Stenochlaena palustris (Burm.f.) Bedd.
BLECHNACEAE
Synonymy
Common Name: Stenochlaena, Climbing Fern, Branched Comb Fern
Description: Rhizome long, climbing or scrambling, to c. 7 mm diam.; scales round, peltately attached. Fronds dimorphic, c. 25-150 cm long , smooth, shiny. Stipes c. 10-80 cm long, glabrous or with some peltate scales when young;. Sterile pinnae to 35 or more per frond, ovate to lanceolate, 7-18 cm long, 1.5-4.5 cm wide, shortly stalked, serrate. Fertile pinnae to c. 19 or more per frond, linear, 6-22 cm long, c. 0.3 cm wide.
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Distribution
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Specimens
Observations
Cultivated
Introduced Status: Native to NT
Bioregion: Arnhem Coast, Arnhem Plateau, Central Arnhem, Darwin Coastal, Gulf Fall and Uplands, Northern Kimberley, Pine Creek, Sturt Plateau, Tiwi Cobourg, Wet Tropics
International: India to northern Australia (WA, NT, Qld) and Polynesia.
Habitat: A species of permanently wet monsoon forest, scrambling over rockfaces or climbing up trees. Also commonly gathered from the edge of Melaleuca swamps.
Ecological Attributes
Flowering: Throughout the year
Fruiting: Throughout the year
Other Attributes
Conservation Status (TPWCA): Least Concern
Restricted Range Taxon: N
NT Parks: Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, Howard Springs Hunting Reserve, Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park, Melacca Swamp Conservation Area
Flora Description Source: Flora of the Darwin Region
Taxonomic Literature: Short, P., Dixon, D. and Osterkamp Madsen, M. 2003, A review of ferns and fern allies of the Northern Territory, The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, vol. 19, pp. 64-66.
PDF Factsheet
Specimens