Tmesipteris ovata

N.A.Wakef Oval Fork-fern
Victorian Naturalist 60: 143 (1944)
Taxonomic status Accepted
Occurrence status Present
Origin Native
Degree of establishment Native
Threat status
FFG: Endangered (EN)

Fronds unbranched or branched once, 10–20 cm long, maturing in one season. Leaves crowded (c. 4–6 per cm), obovate to oblanceolate, 8–14 mm long, smaller on older parts of branch, soft to firm; base not markedly asymmetrical; apex rounded with short, excurrent point, c. 1 mm long. Sporophyll lobes narrower and shorter than leaves. Synangium capsule4ike, 2–3 mm long, with globular lobes.

EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, Strz, HFE. Also Qld, NSW. Not common in Victoria, localized in wet forest near Gembrook and Emerald, Morwell National Park, Wilsons Promontory and East Gippsland. See notes under T. parva.

Source:

Entwisle, T.J. (1994). Ferns and allied plants (Psilophyta, Lycopodiophyta, Polypodiophyta). In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., ‍Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons‍, pp. 13–111. Inkata Press, Melbourne.

Tmesipteris ovata (hero image) Spinning
Tmesipteris ovata (distribution map) Spinning