Hymenophyllum australe

Hymenophyllum australe, commonly known as austral filmy fern, is a relatively large rupestral and epiphytic fern, indigenous to eastern Australia and New Zealand. It belongs to the unique Hymenophyllum genus (filmy ferns), which are characterised by their thin membranous fronds that are seldom more than one cell thick, with the exception of regions over and around veins. Hymenophyllum australe is distinctive in that the fronds are typically thicker than other Hymenophyllum species, often being up to 2-3 cells thick.Garrett, M. (1986, December). "Fairies of the Fern World", Newsletter Number 35, pp. 9. Retrieved from URL (https://www.verdigris.com.au/default.aspx?hid=310) Hymenophyllum australe is inconspicuous and will typically form matted patches together with mosses and liverworts. In Australia it takes on an epiphytic approach, commonly seen to clothe roots, trunks and rocks to form a dense mat of foliage; while in New Zealand it adopts a more rheophytic approach, preferring rocks or tree trunks in or close to water. It has dark green fronds, which are distinctly deltoid in shape, with entire ultimate segment margins, each containing a single conspicuous vein. It is recognised by its winged fronds, which are initially relatively broad (several millimetres wide) but gradually taper from the rachis along the stipe.

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