Plant Descriptions – Chorizema cordatum – Commelina ensifolia

Chorizema cordatum

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Rosids

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Subfamily: Faboideae

Tribe: Mirbelieae

Genus: From Khoriso, which is Ancient Greek for to separate and Nêma, which is Ancient Greek or Nēma, which is Latin for a thread. It refers to the very fine filaments, which are separated into two groups.

Specie: From Kordātum, which is Ancient Greek or Cordātum, which is Latin for a heart shape. It refers to leaves, which have a heart shape.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Western Flame Pea.

Distribution:

Chorizema cordatum is found in the south western corner of Western Australia close to the coast and south and west of a line from Cocklkeshell Gully near Coorow, Cunderdin and King Georges Sound.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Chorizema+cordatum+#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Chorizema cordatum prefers light dappled shade. It grows in tall open dry to moist eucalyptus forests, open woodlands or dry heaths. The altitude ranges from 5 meters ASL to 350 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 3 degree in August to 40 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 500mm to an average of 1200mm annually.

Soil Requirements:

Chorizema cordatum prefer growing on gravelly sandy loams to light gritty, gravelly clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed granite or sandstone. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to a 7pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 0.5m to 1.5m by 1m to 1.8m.

Characteristics:

Chorizema cordatum’s reddish-brown branches are glabrous, erect to ascending shrub with fine longitudinal furrows. The stems and new growth twine similar to creepers, are pale green and moderately covered in soft, white sericeous hairs.

Chorizema cordatum’s alternate leaves vary greatly from cordate, narrow cordate, triangular to oblong-cordate and measure 30mm to 55mm in length by 10mm to 22mm in width. The bases are usually cordate, cordate-truncate while the apexes are broad acute to somewhat obtuse. The discolourous laminas are mid grass-green, dull and are sparsely to moderately covered in white, caduceous sericeous hairs on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are paler and are sparsely to moderately-densely covered in white sericeous hairs. The laminas recurve slightly upwards from the mid vein to the margins and are flat. The slightly undulating margins are entire. The mid vein and main lateral veins are strongly prominent on the lower lamina and is clearly visible from the upper lamina. The narrow triangular, deep reddish-maroon stipules are caduceous and measure 3mm to 5mm in length. The petioles are pale green and covered in white sericeous hairs and measure 4mm to 8mm in length.

The inflorescence of Chorizema cordatum are born in terminal racemes. The rachises, peduncles and pedicles are moderately covered in white sericeous hairs. The racemes measure 100mm to 140mm in length. There are 8 to 14 flowers on a raceme.

The narrow lanceolate, appressed bracteoles are pale green to pale purplish-green and measure 2mm to 3mm in length. The pale green to pale purplish-green calyxes measure 2.5mm to 4mm in length including the short deltoid lobes which measure 1.2mm to 1.6mm in length.

The corolla measures 4mm to 5.5mm in length by 2mm to 2.5mm in diameter near the lobes. The brilliant reddish-orange to orange–red standard petal has a bright yellow blotch near the base, is moderately marginate and measure 12mm to 15mm in width by 7mm to 9mm in height. The 2 spathulate lateral petals are deep carmine to deep carmine-pink and measure 7mm to 9mm in length by 4mm to 5mm in width. The lower or keel petal is petals are deep carmine to deep carmine-pink and measures 5mm to 7mm in length.

The ovary is shortly stipitate ovary usually has 8 to 10 ovules per locule. The flowers appear from early July to early December.

Chorizema cordatum fruits are obovoidal to oblong reticulate pods. The green pods are glabrous, semi glossy and sparsely covered in white sericeous hairs and turn grey-brown when ripe. The pods measure 6mm to 9mm in length by 4mm to 7mm in diameter. (Measurements were taken from a single plant.)

Wildlife:

Chorizema cordatum wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Chorizema cordatum is a hardy small dense sub shrub which looks tremendous as an understory plant, beside driveways, larger rockeries or small bush gardens. Garden subjects need some protection from full sun so ensure the plants have some dappled light under an open forest to maintain a dense bushy habit. The flowers exude more vibrant colours when grown in partial shade. It grows best on gravelly soils, screes or skeletal loams on well drained slopes and should be grown more extensively on the east coast where prevailing conditions suit the plants. It grows from 1.5 meters to 2 meters in height by 1.5 meters to 2 meters in diameter when grown in the open.

Chorizema cordatum makes an outstanding contribution to a drier open heath gardens or open woodland scenes. The plants do not like to be crowed in. When you design a flat heath garden which Chorizema parviflorumis well suited don’t use contours to display the plants as heath lands are almost always flat or have a slight rise. Make the path narrow so you have to feel the plants brush against your legs as you walk through the garden bed. This gives an extra dimension which many people forget about when designing heath gardens. Plants must be planted close together and be short so you can see over the tallest ones with the exception of one or two plants at the most. These will be feature plants. The idea is to achieve a feeling of expansive flatness. This can be achieved with using the Chorizema parviflorum’s sea-green linear leaves and having them contrasting with finer pale green or soft grey to glaucous coloured foliage. Leave room for Chorizema cordatum to attain its full size without touching adjacent plants. Use procumbent plants like Melaleuca pearsonii or other sub shrubs like Chorizandra sphaerocephala for a great mosaic of leaf contrast and flower form. Mix them with other smaller shrubs so none of them dominate the scene but blend in to give a mosaic of foliage colours that you oversee.

Mass plantings can be achieved by planting them at 0.5 meters to 0.8 meters. It is an extraordinarily beautiful plant when mass planted whether it is in a heath scene or beneath scattered woodlands where plenty of sunlight reaches the floor of the woodland. In woodland scenes scatter plantings of 3 or 5 in a group also make for an interesting feature especially if a variety of different genera are used in the same manner. Hibertia linariifolia, Chloanthes parviflora, Bulbine bulbosa, even small ferns like Cheilanthes sieberi or Adiantum specie can add great variety or small compact shrubs like Acacia brownie or Acacia sauveolens.

It should be treated as a short term perennial and replanted from seedlings every 5 to 7 years as they have a tendency to become woody after the fourth year losing its vibrancy and good flowering. Tip pruning will enhance their bushiness and character.

Propagation:

Seeds: Chorizema cordatum is easy to grow from fresh seeds. The seeds can be sown directly into trays using a fine porous mix after treatment. Place the seeds in a glass of hot water not boiling and allow to cool naturally before sowing. Place the trays in a warm position under 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade and keep moist not wet. Seeds usually germinate in 10 to 30 days.

When the seedlings reach the three to four leaf stages, prick them out and plant them into 75mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 150mm to 200mm in height nip the tips out and plant them out into their permanent position.

When mass planting Chorizema parviflorum are required, as a feature shrub try planting them at 0.4 meter to 0.6 meter centers.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the flower buds appear.

Further Comments from Readers:

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Chorizema ilicifolium

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Rosids

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Subfamily: Faboideae

Tribe: Mirbelieae

Specie: From Ilex, which is Latin for holly oak and from Folium which is Latin for foliage. It refers to leaves, which resemble the European holly oak.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Prickly Flame Pea.

Distribution:

Chorizema ilicifolium is found in the south western corner of Western Australia close to the coast, off shore Islands and south and west of a line from Dandaragan on the west coast to Flinders Peak on Middle Island off the southern coast.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Chorizema+ilicifolium+#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Chorizema ilicifolium prefers light dappled shade. It grows in tall open dry to moist eucalyptus forests, open woodlands or dry heaths. The altitude ranges from 5 meters ASL to 150 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from 3 degree in August to 40 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 600mm to an average of 1600mm annually.

Soil Requirements:

Chorizema ilicifolium prefer growing on gravelly sandy loams to light gritty, gravelly clays. The soils are usually derived from decomposed granite, sandstone or accumulated beach sands. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to a 7pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 0.5m to 1m by 1m to 1.5m.

Characteristics:

Chorizema ilicifolium’s reddish-brown branches are glabrous, erect to ascending shrub with fine longitudinal furrows. The stems and new growth twine similar to creepers are pale green and moderately covered in soft, white sericeous hairs.

Chorizema ilicifolium’s alternate leaves vary greatly from cordate, narrow cordate, triangular to oblong-cordate and measure 40mm to 70mm in length by 10mm to 22mm in width. The bases are usually cordate-truncate to rounded-truncate while the apexes are broad acute with a pungent point. The discolourous laminas are mid grass-green, dull and are sparsely to moderately covered in white, caduceous sericeous hairs on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are paler and are sparsely to moderately covered in white sericeous hairs. The laminas recurve slightly upwards from the mid vein to the margins and are flat. The margins vary greatly from slightly to strongly undulating, are finely to strongly tooth with a small, fine to robust pungent spine. The mid vein and main lateral veins are strongly prominent on the lower lamina and is clearly visible from the upper lamina. The narrow triangular, deep reddish-maroon stipules are caduceous and measure 3mm to 5mm in length. The petioles are pale green and covered in white sericeous hairs and measure 4mm to 8mm in length.

The inflorescence of Chorizema ilicifolium are born in terminal racemes. The rachises, peduncles and pedicles are moderately covered in white sericeous hairs. The racemes measure 100mm to 140mm in length. There are 12 to 18 flowers on a raceme.

The narrow lanceolate bracteoles are pale green to pale purplish-green and measure 4mm to 5mm in length. The pale green to pale purplish-green calyxes measure 2.5mm to 4mm in length including the short deltoid lobes which measure 1.2mm to 1.6mm in length.

The corolla measures 5mm to 7mm in length by 2mm to 2.5mm in diameter near the lobes. The brilliant reddish-orange, orange–red or orange standard petal has a bright yellow or orange blotch with red striations radiating from the blotch close to the blotch near the base. The standard is moderately marginate and measure 15mm to 20mm in width by 12mm to 16mm in height. The 2 spathulate lateral petals are brilliant reddish-carmine, orange–carmine or orange standard petal has a bright yellow or orange and measure 10mm to 16mm in length by 6mm to 9mm in width. The lower or keel petal is petals are deep carmine to deep carmine-pink and measures 5mm to 7mm in length by 4mm to 5mm in width.

The 10 or 12 stamens are paired with the upper pair being the shortest. They shortest measure 4mm to 5mm in length while the longest measure around 8mm to 10mm in length.

The ovary is shortly stipitate ovary usually has 8 ovules per locule. The flowers appear from early July to early December.

Chorizema ilicifolium fruits are obovoidal to oblong reticulate pods. The green pods are glabrous, semi glossy and sparsely covered in white sericeous hairs and turn grey-brown when ripe. The pods measure 7mm to 11mm in length by 4mm to 7mm in diameter. The style is persistent on the ripe fruit while the seeds mature longitudinally within the pods

Wildlife:

Chorizema ilicifolium wildlife is unknown to the author though it may be fertilized by unknown small black beetles.

Cultivation:

Chorizema ilicifolium is a hardy small dense sub shrub which looks tremendous as an understory plant, beside driveways, larger rockeries or small bush gardens. Garden subjects need some protection from full sun so ensure the plants have some dappled light under an open forest to maintain a dense bushy habit. The flowers exude more vibrant colours when grown in partial shade. It grows best on gravelly soils, screes or skeletal loams on well drained slopes and should be grown more extensively on the east coast where prevailing conditions suit the plants. It grows from 1.5 meters to 2 meters in height by 1.5 meters to 2 meters in diameter when grown in the open.

Chorizema ilicifolium makes an outstanding contribution to a drier open heath gardens or open woodland scenes. The plants do not like to be crowed in. When you design a flat heath garden which Chorizema ilicifoliumis well suited don’t use contours to display the plants as heath lands are almost always flat or have a slight rise. Make the path narrow so you have to feel the plants brush against your legs as you walk through the garden bed. This gives an extra dimension which many people forget about when designing heath gardens. Plants must be planted close together and be short so you can see over the tallest ones with the exception of one or two plants at the most. These will be feature plants. The idea is to achieve a feeling of expansive flatness. This can be achieved with using the Chorizema ilicifolium’s sea-green linear leaves and having them contrasting with finer pale green or soft grey to glaucous coloured foliage. Leave room for Chorizema cordatum to attain its full size without touching adjacent plants. Use procumbent plants like Melaleuca pearsonii or other sub shrubs like Chorizandra sphaerocephala for a great mosaic of leaf contrast and flower form. Mix them with other smaller shrubs so none of them dominate the scene but blend in to give a mosaic of foliage colours that you oversee.

Mass plantings can be achieved by planting them at 0.5 meters to 0.8 meters. They are an extraordinarily beautiful plant when mass planted whether it is in a heath scene or beneath scattered woodlands where plenty of sunlight reaches the floor of the woodland. In woodland scenes scatter plantings of 3 or 5 in a group also make for an interesting feature especially if a variety of different genera are used in the same manner. Hibertia linariifolia, Chloanthes parviflora, Bulbine bulbosa, even small ferns like Cheilanthes sieberi or Adiantum specie can add great variety or small compact shrubs like Acacia brownie or Acacia sauveolens.

Propagation:

Seeds: Chorizema ilicifolium are easy to grow from fresh seeds. The seeds can be sown directly into trays using a fine porous mix after treatment. Place the seeds in a glass of hot water not boiling and allow to cool naturally before sowing. Place the trays in a warm position under 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade and keep moist not wet. Seeds usually germinate in 10 to 30 days.

When the seedlings reach the three to four leaf stages, prick them out and plant them into 75mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 150mm to 200mm in height nip the tips out and plant them out into their permanent position.

When mass planting Chorizema ilicifolium are required, as a feature shrub try planting them at 0.4 meter to 0.6 meter centers.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the flower buds appear.

Further Comments from Readers:

Chorizema parviflorum

Classification:

Unranked: Eudicots

Unranked: Rosids

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Subfamily: Faboideae

Tribe: Mirbelieae

Specie: From Paûros, which is Ancient Greek or Parvum which is Latin for small and Flōris which is Latin for a flower or Flōs from the Roman goddess of spring and flowers. It refers to flowers, which are somewhat smaller when compared to other species in the genus.

Sub specie:

Common Name: Eastern Flame Pea.

Distribution:

Chorizema parviflorum is widespread along the coast and western slopes of the Great Dividing Range. It is found south from Cedar Bay National Park in far northern Queensland to South Sydney. There is an isolated population near Bega further to the south. Though it is widespread it is not common anywhere throughout its range.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Chorizema+parviflorum+#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Chorizema parviflorum prefers full sun to light dappled shade. It grows in tall open dry eucalyptus forests, open woodlands or dry heaths. The altitude ranges from 5 meters ASL to 550 meters ASL.

The temperatures range from minus 3 degree in August to 40 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 500mm to an average of 1800mm annually.

Soil Requirements:

Chorizema parviflorum prefer growing on medium clays to heavy clays. The soils are derived from decomposed siltstone, shale or metamorphic rocks. The soils pH ranges from 5pH to a 6pH. It does not tolerate water logged soils. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated as are salt laden winds.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 0.4m to 0.5m by 0.5m to 0.8m.

Characteristics:

Chorizema parviflorum is a glabrous, erect to ascending shrub with longitudinal furrows. The stems are reddish-brown. The new growth is grass-green to sea–green and sparsely covered in white sericeous hairs.

Chorizema parviflorum’s alternate leaves are linear to narrow obovate even on the same shrub and measure 20mm to 40mm in length by 1.5mm to 4mm in width. The elliptical leaflets measure 30mm to 90mm in length by 15mm to 40mm in width. The bases are truncate while the apexes are obtuse, emarginated or mucronate with a pungent point. The discolourous laminas are deep grass-green to sea-green, glabrous and dull on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are paler and are sparsely to moderately-densely covered in white sericeous hairs. The laminas convex from the mid vein to the margins and decurve strongly close to the apex. The margins are entire. The mid vein is strongly prominent on the lower laminas and is clearly visible from the upper laminas. The bristly stipules are caduceous. The petioles are deep grass-green, covered in white sericeous hairs and measure 0.6mm to 1mm in length.

The inflorescence of Chorizema parviflorum are born in terminal racemes. The rachises, peduncles and pedicles are sparsely covered in white sericeous hairs. The rachises measures 0mm to 2mm in length while the peduncles 8mm to 14mm in length and the pedicels measure 1mm to 3mm in length.

The narrow lanceolate bracteoles are grass-green to sea-green and measure 0.5mm to 0.8mm in length. The deep grass-green to sea-green calyxes measure 2mm to 3mm in length and have short deltoid lobes which measure 1.2mm to 1.6mm in length.

The corolla measures 4mm to 7mm in length by 3mm to 5mm in diameter near the lobes. The 2 standard petals are mostly all yellow or at times have a red splotched ring near the base. They measure 6mm to 12mm in width by 4mm to 6.5mm in height. The 2 lateral petals are irregularly spathulate; mostly all yellow or at times have a red splotch near the base. They measure 6mm to 12mm in length by 4mm to 6.5mm in width across the widest section. The lower or keel petal is yellow or red and measures2.5mm to 3.5mm in length.

The ovary is shortly stipitate usually with 10 ovules per locule. The flowers appear from September to November.

Chorizema parviflorum fruits are obovoidal to oblong reticulate pods. The green pods are glabrous, semi glossy and sparsely covered in white sericeous hairs and turn grey-brown when ripe. The pods measure 5mm to 9mm in length by 4mm to 7mm in diameter.

Wildlife:

Chorizema parviflorum wildlife is unknown to the author though it is fertilized by unknown small black beetles.

Cultivation:

Chorizema parviflorum is a hardy small dense sub shrub for near swimming pools, beside driveways, small rockeries or small bush gardens. Garden subjects need full sun or at worse dappled light under an open forest to maintain a dense bushy habit. They grow best on heavy soils or skeletal loams on well drained slopes. They grow from 0.4 meter to 0.6 in height by 0.5 meters to 0.8 meters in diameter.

Chorizema parviflorum make outstanding contribution to a drier open heath gardens or open woodland scenes. The plants do not like to be crowed in. When you design a flat heath garden which Chorizema parviflorumis well suited don’t use contours to display the plants as heath lands are almost always flat or have a slight rise. Make the path narrow so you have to feel the plants brush against your legs as you walk through the garden bed. This gives an extra dimension which many people forget about when designing heath gardens. Plants must be planted close together and be short so you can see over the tallest ones with the exception of one or two plants at the most. These will be feature plants. The idea is to achieve a feeling of expansive flatness. This can be achieved with using the Chorizema parviflorum’s sea-green linear leaves and having them contrasting with finer pale green or soft grey to glaucous coloured foliage. Leave room for Chorizema parviflorum to attain its full size without touching adjacent plants. Use procumbent plants like Melaleuca pearsonii or other sub shrubs like Chorizandra sphaerocephala for a great mosaic of leaf contrast and flower form. Mix them with other smaller shrubs so none of them dominate the scene but blend in to give a mosaic of foliage colours that you oversee.

Mass plantings can be achieved by planting them at 0.5 meters to 0.8 meters. They are an extraordinarily beautiful plant when mass planted whether it is in a heath scene or beneath scattered woodlands where plenty of sunlight reaches the floor of the woodland. In woodland scenes scatter plantings of 3 or 5 in a group also make for an interesting feature especially if a variety of different genera are used in the same manner. Leschenaultia formosa, Hibertia linariifolia, Chloanthes parviflora, Bulbine bulbosa, even small ferns like Cheilanthes sieberi or Adiantum specie can add great variety or small compact shrubs like Acacia brownie.

They should be treated as a perennial and replanted from seedlings every 2 or 3 years as they have a tendency to become woody after the second year. Tip pruning will enhance their bushiness and character.

Propagation:

Seeds: Chorizema parviflorum is easy to grow from seed. The seeds can be sown directly into trays following treatment by placing the seeds in hot water not boiling. Cover the seeds with 5mm of a fine porous mix. Place the trays in a warm position under 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade and keep moist not wet. Seeds usually germinate in 10 to 30 days.

When the seedlings reach the three to four leaf stages, prick them out and plant them into 75mm native tubes using a good organic mix.

Once the seedlings reach 150 to 200mm in height nip the tips out and plant them out into their permanent position.

When mass planting Chorizema parviflorum are required, as a feature shrub try planting them at 0.4 meter to 0.6 meter centers.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the flower buds appear.

Further Comments from Readers:

Christella dentata

Classification:

Class: Pteridospida

Order: Athyriales

Family: Thelypteridacea

Genus: From Cristātus, which is Latin for to be crested or to have a crest and Ella, which is the feminine form. It refers to organs usually the leaves which have a crest.

Specie: From Hispidus, which is Latin for short bristly hairs. It refers to a structure or organ, which has short, bristly course hairs.

Sub specie:

Common Name:

Distribution:

Christella dentata is restricted to several disjunct populations from the Iron Range National Park in the north on Cape York Peninsular Queensland, south to the Hunter Valley region in coastal New South Wales. It is found east of the Great Dividing Range.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Christella+dentata+#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Christella dentata grows in dense shade to dappled sunlight. It grows in moisture retentive soils in montane rainforests, littoral rainforests, moist Eucalyptus forests, riparian forests and gallery rainforests. It is mainly found along rivulets, creeks, streams and small rivers where it can form impenetrable thickets. I have found Christella hispidula growing in and besides very slow moving water where iron bacteria have turned the water to a slimy rusty brown. The altitude ranges from 10 meters ASL to 700 meters ASL.

The temperature ranges from minus 2 degrees in August to 36 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 850mm to 2600mm average per annum.

Soil Requirements:

Christella dentata prefer gravelly light clays to heavy clays. The soils are derived from decomposed shale, black basalt, brown basalt or metamorphic rocks. The soil’s pH ranges from 4pH to 6pH. It tolerates water logged soils which are often stained reddish to black. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Iron Bacteria: are naturally occurring bacteria found in dams, swamps, lakes, watercourses usually where the water is moving slowly. Iron bacteria are small microbes which convert soluble ferrous iron Fe+2 into insoluble ferric iron Fe+3 through a process of oxidization. This is a large group of different bacteria of which Gallionella ferruginea is one of the more common ones found in Australia. The presence of microorganisms like Gallinella ferruginea, Thiobacillus thiooxidans or Thiobacillus ferrooxidans act as a catalyst by utilizing the soluble iron sulphides as an energy source thus converting the iron sulphides into sulfuric acid and insoluble Ferric iron oxide. This iron then precipitates out of the water staining the surrounding ground rusty red, forming a rusty sludge or forming a slimy crust on the surface of the water. Their presence is an indication that the soil and water is very acidic. This is most noticeable where alkaloid or base metals like calcium carbonate and magnesium are absent.

Where there are high levels of Manganese present in the soil or water, a similar reaction occurs with different bacteria and chemical reactions. Here the water and soil is stained black with MnO2 or KMnO4.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 45m to 1.25m by 0.8m to 1.25m.

Characteristics:

Christella dentata has a short thick erect or creeping rhizome covered in large deep brown scales that measure 7mm to 10mm in length by 1mm to 1.5mm wide.

Christella dentata’s fronds are single pinnate. The stipes vary in length but are generally shorter than 200mm and are dark brown at the base turning green. The stipes are covered in pale red-brown hairs. The pale green fronds measure 300mm to 700mm in length. The single pinnate, pale green fronds have deeply pinnatifid that measure to20mm to 500mm in length. The concolourous laminas are grass-green and glabrous on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are sparsely covered in short white capitate hairs along the mid vein. The pinnae lobes cut up to 3/4 of way to midrib.

Sori are circular with a small, hairy indusium. They are spaced evenly each side of the mid vein along the main pinnae vein half way between the base and the apex.

Wildlife:

Christella dentata’s wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Christella dentata is a very hardy fern for courtyards, around swimming pools or in the garden where moist lighter conditions prevail. Christella hispidula is excellent for around swimming pools where it can grow to its full potential in a small area. It breaks up hard fences and walls giving a pleasant vertical look. The short unstable trunks need protection from breezes or passing traffic as they can bend very easily and lose their vertical growth. The bent trunks can be used very effectively in small areas. If used correctly it can make medium size areas look larger. Some cleaning of spent fronds on a biannual base is necessary and moisture is required to keep it at its best. They are not drought tolerant so the occasional lapse in watering will see the fronds die and the new fronds reduce in size. If they do happen to look dead after a long holiday, during a drought prune all the fronds off to a few centimetres of the rhizome and give them a good soaking. Apply a double strength dose of our recommended fertilizer two days later and within two weeks they will reshoot but it could be the following round of new fronds that will see the size return.

They often reach their full potential of 1250mm in just over 2 year.

Propagation:

Spores: All ferns that are declared rare, vulnerable or endangered are protected by Federal and State Laws and must not be removed from the wild unless you are a land developer, mining company or main Roads department etc. This includes bulbs, roots, leaves and flowers. No part of any plant can be removed from Federal, State or Local Government land without the prior permission of the authority and this includes the spore.

Most people are put off at the thought of growing ferns from spore. Like all plants that produce their offspring from seed or spore the methods are basically the same. Remember nature has been doing this for millions of years and has been very successful. I have had excellent results growing over 200 different species of Australian ferns so don’t be afraid. Give it a go.

Step 1. Select spore from the fern fronds. Wait until the fern is just starting to release its spore. Rinse the fronds under clean running water and dry. This is to wash off any other spores from rogue ferns that may have settled onto the fronds. (There is nothing worse than having common brake or common soft bracken contaminating a prized tree fern or epiphyte.)

Step 2. Place the dry fronds in a clean brown paper bag and keep them in a cool dark place like the linen closet for about a week to ten days before you are ready to sow the spore. The exception to this rule applies to ferns, which produce green spores. These must be sown immediately that they are released. Todea Barbara is a good example of a fern, which produces green spore.

Step 3. Take a large ice cream container, a small ice cream container and a clean clear plastic bag large enough to seal the large ice cream container and three or four milk bottle tops.

Step 4. Punch or drill 6 to 10 5mm holes in the bottom of the small ice cream container.

Step 5. Wash both containers, tops and plastic bag so that they are very clean and sterile.

Step 6. Use a clean fine seed raising mi. We used 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} fine sand, 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} peat and 30{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} perlite and 10{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} vermiculite. We used crushed basalt, crusher dust and peat in a 50:50 ratio for epiphytes. Moisten the mix enough that water does not run out when the mix is squeezed between the fingers.

Step 7. Place the moisten mix (Enough to half fill the small ice cream container) in the microwave oven with a large glass of water for 7 or 8 minutes, until the water is boiling. Allow them to cool in the oven. You will need the water later so do not tip it out.

Step 8. Take the brown paper bag out of the linen closet. Shake the bag and remove the fronds. You should have a yellow, brown, black or rarely greenish brown or ochre powder or very fine, small round pin head size spore depending on the specie involved.

Step 9. Remove the mixture from the oven once it has cooled and place it in the small ice cream container and level.

Step 10. Sprinkle the spore sparsely over the mixture in the small ice cream container.

Step 11. Place the milk bottle tops in the large ice cream container with the flat surface facing down. Place the small ice cream container in the large ice cream container so that it is sitting on the milk bottle tops.

Step 12. Remove the water from the microwave and pour it into the larger ice cream container so there is 25mm to 30mm of water in the bottom.

Step 13. Place the ice cream containers in the plastic bag and seal.

Step 14. Place the contents and bag in a warm shady place preferably 50{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} to 70{98c9b985d4dc543f86c0cb8c6df3d397ea5754df614d759fdd5c1720a0a9cf2f} shade depending on the specie. Shade houses and some window sills are ideal.

Step 15. The surface should turn green within a week to two weeks. The prothallus will then develop. From the prthalus the first true fronds will appear. Wait until the ferns are 20mm to 35mm in height before you attempt to transplant them. Once they are ready open the bag up slightly and allow the air to flow around the little ferns. Every 3 to 5 days open the bag a little further so the ferns get use to their new environment. Allow them a week to two weeks to harden off before you transplant them following the removal of the plastic bag. Carefully prick them out into 50mm standard squat tubes as you would any seedling.

Do not try to transplant them as single plants as they are still a little delicate still.

Once the smaller ones again reach 50mm to 70mm you may wish to divide the stronger and hardier individual plants into smaller clumps in 100mm squat pots.

Step 16. We fertilized with seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis until established. Fertilize every two months for one year even when in the ground.

Fertilize using Seaweed, fish emulsion or organic chicken pellets soaked in water on an alternate basis. Fertilize every two months until the plants are established then annually in early September or March to maintain health and vitality.

Further Comments from Readers:

Christella hispidula

Classification:

Class: Pteridospida

Order: Athyriales

Family: Thelypteridacea

Genus: From Cristātus, which is Latin for to be crested or to have a crest and Ella, which is the feminine form. It refers to organs usually the leaves which have a crest.

Specie: From Hispidus, which is Latin for short bristly hairs. It refers to a structure or organ, which has short, bristly course hairs.

Sub specie:

Common Name:

Distribution:

Christella hispidula is restricted to several disjunct populations from the Iron Range National Park in the north on Cape York Peninsular Queensland, south to the Hunter Valley region in coastal New South Wales. It is found east of the Great Dividing Range.

https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Christella+hispidula+#tab_mapView

Habitat Aspect Climate:

Christella hispidula grows in dense shade to dappled sunlight. It grows in moisture retentive soils in montane rainforests, littoral rainforests, moist Eucalyptus forests, riparian forests and gallery rainforests. It is mainly found along rivulets, creeks, streams and small rivers where it can form impenetrable thickets. I have found Christella hispidula growing in and besides very slow moving water where iron bacteria have turned the water to a slimy rusty brown. The altitude ranges from 10 meters ASL to 700 meters ASL.

The temperature ranges from minus 2 degrees in August to 36 degrees in January.

The rainfall ranges from lows of 850mm to 2600mm average per annum.

Soil Requirements:

Christella hispidula prefer gravelly light clays to heavy clays. The soils are derived from decomposed shale, black basalt, brown basalt or metamorphic rocks. The soil’s pH ranges from 4pH to 6pH. It tolerates water logged soils which are often stained reddish to black. Non saline soils to moderately saline soils are tolerated.

Height & Spread:

Wild Plants: 45m to 1.25m by 0.8m to 1.25m.

Characteristics:

Christella hispidula has a very short thick creeping rhizome covered in large deep brown scales. The scales measure 7mm to 10mm in length by 1mm to 1.5mm wide. The rhizomes are slender, short and creeping.

Christella hispidula’s fronds are single pinnate. The stipes vary in length but are generally shorter than 200mm and are dark brown at the base turning green a short distance up to a light green. The stipes are covered in pale red-brown hairs. The pale green fronds measure 200mm to 500mm in length. The pinnules have 23 to 61 pinnae which are united before reaching the rachis. The longest near the base with the basal 3 or 4 pairs reducing in length. The basal pair measure 15mm to 28mm in length by 7mm to 12mm in width. The pinnae then taper as they approach the apex. The concolourous laminas are grass-green and glabrous on the upper laminas while the lower laminas are sparsely covered in short white capitate hairs along the mid vein. The apex is offset obtuse. Young fronds are a lighter shade of green than mature fronds.

Sori are circular with a hairy indusium. They are spaced evenly each side of the mid vein along the main pinnae vein half way between the base and the apex.

Wildlife:

Christella hispidula’s wildlife is unknown to the author.

Cultivation:

Christella hispidula is a very hardy fern for courtyards, around swimming pools or in the garden where moist lighter conditions prevail. Christella hispidula is excellent for around swimming pools where it can grow to its full potential in a small area. It breaks up hard fences and walls giving a pleasant vertical look. The short unstable trunks need protection from breezes or passing traffic as they can bend very easily and lose their vertical growth. The bent trunks can be used very effectively in small areas. If used correctly it can make medium size areas look larger. Some cleaning of spent fronds on a biannual base is necessary and moisture is required to keep it at its best. They are not drought tolerant so the occasional lapse in watering will see the fronds die and the new fronds reduce in size. If they do happen to look dead after a long holiday, during a drought prune all the fronds off to a few centimetres of the rhizome and give them a good soaking. Apply a double strength dose of our recommended fertilizer two days later and within two weeks they will reshoot but it could be the following round of new fronds that will see the size return.