Rumohra adiantiformis.
The Leathery Shield fern is in Family Dryopteridaceae.
A genus of up to 6 species with only 1 found in Eastern Queensland.
They grow on soil, rocks or trees.
The long, creeping rhizome is densely covered in brown scales.
The fronds, up to 90 cm long, can be crowded or scattered.
The frond stalk is up to 50 cm long, grooved above and has brown scales at the base.
The ovate frond lamina, up to 50 cm long by 35 cm wide, divides 2 to 4 times.
It is a bright or yellow-green above and paler underneath.
The leaflets are bluntly lobed to various degrees or bluntly toothed.
There are some scales on the veins on the underside.
Veins are simple or forked.
The midrib has a central ridge with grooves either side.
Sporangia are in round sori, black when mature, situated on the veins.
They are up to 2 mm across and there is usually only 1 on each lobe.
They are covered by a circular, stalked indusium with a dark centre.
J.F.
