Scientific Name: Schizaea asperula

Common Name: rough combfern

Family Classification (Clade): Pteridophytes

Family: Schizaeaceae

Form Description: Fern with fertile fronds tall, thin, very flattened, branched up to 4 times, rough, lanky with small combs. Sterile fronds forked, fan-shaped.

Height (m): 0.1 – 0.3

Municipality
Break O’DayDorsetGeorge TownLatrobeWest Tamar
Plant Communities
Coastal VegetationDry Eucalypt Forest
Habitat Notes

Rare in Tasmania. Occurs at or near sea-level in sandy soils of heathland or dry sclerophyll forest.

Site Tolerance

Dry, Exposed, Moist, Shady

Soil Tolerance

Nutrient-poor, Sandy, Well-drained

General Notes

Transplanting of most species is very difficult as they do not tolerate disturbance of the root system which is often buried deep in the soil. Plants from a wet habitat over rock are most likely to succeed. Once established they can be maintained in conditions similar to the original habitat.

Propagation Calendar

  • Flowering Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Seed Collecting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sowing Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Cutting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Specialist Method

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Sporangia on leaf margins (sorophores) have long, intricate, marginal hairs.

Seed Treatment Notes

There is no record of success in spore raising because of the delicate fungal symbiosis.