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Acrostichum speciosum
Acrostichum speciosum is the mangrove fern, a clumping fern up to about 1.5 m tall that grows in tidal flats, brackish swamps and among mangroves. Its key requirement is constant moisture, so it suits wet, saline or brackish soils rather than ordinary garden beds.
Acrostichum speciosum, the mangrove fern is a widespread plant found in Asia, Madagascar and Australia. A clumping plant to 1.5 metres tall with reddish/brown fertile fronds and pointed leaf tips. It is found as far south as New South Wales. It may be seen on coastal cliffs, but is usually seen in tidal flats, brackish swamps and with mangroves.
The specific epithet speciosum refers to the attractive form of the plant. It first appeared in scientific literature in the year 1810, published in the Species Plantarum by Carl Ludwig Willdenow. It is now placed in the Parkerioideae subfamily of the family Pteridaceae.
Golden leatherfern · Inland leatherfern · Leatherfern · Leather Fern · Leatherfern
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Acrostichum speciosum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
