Dicranopteris linearis

Gleicheniaceae

Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.f.) Underw.

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/102302

Rhizome long creeping (1.5–) 2–4 mm diam.; internodes to 6 cm long. Fronds erect or scandent, with 1-many tiers of opposite primary branches with a dormant growing point between them. Stipes 10–82 cm or more long, glabrous. Rachis clothed at first with brown branched hairs, glabrescent. Ultimate segments linear, 18–40 (–70) mm long, 3–5 mm wide, divided almost to midrib, glabrous above, clothed below with branched hairs near base of midrib and minute oblong obtuse brown glands along veins or more rarely with hairs along midrib and veins; undersurface slightly to very glaucous. Sorus length one-quarter to one-third the distance from midrib to margin. Sporangia 0.2–0.25 mm diam., pale yellow-brown. 

Widespread in the NT, QLD and NSW. Also in Asia, Malesia and the Pacific Islands.

Terrestrial in a wide variety of mesic forested habitats over a wide altitudinal range. It usually occurs in sunlit areas and in rainforest it is a common pioneer of roadbanks and cuttings.

Three varieties are recognised in Chinnock R.J. and Bell G.H. (1998) Flora of Australia Vol. 48 pp. 148-162.