Tectaria confluens

Tectariaceae

Tectaria confluens (Hook. & Baker) Pic.Serm.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/119197

Rhizome short, suberect; scales c. 15 mm long, c. 2 mm wide, dark brown, glossy with margins pale and deciduous-hairy. Fronds arching, thinly coriaceous, not dimorphic. Stipe to 45 cm long, very dark and glossy, densely short-hairy at base; basal scales similar to those of the rhizome. Lamina to 45 cm long, consisting of a multilobed apical part and 1 (–2) pairs of pinnae; apical part to 35 cm long, lobed to a wing 10 mm wide on each side of its axis; basal lobes to 23 cm long, lobulate; lobules acute and falcate on largest fronds, obtuse on smaller ones; upper lobes gradually less deeply lobulate; pinnae to 20 cm long, acuminate, with a shallowly lobulate basal basiscopic lobe, to 10 cm long and 2 cm wide; acroscopic side to 2.5 cm long; veins forming areoles many of which contain free often branched veinlets; short hairs present on lower surface of veins and very slender erect ones sometimes between them. Sori rather large, in 1 row on each side of costules, mostly on free veins in areoles; indusium rather large, thin, glabrous.

Endemic to NE QLD from Iron Range to Seaforth.

Terrestrial in earth banks and on steep rocky slopes usually in riparian areas in rainforest.

Readily cultivated in a greenhouse or garden in a tropical climate. Grows well in a container or tub of moist free draining growing medium.

Tectaria brachiata and Tectaria siifolia

1a. Free included veinlets absent in costal areoles = T. devexa

1b. Free included veinlets present in costal areoles = 2

2a. Fronds not strongly dimorphic, usually with only one pair of pinnae dissected to midrib = T. confluens

2b. Fronds strongly dimorphic, those of mature plants with 2 or more pairs of pinnae = 3

3a. Supramedial pinnae of fertile fronds lobed = T. brachiata

3b. Supramedial pinnae of fertile fronds entire or nearly so = T. siifolia.