Ruddy Ground-fern - native (Hypolepis rugosula)

Family: Denstaedtiaceae.

Native of Australia.

Occurrence: Rare locally. It has been recorded at Crocodile Reservoir (Fryerstown) and Fryers Ridge.

Identification:

• it grows from a creeping underground stem
• the fronds are dark green and hairy
• the stalks are deep red (and hence the name "Ruddy").

hypo = below; lepis = a scale, referring to the spore cases beneath the leaf-margin rugosula = wrinkled.

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