Flowering Fern makes a surprise appearance

Published December 21, 2023

The Flowering Fern has made a surprise appearance on one of the properties we've purchased for conservation in the Daintree Rainforest. 

We were thrilled to discover the Flowering Fern (Helminthostachys zeylanica) on a property dedicated to conservation—Lot 93 Cape Tribulation Road in Diwan. Not always visible, the fronds of this fern undergo an annual cycle of dying back, only to regenerate from an underground rhizome during the subsequent wet season (with no emergence every year). Thriving in swampy areas, these ferns face challenges from feral pigs disturbing the habitat in the Daintree Rainforest.

The Flowering Fern (Helminthostachys zeylanica) 

They can be found in diverse ecosystems, including open forest, swamp forest, beach scrubs, and vine forest margins. Whether in sandy soils within swales between sand dunes, black soils, or along the edges of creeks and swampy areas, the Flowering Fern adapts to various environments. In Australia, it ranges from the coastal tropics and hinterland of Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland south to the Whitsunday region. Additionally, it is present in Asia, Malesia, and the Pacific Islands.

Navigating common names can be perplexing, particularly with the Flowering Fern, as ferns don't actually produce flowers; instead, they reproduce through spores.

Showing 1 reaction

  • Kelvin Davies
    published this page in Latest News 2023-12-21 09:45:10 +1100

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