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Fern ID please
bertrand-mabel
Posts: 2,697
in Plants
This fern started growing in our pot of Stephanotis indoors.
Took it out and planted it up (as one does with a freebi).
Now grown such a lot but which fern is it?
Many thanks as always
0
Posts
Apps can often get it very wrong be miles out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsorum_scolopendria
New name is now Microsorum scolopendria..syn polypodium scolopendria.
http://phytoimages.siu.edu/imgs/benctan/r/Polypodiaceae_Microsorum_scolopendria_32582.html
Click on pic on this link.
https://prota4u.org/database/protav8.asp?g=psk&p=Microsorum+scolopendria+(Burm.)+Ching
Mystery frond is lumpy, chunky, irregular...
Difficult to put it into words.
A real fern expert would do the id from the sori on the reverse of the frond.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Polypodium_scolopendria.jpg
which looks a lot closer. To clarify I didn't blindly use the app; it gave a few suggestions, this one seemed reasonable to follow up. I had a look at a few image searches and thought it might be a suggestion worth putting forth because of veining, the alternating offsets, and the webby-finger look (maybe not the tips of the fronds). Your point about the sori is spot on of course.
I will put both images side by side.
1. Mystery fern
2. wiki Polypodium_scolopendria. from link below
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Polypodium_scolopendria.jpg
To me
1. is fat, rounded and chunky ..gaps irregular /straighter/odd shape
While 2. dainty/ tapered...gaps all curved, rounded.
But that is just my humble opinion.
If you traced the outlines maybe you would see what I see.
1.
2.
https://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Phlebodium_aureum.htm
Or just enjoy it.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."