Gleichenia rupestris is a small fern growing in eastern Australia. Referred to as one of the coral ferns. The specific epithet rupestris refers to it being seen growing near rocks.

Gleichenia rupestris
Coral fern at Blue Mountains National Park, Australia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Gleicheniales
Family: Gleicheniaceae
Genus: Gleichenia
Species:
G. rupestris
Binomial name
Gleichenia rupestris
Synonyms

Platyzoma rupestre
Mertensia rupestris
Gleicheniastrum rupestre
Calymella rupestris
Gleichenia circinnata var. rupestris[1]

A common plant, often seen growing under waterfalls, in swamps, under cliffs, on rocks and in tall open forest. It prefers high humidity and good levels of sunshine and moisture.[2]

It sometimes seen growing next to Gleichenia dicarpa and Gleichenia microphylla, however those plants have a rough hairy stem, and the stem of Gleichenia rupestris is smooth and glossy.

This plant first appeared in scientific literature in the Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae in the year 1810, authored by Robert Brown.

References

edit
  1. ^ see Australian National Botanic Gardens website.
  2. ^ "Gleichenia rupestris". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online. Retrieved 2010-08-28.