Bird's Nest Fern

Description:

Asplenium australasicum, commonly known as "bird's nest fern" and "crow's nest fern", is an Australian native and belongs to the fern family Aspleniaceae. It is also an epiphytic fern in that it grows upon another plant in the wild, usually settling non-parasitically in the branches of trees, or sometimes as a lithophyte, upon some other object such as a rock or building, etc. It derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain, and sometimes from debris accumulating around it or within its leaves. This species can also grow terrestrially in soil. It grows in an upright rosette of long and shiny leaves which have a prominent midrib under the fronds, giving them a keeled appearance.

Habitat:

Grows on rocks or as an epiphyte on trees and is native to eastern New South Wales and Queensland. The clumps can reach a large size, with the centre of the fern acting as a reservoir for debris. They are usually found in the temperate zone or in the tropics. These particular specimens were found in cool temperate rainforest conditions.

Notes:

These ferns (pictured) were spotted near the ancient Beech Trees in Springbrook National Park, and thus are protected within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. The weather today was cold, windy, and very misty with occasional drizzle - conditions that these ferns love, I'm sure. They looked very healthy, and were found on the walking track near the Antarctic Beech trees http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/266...