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Pyrrosia rupestris
Rock felt fern is a small epiphytic or rock-dwelling fern from eastern Australia and New Guinea, usually found in shaded rainforest or moist eucalypt forest. It needs shade, humidity and a steady moisture supply, and recovers well after drought when rain or mist returns.
Pyrrosia rupestris known as the rock felt fern is a common fern of eastern Australia. Occurring as an epiphyte or lithophyte in areas of part shade and high moisture. Usually found in rainforest or moist eucalyptus forest. Often seen on rainforest trees, quite high above the ground. However, it grows as far west at the more arid Warrumbungle National Park. In drought it shrinks and becomes desiccated. With rain or mist the fern recovers well.
The name Pyrrosia is from the Greek which refers to the flame colour of the hairs that cover the fronds on some species. Rupestris means growing near rocks. Rock felt fern grows from Victoria north through New South Wales and Queensland to New Guinea.
Close Growing Pyrrosia · Horseshoe Felt Fern · Leather-leaf fern · Tongue Fern · Long-leaved felt fern · Dragon Scale Fern · Pyrrosia stigmosa · Felt Ferns
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pyrrosia rupestris 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.
