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Scientific Name
Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia
Family Name
ADIANTACEAE
Common Name
Rock fern
Status
Height
Flowers
None
Fruit
Spores
Form
Small fern. In all but very sheltered sites top growth collapses in summer.
Municipalities
Break O'Day; Brighton; Central Highlands; Circular Head; Clarence; Devonport; Dorset; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Hobart; Kentish; Kingborough; Latrobe; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Southern Midlands; Tasman; West Tamar
Communities
Coastal Vegetation; Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland; Fern Gullies
Habitat Notes
Common and widespread in the eastern half of the state, from sea level to 300 m. but may be up to 680m. Grows in welldrained and seasonally dry habitats in a thin soil layer over rock, in a rock-gravel matrix in dry sclerophyll forest or on the upper slopes of fern gullies. Also common on rocky outcrops indry forest.
Site Tolerance
Dry; Moist; Rocky; Shady
Frost Tolerance
Soil Tolerance
Poor; Well-drained; Prefers dolerite soils to granite
General Notes
Fronds, or portions of fronds, containing ripe spores can be placed in a paper bag which is left upright in a dry and draught-free place. Spores should begin to release immediately and all spores are released within days unless the species has tough, leathery fronds. Spores settle at the bottom of the bag. Some species produce vast quantities of spores from one frond, others require dozens of fronds to produce the same amount.After sowing specks of green appear after 2-4 weeks. These are the young prothalli and during the next 6-12 months they are at risk from overcrowding and pathogens. When the first fronds appear the sporelings can be slowly hardened by gradual removal of the container cover. Great care must be taken to avoid drying out. Prick out sporelings when the second frond appears. Suitable below powerlines.
Propagation Details
Propagation Calendar
Flowering Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Collecting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sowing Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Cutting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Information
Seed Collection
Sori are on margins of segments protected by folded leaf margins.spores are collected when mature on the frond. unripe sori aregenerally light green then change to yellowish brown and to dark brown or black when mature
Seed Treatment Method
Standard
Seed Storage Life
Viable Seeds Per Gram
Seed Treatment Notes
Sow spores into a pot in a water retaining medium with good drainage. Sterilise medium & containerwith boiling water and sow spores bysprinkling a small amount onto the surface of the medium. Cover immediately with clean glass or plastic wrap and leave in a warm area in strong light but not direct sunlight.
Germination Time
Suitable for Direct Seeding
No
Cuttings
Expected Time to Take Root
Expected Time to Plant Out
Propagation by Division
N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.
Cutting Notes
Copyright 2000-2009, Understorey Network Incorporated. Updated 2024-10-14
Database development and website design by
Andrew Smith