Asplenium flabellifolium

Necklace fern
Necklace Fern on Hawkesbury sandstone at Chatswood West, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pteridophyta
Class:	Polypodiopsida
Order:	Polypodiales
Family:	Aspleniaceae
Genus:	Asplenium
Species:	A. flabellifolium
Binomial name
Asplenium flabellifolium Cav.

Asplenium flabellifolium is commonly known as the Necklace Fern. This small and attractive fern occurs in all states of Australia, as well as in New Zealand. It was initially described by Spanish botanist Antonio José Cavanilles.

Its natural habitats are open forest or rainforest. Usually on the ground, but sometimes epiphytic. Often seen in rock crevices, caves, on fallen logs and tree trunks, beside streams, or near cliffs, or waterfalls.

The fronds are 10 to 20 cm long, with 5 to 20 pairs of pinnae (leaflets), often fan-shaped or sometimes lanceolate.

References

• http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/avhpublic/avh.cgi
• NSW Flora Online http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Asplenium~flabellifolium retrieved 9 August 2009