Cheilanthes sp.

Rock Fern at Greenleigh, NSW

Cheilanthes sp. at Greenleigh, NSW - 15 Jan 2016
Cheilanthes sp. at Greenleigh, NSW - 15 Jan 2016
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Identification history

Cheilanthes sp. 11 Jan 2017 MichaelMulvaney
Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia 1 Jan 2017 AaronClausen
Unidentified 1 Jan 2017 CCPK

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User's notes

Small fernlike plants growing among bush rocks and crevices at the end of Lonergan Drive, Greenleigh, Queanbeyan

3 comments

dcnicholls wrote:
   2 Jan 2017
What worries me about this ID is the larger, more mature frond. It looks closer to C. sieberi. No doubt there's a continuum between the two species, probably affected by environment. Not possible to be definitive without a full keying out.
AaronClausen wrote:
   2 Jan 2017
David I don't have a clue and to be honest I have no idea the difference between C. sieberi and C. austrotenuifolia, but I was pretty sure it was one of the two. Will be guided by what you think is the closest match.
dcnicholls wrote:
   3 Jan 2017
C. austrotenuifolia usually is found in more protected areas. It grows well in Pine Plantations. e.g., the western slopes of Mt Majura. The fronds are spreading and delicate, and very pretty. C. sieberi may or may not be a separate species, possibly a habitat variant. It tends to grow in exposed areas (e.g. the top of Mt Stromlo). Its pinnae don't flatten out and are usually short and somewhat "crinkled". But (as Max Gray told me many years ago), it's unclear if the two are separate species. I suspect a DNA analysis would tell the difference, if there is one. If pushed, I'd identify the specimen as C. austrotenuifolia.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 4 - 15 Abundance
  • 15 Jan 2016 06:45 PM Recorded on
  • CCPK Recorded by

Additional information

  • Less than 10cm Plant height

Species information

  • Cheilanthes sp. Scientific name
  • Rock Fern Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Local native
  • Non-Invasive
  • Up to 1034m Recorded at altitude
  • Machine learning
  • In flower

Record quality

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  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
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  • Additional attributes
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