Common name: Kangaroo Fern
Microsorum pustulatum subsp. pustulatum (G.Forst.) Copel. APNI* Synonyms: Phymatosorus diversifolius (Willd.) Pic.Serm. APNI*
Phymatosorus pustulatus subsp. pustulatus (G.Forst.) Large, Braggins & P.S.Green APNI*
Polypodium pustulatum APNI*
Microsorum pustulatum (G.Forst.) Copel. var. pustulatum APNI*
Description: Rhizome long-creeping, 3–6 mm diam., fleshy, often glaucous. Scales ±ovate, 2.4–7 mm long, 1.5–3 mm wide, glossy, brown or blackish brown; margins paler, entire or minutely dentate near apex, appressed except for deciduous tips.
Fronds 3–50 cm long (simple fronds 3.5–30.5 cm long), 1–2 cm apart. Stipes 1–22 cm long, pale brown, glossy, glabrous except for some basal scales. Lamina simple or deeply pinnatifid. Lobes 3–12, 2.5–17 cm long, 0.6–3 cm wide, herbaceous to thinly coriaceous, glabrous except for a few scattered scales on midrib and costae, pale green; margins entire or slightly undulate. Main lateral veins mostly prominent with usually 2 or 3 series of major areoles between costa (midrib in simple fronds) and margin; hydathodes on blind vein endings, visible mainly on upper surface.
Sori round, rarely elliptic, in 1 row on each side of costa of a laminal lobe, 1 between each pair of main lateral veins, ±medial, slightly sunken into lamina, forming prominences on upper surface; hair-like paraphyses absent from sori.
Spores 45–62.5 µm long, 20–32.5 µm wide, pale, with wart-like protuberances.
Distribution and occurrence: Occurs in south-eastern Qld, eastern N.S.W., A.C.T., southern Vic. and Tas.; also New Zealand and Norfolk Is. On rocks or on tree trunks in rainforest.
NSW subdivisions: NC, ?CC, SC, NT, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas.
Text by E.A. Brown
Taxon concept: Flora of Australia 48
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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