Pyrrosia rupestris

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information

Wikipedia links:       Monilophytes > Polypodiales > Polypodiaceae >  Pyrrosia rupestris

Other links:    

Species:     P confluens,   P lanceolata,  P rupestris               

Plant  information

Common name:         Rock Felt Fern    

Conservation status: ...

Etymology:   

• The name Pyrrosia is from the Greek which refers to the flame colour of the hairs/sporangia that cover the fronds on some species

•  Rupestris means growing near rocks

Spores:                            

• Round dark sori seen under the long leaves

Leaves:         

• Leaves are round or tongue like in shape

• Sterile leaves round

• Fertile leaves long and tongue shaped

• 2 cm round, or up to 10 cm long and 1.5 cm broad

Stem & branches: 

• Rhizomes orange brown in colour, long and creeping

• Able to grasp onto rocks or tree trunks

Roots:         

Habit:        

• Generally epiphytic on trees or rocks

• A  few species are terrestrial

Habitat:   

• Areas of part shade and high moisture

• Usually found in rainforest or moist eucalyptus forest

• Often on rainforest trees, quite high above the ground

Distribution:                  

• Rock felt fern grows from Victoria north through NSW and Queensland to New Guinea

• A common fern of eastern Australia. 

•  It grows as far west at the more arid Warrumbungle National Park

Additional notes:     

• In drought it shrinks and becomes desiccated

• With rain or mist the fern recovers well.

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrosia_rupestris (2023)