Christella dentata is a small fern with widespread distribution in
Australia and islands in the south Pacific Ocean and S-E Asia. There
are many local common names. In New South Wales it grows north from
the southern Illawarra region and is known as Binung.
Found on the margins of rainforest, by streams or in more open
forests with adequate moisture. Sori are circular in shape, with a
hairy closed covering.
Downy Wood-fern, Soft Fern
KEY FEATURES: Soft, ladder-like fern to 80cm. FROND to 80x25cm (LxW)
with mainly opposite leaves (=pinnae), longest near mid-frond;
reducing and reflexing to near the stalk base. LEAVES soft, slender
and tapering, to 15x2cm, with conspicuous midrib; dissected about
50% into rounded lobes, with one longer basal lobe; sori in two rows
per lobe from leaf-midrib to about 70% of lobe. |
