Plants of
South Australia
Cheilanthes lasiophylla
Pteridaceae
Woolly Cloak-fern
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
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Near threatened
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Vulnerable
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Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 3

Prior names

Notholaena brownii

Etymology

Cheilanthes from the Greek 'cheilos' meaning a lip and 'anthos' meaning a flower, alluding to the lip-like indusium (thin membrane covering the sorus). Lasiophylla from the Greek 'lasios' meaning hairy or shaggy and and 'phylla' meaning a leaf; referring to the species' hairy fronds.

Distribution and status

Found across inland South Australia growing in rock crevices or on rocky slopes. Also found in all mainland States. Native. Common in South Australia. Rare in Victoria. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Alinytjara Wilurara, Eyre Peninsula, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Arid Lands, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Rhizomatous short-creeping fern covered in dense hairs. Fronds crowded, to 24 cm long and 3 cm wide. Stipe (stalk) red-brown to black, shiny, densely covered with white or golden-brown hairs. Lamina narrow-lanceolate, 2-pinnate; surface covered in dense hairs, margins lobed or entire. Fruits are sori (spores) continuous on the underside margins of the fronds between the lobes. Seeds are very fine spores.

Seed collection and propagation

Look under the fronds and collect ones with spores and place in a seal paper bags to prevent spores from fulling out. Leave fronds in the paper bag to dry. The spores will fall off naturally or give the fronds a gentle shake. Use a very fine sieve to separate any unwanted material. Be careful as the spores are very fine. Store spores in an air tight container in a cool and dry place or in a -20oC freezer.