| branched comb fern | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Schizaeales |
| Family: | Schizaeaceae |
| Genus: | Schizaea |
| Species: | S. dichotoma |
| Binomial name | |
| Schizaea dichotoma (L.) Sm. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Acrostichum dichotomum L. | |
Schizaea dichotoma, the branched comb fern, of the Comb Fern Family (Schizaeaceae) is a small plant usually found in open forest or heath, often on sandy soils. The habit is mostly upright, with up to 20 segments, twice or more times branched, or dichotomous. Found in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Malesia and islands in the Pacific Ocean. A low plant, 20 to 40 cm tall. The specific epithet dichotoma is derived from Greek, meaning "twice cut", referring to the branched nature of the fronds. This plant first appeared in scientific literature in the year 1753 as Acrostichum dichotomum, published in the Species Plantarum by Carl Linnaeus. Unusual for a fern, it is said to be a saprophyte facilitated by a fungal symbiote.
References
- "Schizaea dichotoma". PlantNet New South Wales Flora Online. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- Les Robinson – Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 page 319
- "Schizaea dichotoma". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- Hogan, Sean (2004). Flora- The Gardener's Bible. Willoughby, New South Wales: Global Book Pub. Pty. Ltd. p. 1323 with photos. ISBN 1-74048-097-X.
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Schizaea dichotoma |
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| Acrostichum dichotomum | |
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