Pteris umbrosa

Pteridaceae

Pteris umbrosa R.Br.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/72955

Jungle Brake

Moderately large terrestrial and lithophytic ferns. Rhizome short-creeping to erect, stout, scaly; scales lanceolate, brown. Fronds slightly dimorphic. Stipes clustered, 30–60 (–80) cm long, orange-brown at the base, yellowish brown above. Lamina 1-pinnate (except for base which is 1-pinnate-pinnatifid), 30–70 (–125) cm long, dark green, glabrous. Pinnae broadly attached and long-decurrent on rachis; lowermost pair of pinnae shortly stalked, 15–35 cm long. Sterile pinnae linear, 1–1.5 (–2) cm wide; margins serrate; apex attenuate. Fertile pinnae slightly narrower. Veins free, simple or once-forked. Sori extending to the bases of decurrent pinnae and pinnules; paraphyses scarce.

Endemic to eastern Australia with three disjunct populations, one in the Wet Tropics of NE QLD, one in SE QLD and one in E Vic.

Terrestrial, often in rocky or damp gullies, on the edge of rock-faces or on hillslopes in wet to dry vine forest or sclerophyll forest and open woodland.

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