Ferns
The Lane Cove Valley is an area of high fern diversity. Recent scientific work has changed the names of many of these species. At this stage, we’re sticking with the older familiar names. Let us know if you are aware of other fern species naturally occurring in our area.
Elkhorn Fern (Platycerium bifurcatum). Seen in many places in the Lane Cove valley. This magnificent specimen is growing beside the Lane Cove river on a Casuarina tree. The closely related Staghorn fern is also present in the area, propagating from garden plants.
Dwarf Finger Fern (Grammitis stenophylla). An endangered species, one of the smallest terrestrial ferns. Found growing on Hawkesbury sandstone in at least two places in the Lane Cove valley. At Turramurra South and Chatswood West.
Finger Fern (Notogrammitis billardierei) is found in rocky, shaded gullies, often near streams. Uncommon to rare in the district. A small fern, similar but larger than the tiny Grammitis stenophylla.
Japanese Lady Fern (Deparia petersenii subsp. congrua). This fern is found in the Lane Cove Valley in rocky areas near shaded creeks. A native of Australia but this sub species is not found in Japan, despite the common name.
Hairy Maiden Fern (Christella hispidula) This very rare fern was found in the local area by the botanist Van Klaphake in Lane Cove. The first time ever seen in Sydney. Similar to Christella dentata.
Binung (Christella dentata). Identified by the narrow tip to the frond. Found in rainforest margins or near streams, sometimes in gardens. This group of ferns is under review with plenty of name changes. Cyclosorus is another genus it may belong to.
Filmy Fern (Hymenophyllum cupressiforme). Found in shaded gullies, this fern is one cell thick. So, in time of heatwave and drought it really struggles. Easily missed and tiny, it's quite a remarkable plant. The other plant in the picture is Parramatta moss (Pyrrhobryum parramattense).
Grass Fern (Schizaea rupestris) is another locally rare fern. Found in one place in the Lane Cove Valley, maybe waiting to be found elsewhere. Seen growing on a vertical clay bank near a waterfall in South Turramurra.
Delicate Rock Fern (Arthropteris tenella). Found in at least one spot in the Lane Cove valley. In a rainforest gully in Chatswood west. Abundant species north and south of Sydney, but very rare in the local area.
Hare's Foot Fern (Davallia solida var. pyxidata). An uncommon fern in the area. Growing on rocks in moist shaded areas. The thick rhizome (similar to a root) is prominent and gives the common name.
Skeleton Fork Fern (Psilotum nudum). Until recently considered a "pre fern" from the Silurian age. Now placed back in the fern group. This extraordinary plant is seen growing on rocks in the local area. Not rare, but seldom noticed.
Rock Felt Fern (Pyrosia rupetris). Often seen in moist areas on rocks or tree trunks. The long thin fronds produce spores, but the roundish fronds are infertile.
Necklace Fern (Asplenium flabellifolium). This delicate and beautiful fern is not too often noticed. Found in sheltered gullies, usually growing on rocks. In the spleenwort group. Wort is an old English word for plant. Other spleenworts were used as herbal medicine for the spleen.
Strap Water Fern (Blechnum patersonii). Found in only one place in the area (at Browns Field) where the rocks are enriched by a Jurassic volcanic explosion. The water fern group has been renamed. Now Austroblechnum patersonii.
Forked Comb Fern (Schizaea bifida). This unusual fern grows out in the open in full sunshine, often in the poorest rocky soils. S. fistulosa grows just out our area, and might be present here too.
Jungle Brake (Pteris umbrosa) This distinctive fern is found in few gullies in the Lane Cove National Park area. It also grows at Campbells Crater in Ku-ring-gai Chase under the Red Cedar trees.
Umbrella Fan Fern (Sticherus flabellatus) is not often seen in our area. The glossy fronds and radial pattern make it unmistakable.
Black Stemmed Maidenhair fern (Adiantum formosum) is not often seen. Growing in shaded moist areas. Larger then the common maidenair, it has pale foliage and a black stem.
Rough Maidenhair (Adiantum hispidulum) is occasionally seen in moist shaded areas. Sometimes out in the open, on rocks or clay banks.
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aethiopicum) This widespread and popular fern is common in the area. Often seen in moist shady areas. But it can also populate brickworks and is seen near railway lines. They've been seen growing on masonry on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Bracken (Pteridium esculentum), an abundant fern in the area. Often seen in sunny areas. In cleared land or open forest.
False Bracken (Calochlaena dubia) is a very common fern in shaded forested areas in the Lane Cove valley.
Harsh Ground Fern (Hypolepis muelleri) is a common fern in shaded forested or swampy areas. There's not much "harsh" about this plant, it's soft to the touch.
Lacy Ground Fern. (Dennstaedtia davallioides). Locally rare in the area. It is found in moist areas or rainforest margins. The frond tip is often drooping down. This fern has an attractive lacy appeal.
Trim Shield Fern (Lastreopsis decomposita) likes moist shaded gullies, in rainforest or rainforest margins or eucalyptus forest.
Tender Brake (Pteris tremula) is a common fern in moist, shady areas. It appears in suburban gardens after soil disturbance.
Austral Lady Fern (Diplazium australe). Very rare in the Lane Cove valley. Let us know if you've seen this one locally.
Bat's Wing Fern (Histiopteris incisa) is an adaptable and successful plant. It can grow at sea level in the sub tropics or up on the mountains over 1,000 metres above sea level. It features attractive broad fronds.
Water Fern (Blechnum nudum) is occasionally seen in Sydney. More common in the Blue Mountains, it prefers cool shaded areas, often seen near streams. New name, Lomaria nuda. Not to be confused with the weedy fishbone fern.
Gristle Fern (Blechnum cartilagineum) is a common plant in rocky shaded areas. Grows well on rainforest margins or eucalyptus gullies. Oceaniopteris cartilaginea is the new name.
Small Rasp Fern (Doodia caudata) can mostly be found in shaded rainforest gullies. Rarely seen out in the open sunshine.
Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) is often seen in the area. The reddish new growth is distinctive. It can be seen in shaded gullies as well as open eucalyptus forest.
Fragrant Fern (Microsorum scandens) is rare in the area. Abundant north and south of Sydney in rainforest. Found locally on rocks and trees in shady moist areas. The fronds are indeed fragrant, as the common name suggests.
Sickle Fern (Pellaea falcata) is a successful and widespread native fern, occurring in shady moist areas and out in the open. Not to be confused with the weedy fishbone fern.
Screw Fern (Lindsaea microphylla) is a narrow fern, found in open forest moist areas, often amongst rocks in open forest or heath or swampy areas.
Lacy Ground Fern (Lindsaea microphylla) is seen in open country on the edges of gullies and in moist areas. An attractive plant with delicate foliage.
Birds Nest Fern (Asplenium australasicum) is a well known and popular fern. Often seen in cultivation and common in the local area. This magnificent plant can grow two or three metres wide in good conditions. Often seen on rocks or trees in shaded moist situations.
Coral Fern (Gleichenia dicarpa) is the most common of the three Coral ferns in the area. It likes sunny moist sites, and can form large colonies. Similar to Gleichenia microphylla.
Coral Fern (Gleichenia microphylla) is one of the three types of Coral ferns in the district. They like damp sunny sites. Very similar to Gleichenia dicarpa.
Rock Coral Fern (Gleichenia rupestris). An uncommon fern growing on rocky overhangs in gullies, often near creeks. Closely related to the two other Coral ferns in the area.
Fork Fern (Tmesipteris truncata) is very rare in the area. Known from one waterfall in South Turramurra. It may occur in other parts of the Lane Cove Valley, perhaps as an epiphyte on the King Fern (Todea barbara)
Branched Comb Fern (Schizaea dichotoma). Uncommon in the area, usually found out in the open in full sunshine. But this photographed plant is growing on a waterfall in South Turramurra.
Harsh Shild Fern (Polystichum australiense). Uncommon in the area, found in moist areas or rainforest margins. This fern has baby "fernlets" that grow at the end of the fronds, and can form new plants.
Mulga Fern (Cheilanthes sieberi) This adaptable fern can grow in the western desert as well as areas of high rainfall. Seen in the Lane Cove valley on sandstone in sunny exposed areas.
Bristly Cloak Fern (Cheilanthes distans) is not often noticed in our area. It can grow on rocky areas in full sun, in open forest or woodlands.
Water Fern (Blechnum ambiguum) is often seen on sandstone, in shaded cool places. The disputed new name is Parablechnum ambiguum.
Ladder Brake (Ptieris vittata). A weedy fern. A native of northern New South Wales. It likes growing on masonry, particularly bricks. And can spread into rocky areas in natural areas. It can safely deal with the poison arsenic.
Japanese Brake (Pteris nipponica). This is a weed, recently found growing in one place in a rainforest gully. Almost certainly a garden escapee. Beautiful plant, but not wanted in the natural area.
Green cliff brake (Pellaea viridis). This weed is becoming more evident in the local area. Contact your local council or bushcare people if this fern is seen.
Fishbone Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia). This weed is common in the area. A native of northern New South Wales, but not welcome here.
Soft Tree Ferns have been planted in the Lane Cove river valley, some have survived the heatwaves and drought. (Dicksonia antartica).
King Fern (Todea barbara) is an uncommon large fern sometimes seen in the Lane Cove valley. A fern called barbara? The latin translation is "foreign", not a girl's name.
Straw Tree Fern (Cyathea cooperi). According to the NSW Herbarium, this is not a local species. However, it is easily the most common tree fern in the area. This one photographed is 16 metres tall. Circular scars on the trunk help identify this species. New name, Sphaeropteris cooperi.
Prickly Tree Fern (Cyathea leichhardtiana). The botanists advise this does not exist in the Lane Cove valley, and the record for Lane Cove is incorrect, misidentified from Cyathea cooperi. The lower part of the frond stem is very prickly. If you have seen this one growing in Sydney, let us know.
Rough Tree Fern (Cyathea australis). Perhaps this is the only tree fern indigenous to the area. Not so often seen, out competed by the non local Cyathea cooperi. New name, Alsophila australis.
Staghorn Fern (Platycerium superbum). Not indigenous to the area, this plant is now appearing in the bushland, self sown from ferns in cultivation. This fern is growing near Bushland Park in Lane Cove.
Kangaroo Fern (Microsorum pustulatum). Probably not indigenous to the area, likely a garden escapee. Similar to the local Microsorum scandens, but with heavier, leathery fronds and prominent sori (fertile material). This clump of fronds is growing by a creek in Lane Cove north.
Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum). Another weed species of fern. This time growing beside Swaines Creek in Chatswood West. There's likely to be plenty more fern species to be discovered in our area. Let's hope they are indigenous, and not weedy ones like this.
Photos and text of ferns section by Peter Woodard.