Pteris tremula

Pteridaceae

Pteris tremula R.Br.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/72910

Tender Brakefern

Large terrestrial ferns. Rhizome short, erect; apex covered with long narrow pale brown scales. Fronds dimorphic, tufted, 30–130 (–200) cm tall. Stipe (15–) 30–60 (–95) cm long, pale brown to chestnut-brown, with a few pale narrow basal scales, or scales absent. Lamina 2–4-pinnate-pinnatifid, ovate-deltoid, 25–60 cm long, 15–40 cm wide, pale green, usually ±herbaceous; rachis red-brown; ultimate segments linear, 10–15 (–30) mm long, decurrent, ±glabrous, but costules on undersurface somewhat hairy. Ultimate sterile segments c. 3 mm wide; margins toothed. Ultimate fertile segments (1–) 1.5 mm wide. Veins free, simple or once- or twice-forked. Sori ±continuous, but absent from bases and apices of ultimate segments; paraphyses absent.

Scattered across all states except WA. Also in the Pacific Islands and New Zealand.

Terrestrial in dry to mesic vine forest or wet sclerophyll forest, sometimes common on roadsides, on disturbed slopes or on creekbanks.

Readily cultivated in the ground or a container in a tropical or subtropical garden or fernhouse.