Pellaea calidirupium

Description

Pellaea calidirupium (Hot rock fern) is a plant, of eastern Australia restricted to rock crevices in relatively arid environments. It is found in Tasmania where it is considered rare and is only found on the East Coast, the Midlands and lower slopes of the Centtral Plateau on dry rock faces. It is also found in Victoria and Queensland. The species was originally described from New Zealand, where it has a disjunct distribution. Fronds may be up to 50 cm long, and are sexually dimorphic with shorter sterile fronds with up to 12 pinnae. The stipe can occupy nearly half the length of the frond . Reddish brown scales and hairs cover both the stipe and rachis. The spore bearing rachis may have up to 40 pinnae eavh borne on a short stalk . The leaves are glossy green with characteristic in-rolled sori as a band around the paler green underside of each pinna. The terminal pinnae is sometimes greatly enlarged. [