can invade the nests of other epiphytes and form large colonies.