A nest of rare primitives was found

[MWP admin]

From Gozo (Asplenium trichomanes )

[IL-PINE]

hudni hudni, u ejja u ejja papa!

[Glimbo]

Nice One MWP g

[MWP admin]

This should be the largest population of this extremely rare plant (3 locations only of few specimens)

[RB]

It should not be impossible to dust off spores at the appropriate period, and propagate these.

IIRC, I saw a lot of this in Sicily, but sadly there is not much habitat here for it.

RB

[Glimbo]

Easily propagated from spores, and worth the wait. Have you prop'd ferns before RB? g.

[RB]

No Glimbo I have not bothered trying, but a relative often takes pleasure in doing so. I'm not that much into houseplants and the like and ferns like the Maidenhair which I have I think 5 or 6 pots of, are easily propagated by division - in fact it becomes mandatory after a while.

I also have some rather large-ish ferns which I do not know the name of, while not the commonest of ferns in Maltese houses, an "old" favourite if one can undersand what I'm getting at. The fronds are about 60-70cm long and the leaflets or whatever are a deep green colour, glossy, and from 6-8 cm long each. I'm providing this info maybe someone can help ID.

Re spores, "in season" this produces so many that the whole plant becomes golden brown.

RB

[Glimbo]

Have you got a pic of your ferns RB?

btw I regularly prop. fern spores a long wait but v. useful in my garden. Polystichum, Adiantium and Dryopteris sps.

g

[D. Cilia]

RB, I too have a specimen of the species you are probably talking about, though its name eludes me. The leaves have a particular jagged shape which is not strictly symmetrical, is that the one? I remember seeing it in a known Qormi garden shop as well some years ago.

As for the Asplenium trichomanes, that plant was rediscovered in the wild (Ta Cenc) in 2006! So those photographs there are an awesome accomplishment Stephen I look forward to the plant profile on the main site.

On a related note, has anyone here ever seen (or better still, have photographs) of Pteridium aquilinum in the wild?

[D. Cilia]

RB, here is what I was talking about (Cyrtomium falcatum):

[RB]

DC, yes that is (practically) it - the ones I have and which I have seen a few of in old houses together with "galletti" "felci" and the like which are so characterstic, simply don't have the frilly edges to the leaves, but otherwise that's it.

Thanks...

BTW I disco'd a species of fern in Malta which I never saw anywhere else, will try to dig up the pic - it may be that I already posted it on the forum quite some time ago.

RB

[RB]

On a related note, has anyone here ever seen (or better still, have photographs) of Pteridium aquilinum in the wild?

Is this supposed to grow here? It would be EXTREMELY hard to miss if so.

RB

[RB]

Surprisingly my pics were more organised than expected.

I even used to know the name once upon a time

RB

[D. Cilia]

OK, I found the thread about Ceterach officinarum here. Beautiful plant, hope to see it someday.

Pteridium is listed in Lanfranco's Nature In Gozo as very rare and possibly extinct, but reported from Rdum il-Kbir. There are photographs as well though I presume they are of garden specimens.

[IL-PINE]

I have a similar fern that sprouted in the garden and has been growing in a pot. It is exactly like the one of Glimbo but lacks the frilled edges, probably it is Cyrtomium fortunei.

Regarding Pteridium, it used to grow in the Rdum il-Kbir area, the recent book of Gozo lists it as probably extinct so I guess that is so. It is a very large fern so it would be a bit improbable to miss it. However, a large population of Gharghar was unknown for many years from Mizieb and then suddenly it was discovered. So, it might still be present. (I guess it is found somewhere in RB's garden also).

[RB]

Regarding Pteridium, it used to grow in the Rdum il-Kbir area, the recent book of Gozo lists it as probably extinct so I guess that is so. It is a very large fern so it would be a bit improbable to miss it. (I guess it is found somewhere in RB's garden also).

Haha no I have one missing there it seems... Seriously it's very "weedy" in forested areas in the UK but I never even imagined that it would survive here, I always associated it with colder climates. Otherwise I may have tried for a sample It dies out in Winter there and I think it may get very confused in Malta I don't imagine it to survive the Summer either!

RB

[D. Cilia]

Here is a couple of Cyrtomium falcatum young plants which I managed to grow from spores. This was my first venture in trying out ferns and the future looks promising!

[RB]

Nice! Mine were actually self-propagated and growing on a humid wall in an old house's yard that was to be demolished.

They now do produce so many spores that at times the fronds turn almost completely brown.

RB

[Glimbo]

yep! - you guessed it - mine hibernates g

[MWP admin]

Sorry for my lack of posts - I am very busy now, and probably will be so for long till May/June when outings are decreased. However I was also very busy with something soon to announce in the NEWS Section...


Back to subject:

And what about this fern? Is it interesting? Did not bother to check the identity, maybe RB/JP are familiar.

[jackpot]

I suppose that it is cultivation of Cyrtomium falcatum for ornament

[MWP admin]

Actually it was in a garden so you are right.

[IL-PINE]

that it what i have in my mother's garden

[MWP admin]

What a round-up post of Maltese ferns we have! I leave space for someone to post the common Adianthum capillus-veneris L.

[IL-PINE]

well this is the photo of the Cyrtomium in my mother's garden. very similar to mwp's.

[D. Cilia]

The variegated Aspidistra is beautiful, never seen any like it!