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NZ Plants

Adiantum hispidulum - rosy maidenhair fern

Family name: Pteridaceae

Adiantum hispidulum is a terrestrial fern with short creeping stems (rhizomes) and fronds that repeatedly fork creating a fan-like array of segments. Both frond stalk (stipe) and axis (rachis) are stiffly hairy and leaflets are rough to the touch, reddish when young but turning to dark green at maturity.
Found on the Kermadec Islands and common on the upper half of the North Island and as isolated populations in the southern half of the North Island, preferring dry sunny banks, open and coastal forest.

Vegetative characteristics

Fertile frond and sporangia

Plant form: creeping stems with fronds up to 35 cm in length

Frond appearance: similar to sterile frond

Frond stalk, midrib: covered with hairs

Sporangium location: on lower frond surface

Frond shape: broadly oval

Sporangium position: in shallow notch beneath reflexed leaflet margin

Frond blade: 2-3-pinnate (divided 2-3x into leaflets or pinnae)

Sporangia distribution: in groups (sori)

Frond surface: hairs on lower surface

Sorus shape: circular

Leaflets: oblong, curved upward at tip; irregularly lobed outer margin; stalk attached at one end

Sorus covering: kidney-shaped marginal flap

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