ism ostl-snl UREGmmQ) BY

-- -

IaWm Peter Hind, 4 1 - bbreen

m. 7 - BANES: ; -,

I:' ' Articles for p b licatim particularly seek items dealing w i t h pmag of fern~:.~and feel sure that merbers would like to hear rimes of others. Our Secretary recently mentimed this in with Ray Best who is prcb ly our most lmw ledge& le mnber.

"You mentioned New Guinea and some possible sdories : I a m remirdedof one t h a t applies here. The Major of our un i t (The ~irthl Australian Amy Topographical

1 Survey Company) qu i te a mouthful; suggested t h a t ye s t a r t our own Newspaper (we were a map pr int ing u n i t ) . Two members were &as s co-editors one being myself. The t i t l e of the paper was "TOP0 TIMES". We deci t h a t as ed i tors we would publish most of the material a s presented, only c ng g r d t i c a l e r rors o r spel l ing e r rors . Being solely a masculine un i t the writ ing took on a somewhat sexy approach. After a few publications Major objected t o the a r t i c l e s suggesting t h a t we would have t o l i f t of the material . So we nominated a number of t i t l e s t h a t could be covere the members. We then discovered that . we d id have several i n t e l l ec tua l s were qu i t e capable of writ ing a r t i c l e s of a high standard. However t h i s change not r e f l e c t the general a t t i t ude and resulted i n considerable c r i t i c i sm, add created a cer ta in d i s in t e r e s t . Obviously we had t o provide material t ha t met with the general approval i f our paper was t o survive. Probably accounts f o r M r . A- 's seXcess with h i s newspapers. I

The message here appears t o be t h a t a necessary i n any published work i f it i s t o maintain a popular appeal Attempts t o be s u e t h a t the material i s ultimate and correct is decision is ever f i n a l , but only within the l i m i t s of the o r the mentality of the wri ter .

An a r t i c l e of mine recently submitted t o The k i t i s h Pteridological Society on Ca l l i p t e r i s p r a l i f e r a along with a black and drawing was re jected by the ed i tor ; along with a statement including M r . 's amendments, t h a t the ed i to r considered to-be well above the heads of h i s p ro l i f e r a died some time ago, it was then t h i s p lan t t h a t I made my drawings. Shal l p lant .

maback tobasics d i s d ~ 3 & 1 a t a m c e n t g a t h e r i n J o f ~ ~ & , the q a s ~ m w a s nWrt:huv'dow.e h w it is a fern?". quescrm even a great vaxiw of Sb@ iOld sized t h e ~ ~ u f a m x b e r o f £ e r n ~ a - X h s .

The £011~ ing extract taken frcnn &@ b e t "BW to Wen H a r d e n and J h W i l l i a m s p& lished by Ibi&w of of Cantinuing Educaticm (and W e r s understand h w ferns axe

CLASSIFICATION OF THE PLANT KINGDOM

All plants may readily br separaed into two divisions, plantr without seeds and plants wit4 seeds. The formar indude the bacteria, seaweeds, pcnbdimes, moulds, fungi, lichens, livo~lotts, mbsis,'clubm~aces and famr +8 qmjority of swh plma am not a conspicuous part of the vegeiat~on and fieretors o b n not mnri i ib to M of i m p ~ r t ~ ~ \ ~ ~ . However, each group Plays an important role within ihe ecosystem. Little work has been done n many of these groups in

I I . P . * Australia and so information i s not readily available. 1 i I

The most primitive plan'ts are those which have not developed the capacity to live and reproduce on land. Thrvrs due largely to the reproductive structures being uni-cellular and not having any protective structules around them. Also the plant body is not differentiated into true vegetative structures as in the higher plants.

Such primitive plants with chlorophyll (green pigment) are called algae and those without chlorophyll fungi. I

A&# are plants of wide distribution, mainly in fresh or sal t water, but also in'damp so'l. They may be singlecell \ organlms, in filaments, or form colonies. The seaweeds, such as kelps, can have very large plant bodies but they do not have roots, stems or leaves,

I Fungi lack chlorophyll and so are unable to manufacture their own food. They live either bs~aras*m on other living

organisms or asmprophyws which obtain their food requirements from dead organic matter. 'fungi, dd6ther with bacteria I are the decomposers within the ecosystem:

3 r 1 1 -,

Fungi consist of microscdpic filaments which grow by elongating and branching and which often form a solid mesh of threads. The most obvious parts are usually the ,$porn producing organs, as in mushrooms. The ~ o s t conspicuous fu~ngi are toadstools, puff balls and bracket fungi, which are often brightly coloured.

Lichens are a unique group of plants in which two cornpIetely ne composite body. The organisms are an alga and a fungus, both of which am e m t i a t , closely Mal union. Lichens ire

TU.,,..

Imprtant pioneering crrganlsms 'sinor thw are the Rrst conspitiious Ii&~hs*appear fir&-6tching the mdc &rhcr wk;' dcia ~ X C ? & U ~ S ; enabling larger liduns, mosses and. ev&ntddly higher plan& to be %stabllshed..

The first gmup of plants which are specldf~ed to live on land are the b y o p h w the l/verworts, hornworts and mosses. h e * pbntr a n small !n siy b d han no ~3SCtd8r tissue and instead of roo& have simple ihiroidr. ~ h b y a n usually found growing in m a w s in moik:aieas sueh as albng molst banks and on r& . -

Liverworts are usually flattened sttyctures, which branch dichotomously, and are 'attached to the ground by rhizoids. ,

Mosses usually have an erect stem which bears mail leaves. The spore bearing capsule can often be seen a t the end of the stem. Mosses shrivel up during dry periods ixlt readily recover after rain. Large areas

. nf SM8pnum moss can form bogs. -

The ferns are the first major group in the plant kingdom which have vascular tissue for conducting water and nutrients throughout the plant body. They, in common with higher plants, have roots, stems and leaves. Most ferns are shade-loving plants of relatively small size, their upright leaves or fronds generally being the most prominent feature. The fronds vary greatly in form, texture and size, from a few centimetres and membranous in Hymenophyllum to 3 metres long and leathery in the tree fern Cyathea. They diffei'frbm . . leaves of flowering plants in that spores are frequently borne on the lower surface. Most ferns have a" underground rhizome with fronds and adventitious ioots a t the nodes.

Reproduction in ferns may occur in one of the following ways.

I. Vegetative reproduction by the death and def of older portions of the rhizome and subsa;uent separations to give new plants. In some species the develop,ment of leaf-borne buds which become detached and grow into new plants.

II. Sexual reproduction by spores. The spores are borne in sporangia which usually develop on the lower surface of fronds. Not all fronds are fertile (i.e. spore producing) and they may not be the same shape as the sterile (non-spore producing) fronds. The distribution and the shape of the sporangia varies considerably and is used in the classification of ferns., Sporangia may cover much of the surface of the frond' or be grouped into sori which develop in definite relationship with the veins or margins of the frond. Sori may be protected by a flap of tissue - the indusium.

nnule o f A d i enturn, t h sori.

Fern Allies i s a heading to include the most Fork fern, psiloturn.

primitive -vascular plants which are closely related to ferns, but 'differ mainly in their reproductive and leaf structures. This includes the skeleton fork-fern, Psilotum; addei's tongue, Ophioglossum; clu b-mosses, Lycopodium; and species.of Selaginella.

The second major group of the plant kingdarn, the seed producers, is the oqe which gives the most conspiwous plants . 1 , . I

in'the vegetation. ~ h e s e ' plants have',heveloped themon extensive, and effepive root and stem systems which have enabled many to became very large trees:'These plants can be readily dividedinto the Gymnosperms and thehgioqerrns, on the position and protection given the ovule and seed during development.

The ~ymnbsperms' have seeds 'which a,re not enclosed i n i n ovary 'but 'naked bn 'seed leaves, or scales, which are usually spirally arranged in cones. This,. group includes the cycads :and the conifers.

The cycads millions of years ago, formed extens- ive areas-of the earth's vegetation, tod,ay only a few genera remain in widely separated areis of the world. Cycads have large pinnate leaves, usually coming fro,m an underground . . . trunk, as in the Burrawangs (Macro- zamia species) found in N.S.W.. Large male and female conei'are formed singly, on separate plants.

Maeroramia hetemmera w t t h male cone.

SIMPLE KEY TO THE MAJOR GROUPS OF PLANTS

1 No vascular tissue present. 2 Plant body not specialised into stem and leaves,

reproductive cells not surrounded by protective layer. I

3 Chlorophyll present. 4 Plants usually in water. .................................................... .Algae

. ................ ................ 4' Plants usually on rocks or trees : ..! Lichens (also &me algae) I 3" Chlorophyll not present . ....................................................... Fungi

2" Plant body often specialised into stem and leaves, I

reproductive cells surrounded by protective layer. . . ............................ 5 Plant body dorsiventral, thalloid or leafy. 1 " " " " " Livlerworts

5' Plant body radial, leafy .......................................... 2 .............. Mosses I * 'Vascular tissue present I

6 Sexual reproduction by spores ...................................................... Ferns 6' Sexual reproduction by seeds

7 Seeds not enclosed in an ovary, but often on scales in a cone. ................. .( .... ; ... Gymnosperms - i ..................... ...... ........ 7' Seeds enclosed in an ovary, flowers'present .". (Angio .ms) , .

8 Parallel venation i r i leaf, flower parts in 33, fibrous root system. ......'....... .# ........' Monocotyledons ... . . . . . . . I . '. 8' Reticulate venation in leaf, flower pans in 4's or 5's. taproot. .. : ....:....... .~ . . . . . . . . Dicor$edons I 1-

FLORA LISTS

Lists of plants growing in a specific area, such as a National Park, usually includes all the species known to occur within the Park boundarks dnd species omuring nearby and suspected of growing within the Park itsqlf. Such a l is t is called a 'flora list'. Some areas havb 'plant lists1 which include only the species known to occur within thbar;a.

In N.S.W. the National Parks and Wildlife Service is standardizing al l flora lists, with varcula; p l k k i n g listed in four groups (I-IV). Within each group the families, genera and species are li!ted alphabetically, except in ~ r o v p I, where all the genera and species are listed alphabetically, not in families.

Group I I

Ferns and Fern Allies Group I I Gymnosperms Group I I I Monocotyledons, and Group IV Dicotyledons. Group V Non-vascular plants listed under mosses, liverworts, lichens etc. alphabeticallyi by genera.

Plant l is ts of various kinds are available from many National Parks, Reserves and other a k a s of interest. ~hese are valuable as records of a species distribution and i.n comparing species growing in one area with those in another.

Awarmwelm is extended to the follwing n e ~ mnbers:

Mr. B. bbrxism 9 4 Xssissippi Road, Seven Hills 2147 M r . & W s . M, Erecher "=&ar" Y m g 2684 Kr. & Mrs. P, Akkexsdyk 206 Prices C i r c u i t , Womm 2232 mira and D a v i d B m n Bxrmdmg A h oretum, Mmb il 2820 M r s . A. Phipps 62 Scylla Road, Oyster Bay 2225

S&scriptions cost $3 per year a d me fee for the 1988 c a l w year is ncu due. If y ~ u have alxeady mmed yaur subsmiphan please disrqaxd th is notice.

TKE SPORE BANK

Jenny 'Il~cmpsm

Welcane to 19 88. The spore list mnains much the same as listed in our June 19 87 Nw slet ter , with the additian of a special Cyathea australis collected frcm Emrendmgt s new sh& area in N-er l a s t year, !he frmds have a b lue colouration along the stipe and are quite attractive,

my dmatians for the spore bank are very we- as I like to replenish the spore to ensure its vizbility. In return I will try and supply any spore requested - prcvided I can get a hold of it.

Have you seen the recently p& lished magazine t i t led as zb ove , a t your local new sagency? It ccmtains lots of oolour pla-s and advice cm a l l facets of grcwing native plants. Of special interest is szn art ic le by one of our rm-bers Keith ingram of M ~ F Tcmah t i t led "Ferns fur Fun".

TWO FEXNS FOR EKDNGS

Culcita d b i a and Dennstaedtia davallioides are hardy ferns found in all Eas*m States of ~ u s t z e h sheltered shady situatims x i t h sane misture.

Although unlikely to b e included on the fern connoisseurf s most w anted species list and because of their size and sp- Mit not really s u i e l e for pot culture, b 0th make very attractive -lays in the garden and the bush. They spread by fas t grming underground r h i z m s . In garden situations as w e l l as preventing the ferns f ran b d g a nuisance by creeping into the adjoining garden beds , they make bet ter displays i f cQlfined s m h a t . This can b e achieved by placing rocks or other solid material as a border around the bed f m just hove the level of the so i l to &out 30 an deep.

Both canwithstand quite mist conditims and shouldbe keptwellmulched. They are relatively free of diseases b u t Dennstaedtia davallioides is sanehs attacked by small green caterpillars. If you ham? a gt03. eye the ca-&pilhxs can be controlled by simply removing them, othemise W a r y 1 is effective.

Propagatim is fairly easy frcm spore bu t results are & tained vegetatively as thqr are easily gravn f r m w e l l rooted pieces of rhizanes &out 15 to 20 cms lcmg.

A list of simple identificatim features follws:

FEA'lJJ'FE (3JICITA EmIA

Rhizane ~ ~ ~ i n g a n d b r a n c h e d with soft grey and rddishhrrwn hairs

Stipes pale hove, dark and hairy a t base.

Fronds 0.5 to 1.5 m upright: w i a -h-g t ip and a w i d e based Mangular shap, pale green and soft tripinnatifid

Pinnules to 1 an 1. with revolute margins

Sori marginal, s p h d d and o f l ~ n covwed by fold& leaf -in, jndusium small and s c d e like

D m - m w E S tough long cmsphg with short s t i f f b m n hairs

redklishb m n and shiny

0.5 t o 1.5 m upright with drocping t i p and a wide based triangular shape, dark green, very lacy and soft tripinnate to quadripinnate to

spherical and small, well developed cup like i n h i m cm l&es

REPOKI' ON OU'lTNG TO DHARUG: SUNDAY I5 NOVEMBER 1987

Dharclg Natianal Park just north of the l%wk~sbury River was visited by 9 d e r s . The daywas fine andwarm.

Before lunch the walk was f rcm M i l l C reek Picnic Area through w e t sclemphyll forest. In patches close to the creek the mh@& canapywas dense and our Leader peter w a s called cm to identify many rainforest trees and c k b e r s aswel l as adjudicating regarding ferns. pteridiun esculenkm, Blechnm CmtilqIrLim, -

Culcita d&ia and Adiantm aethiopicm were & m d m t and r%reenL& no ;3-r L m to t + i&n&=iers. m a m a with b right p h k frcnds was also widespread and no p d l e m t o idm.ti?y m - i l Peter called for closer inspectian indicating that there might be plants of D. maxima - the latter distinguished by dirraorplvc f m d s and single ms of elmgated q a e m ea& side of the mid-.rib.

3~ o s m a l l ferns Cheilanthes sib eri and I h & s mictqhylla w e r e noticed, both are generally easier ta idw-*dQ then d t ivz t e . near the water w e r e Sticherus f la ellatus and Todea b a h ara as w e l l as numerous small £ems clinging to m o i s t rzks.

Adirmfxm hhpidulm (5 Finger Jack) and the ~~ A. fonnusm were found. It was &served that while the d e a d canopy w a s not rid^ in e d e s , the forest f Zmr m t a h e d m q shmhs,kmbs and mosses. Qramnitis bi l lardier i and H y m n o p ~ l l m n cupressifm li-ly mered r- and P l a t y d m bi£urcaQm as w e l l as o x h i & md other epip- w e r e n o t i d i n the trees.

Earlier Pellea falcata had been seen, nw a Pellea . was located with + hearkshaped p h a e . YW it P. mad-? Then m e p mts were found umistakzbly P. =adom w i t h broad b a s s and petioles h q e r than 2 m.

Only one Lastreopsis, L. decolpcsitawas seen. Sightings of P01ystictam australiense, scales duU papery b r a n and with& pale border, P-s and Blechnm nudm canpleted the list of £ems identified and not a single A-

h. A f inal highlight was the lengthy viwing #£ the spectacular King Parrot feeding closeb y .

After lunch in the attractive picnic grounds and a short drive back to the Wiseoans Ferry - Spencer Road there w a s a seccmd walk cn this occasion through m r e open wocdlands adjacent t o a wide wanpy area. Fems were numerous b u t mly a f w ~pecies were sighted, Rypolepis muelleri w hi& was in hundance being the cnly species additional t o those seen m the earlier w a l k . Certainly the presence of a large black snake discouraged sane m d e r s £ran thoroughly e x m h g the sranp.

Fifteen nmb ers attended our final get- w e r for 19 87 a t the haw of Jenny and George Thanpscm a t agadine. W e were delighted Hazal and Peter Althofer f r m were & l e to spend the daywith us.

Mter discussing the year's activities, w e mckd the magnificent bush block w k ~ the Thcrrp- grar an extensive range of native plants. Jenny has dm&& a shady area at the side of the house to the cultivation of ferns and ?sere w e found B l e c h m nudun, B. &nusf B. carti- and B. f lwia t i l e . Docdia caudata m.2 D. m&ia. Pelkea falcata and D. falea* var m a . -a barjara am2 tree fern Mdlsmia antar&!ia and Cyathea mqai, C. a u s t r m and C. w o o l l s i m a grwinq w i l y berreath the shade of -&ally plated rainforest trees sucl as Euckinharnia celsissima and Aanena mithii and Tristania lamina. Eoth D i c t L m h b m n i i , g m i n g in a l a g and B1ec:mmt w a t t s i j . are 'clhrivjng S s i d e a small pond and a bank of czscading W e i c l a d i c ~ p a ~ l e t e s the picture of trarquility. bkstling into a secluded mmer is a triangular shaped 1cq shade house whae hanging baskets wd a suspended log house ferns su& as Vittaria elmgata, ~spl&um polyodon, m i a lmgif olia and P . die ls i i , Schellolepis s b amiculam,,, Platycsrim Pn if arcatm arrd BiecMm pennan~rha . Our iUstrious kader, Peter, w a s & le to supply names for-fernsew fran an identity crisis! '

It was a mst rmgenial a-tmosphere in which to enjoy our l a s t functim for the year and we thank our hosts for their hcspitali'cy.

SUNDAY 27th &ARCH 1988: MEElTNGBIlII=KTOWN

Tbbe held a t the h m of Tess and IRs Taylor, 4 Prospect Street, Blacktam. bket fram 10 a.m. with farmal meeting to camnence at 11 a.m. The main t q i c of the day is Peter's recent t r ip to Nw Zealand and h e w i l l shw slides and discuss sane of the fern species seen there- many are familiar to us. Bring lunch and afternoon tea. Cmtact the Taylors on 621.5840 i f yau have any aquiries regarding directims .

A Saturday outing in order W avoid the hassle of the Sunday afternoan slw traffic going back to Sydney. Eet a t 10.30 a.m. a t the V i s i t o r s Centre inside the Mt. Tcmah Botanic Gardens. Note that there is an dnissicaz fee of $2 per car. The mming w i l l be occupied by inspecting the Gardens. After ltm* w e plan a short drive to a neahy fern gully. Any enpixies P e t e r 625.8705.

A t the h a of Betty and Sam Jack, 16 Railway Parade, Warrimoo. Eet fran 10 a.m., formal proceedings f m 11 a.m. with meting and study cartpletedbefare lmch leaving tine to hspct the Jack's ward wi .ming garden. Bring lmch and afternorm. tea, Betty advises that she w i l l supply hut water. Any enguiries for directims phone Betty o r Sam cm (047) 53681,

&t a t 9.30 a.m. for 10 o'clock sharp start frcnn Pbuntain J;agoon. Directims f r m Sydney, t un right just as you reach Bilpin on the B e l l s Line of Road and p- almg mtah Road which is seakd most of the w q , lWerately easy walk to Cospers Creek, carry lunch in back pack. Any e q p k i e s Cor dimztians phme Peter 625.8705.

The f i r s t get- together of the Group is scheduled thi,s mth (Mxrch) . Irene Cullen has advised that an active year is planned. W e hope that all fmctims are w e l l attended. The follwing meetings have already been arranged:

SLEmY 6th MCH 1988: 9 -30 a.m. S m Y : Pellea, W t e r i s , P a r a ~ t e r a c h and Pleusosorus . Vmue : Wen and Ray N o m s ' , 32 Oakridge Street, Embank

SUNDAY 10th APRIL 1988: 9.30 a.m. meet Joyce and Alan Wards, Fahey Mad, Nt. G l r i o u s for e x m i a n to Jayner's Ridge Road.

D m = FOR ~m(=NS

W e are always pleased to received i t e m s for inclusion in our Nwsletter. For our June 19 88 issue can t r i bu t i a are required by no la te r than 15th My 19 88.

POLYSTICH U M PROLIFERUM (R.Br.) Presl.

Geoff Butler

Family: Aspidiaceae

Derivation: Polystichum from G k polus, many; and stickhos, a row or line; (referring to the arrangement of the sori). Proliferum from prolificus, meaning to bear progeny as offshoots (referring to the plantlets on the tips of fronds).

Common Mother Shield Fern 1 P Name:

Varieties and Forms: Very consistent over its range.

Growth Habit: A coarse, leathery fern of tufted habit with a very vigorous rhizome which becomes trunk-like with age.

Height: 20cm - 1 m.

Spread: Usually around 30-40cm. Individual fronds can reach up to 1 m long by 30cm wide.

Natural Distribution: Basically on the tablelands and ranges of Eastern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. Reports for Qld and SA are dubious.

Habitat: Forests at higher altitudes and in sheltered sites in more open situations eg around the bases of rocks and in protected crevices in alpine areas.

Climatic Tolerance: Will toleratevery cold temperatures and frost in an open situation.

Propagation: Spores can be used with some difficulty. The easiest method is to peg down the young plantlets that form on the ends of the fronds. Once roots develop they can be detached from the parent plant, grown on and then planted.

Additional Comments: This fern is very hardy and adapts to most soil types. Soil should be moist and it will do well in full sun to heavy shade. Large colonies of plants can form due to the plantlets that form on the ends of the fronds. The fronds are a light green when young and turn a very dark green. There are brown hair-like scales on the frond stems that contrast with young fronds.

h he above d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e Mother Shie ld Fern taken from S .G.A.P. Canberra ~ e w s l e t t e r ) .

thanks tO Helga A l e of S.G.A.P. for this 9 dretch of Blechnm c~tiLqlineM var mica. Found in Nnth -lad tfits is a a m fom of the amnon (Sistle Rm. A t least ole Qdney mber is -/to h- it graving w e l l in a pot.