Fern on Tree ID

[KeenTeen17]

I found this fern growing on a tree. Any ideas?

[Jez]

Tree Fern?

I'll more than likely get this wrong as ferns I know very little about, shame really as I think they have such lovely qualities about them. So I'm going to say Hard Fern just to see whether I'm correct or not!

[Deer Stalker]

Looks like one of the Polypody Ferns KT.

[Jez]

Just been looking at a few images of Common Polypody on the net after Deers Stalkers ID and it does seem to match up with yours KT!

[treecreeper]

Definitely a polypody and probably Western Polypody Polypodium interjectum. The species are not easy to separate; best guide I have is Francis Roses' Grasses, sedges, Rushes and Ferns. His description is : Sori elliptical when young (circular on Common Polypody P. vulgare); oval-lanceolate fronds (oblong on Common) with longest pinnae 4th to 6th pair from base (more or less equal on the Common); pinnae often toothed with pointed tips (usually untoothed and blunt on Common); annulus of ripe sporangia pale buff to golden brown or yellow (red-brown on Common); minute glandular hairs among the sporangia (none among Common).

There's also the Southern Polypody P. cambricum (P. australe), but let's keep things simple!

[pleb]

It's not Southern Polypody which has a distinctive shape that doesn't match up to the picture so it is either Common Polypody or Western Polypody (or the hybrid between them which is quite possible). To identify a Polypody for sure you have to look at the spore bearing structure under a microscope. I have spent ages looking at the local Polypodies and I still can't tell Common Polypody from Western Polypody with any degree of confidence. TC is probably right when she says Polypodium interjectum, Western Polypody, but I wouldn't want to bet my life on it.

[treecreeper]

Originally Posted by pleb

TC is probably right when she says Polypodium interjectum

TC is a he! My fault for removing my profile picture!

[pleb]

Woops

[treecreeper]

It's OK, I did the same thing to another Wabber (***n**a**). Accused her of being a man

[KeenTeen17]

Originally Posted by treecreeper

It's OK, I did the same thing to another Wabber (***n**a**). Accused her of being a man

I did that as well to a certain member of the fungi forum but it turns out their name was a Genus of complicated fungi