Christella subpubescens
This fern, found in N.E. Queensland, is in Family Thelypteridaceae.
A terrestrial fern, growing in tufts with fronds up to 80 cm long.
The rhizome, creeping or slightly erect, has dark brown scales and hairs.
The frond stalk has small hairs.
The ovate frond blade is odd pinnate with up to 12 – 16 pairs of lateral leaflets (pinnae) and a longer terminal one.
The lower few pinnae are small (2 cm) and more widely spaced and the basal ones have an ear-like lobe.
The middle pinnae, up to 15 cm long, may or may not have a short stalk and the blade is divided into shallow lobes.
The terminal leaflet can be up to 18 cm long.
Both surfaces have hairs but mostly on the lower surface, especially on the veins.
The sori lie on either side of, and near, the midrib.
The large indusia sometimes have a few hairs.
The following pictures are of the variety ‘Keffordii’ with the leaflet tips divided to give a ruffled appearance.
I have not found any information on this variety.
J.F.
