Drynaria rigidula, D-Aguilar Ranges National Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

[Derrick]

n_0074 Drynaria rigidula alongside Middle Kobble Creek, Brisbane Forest Park, D'Aguilar Ranges National Park..jpg]  In this area there was also a rare and attractive mutation of this species with a dichotomy of the individual 'leaf' endings. It is another example of a humus impounding species often found growing on rocks or on extremely barren rocky soils and is another useful addition to arid landscaping in suitably warm climates. 

 

Drynaria rigidula (Sw.) Beddome, R. H., published in Ferns of British India pl. 314, 1869. Basionym Polypodium rigidulum Olaf Swartz published in Journal für die Botanik 1800 (2) 26, 1801. This is another common eastern Australian species and an interesting and at least semi-succulent addition to arid-climate rockeries where it may lose all of its leaves during Queensland’s short-day dry-seasons but it quickly forms new leaves after rain.

[Derrick]

  Anecdotal reports indicate regular associations of D. rigidula with Green ants Oecophylla smaragdina, a weaver ant species that constructs arboreal nests from sewn-together leaves.

[aroideana]

Seen some lovely colonies of this sp.It will often form a nest right around a tree or palm .

A few bits placed in a well made wire basket will soon fill out .