Forked comb fern
Waratah Track Comb Fern.JPG
Schizaea bifida from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Schizaeales
Family: Schizaeaceae
Genus: Schizaea
Species:
S. bifida
Binomial name
Schizaea bifida

Schizaea bifida, the forked comb fern is a fairly common fern found in eastern and southern Australia. Also seen in New Zealand and New Caledonia. In New South Wales it is found near the coast in heathland and eucalyptus woodland. Seen as a low plant, 10 to 35 cm tall. The generic name Schizaea is from the Greek, meaning “to cleave or split”. Bifida means split in two.[1]

This plant first appeared in scientific literature in the year 1802, published by the German botanist, Carl Ludwig Willdenow.

References

  1. ^ Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 page 319