Botanical art
Prior names
Polypodium rugosulum
Common names
Ruddy Ground-fern
Etymology
Hypolepis, from the Greek 'hypo' meaning below and 'lepis' meaning a scale; alluding to the scale-like indusium. Rugosula means wrinkled, referring to the fronds.
Distribution and status
Found on Kangaroo Island, southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the lower South-east in South Australia growing along shady streams or open wetter areas. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania. Introduced to Western Australia. Native. Uncommon in South Australia. Uncommon in Queensland. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Fern with long-creeping rhizome to 5 mm thick, densely covered by shiny, chestnut-brown hairs. Fronds to 1 m long, erect or flaccid; stipe to 5 mm thick near the base, lamina tri-pinnate, firm, deep-green; hairs brown. Fruits are brown sori near the sinus of a lobe or tooth, unprotected or partially protected by reflexed marginal flap which is fringed with a few hairs. Seeds are very fine golden-brown spores.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect fronds containing sori. Shake fronds to dislodge the spores onto a clean piece of paper. Store spores in liquid nitrogen.