Dendroconche annabellae

This extraordinary fern originates from Papua New Guinea. It has a creeping rhizome and grows by climbing up tree trunks. Its two distinct types of leaves are particularly striking. The sterile leaves and leaves of young plants are formed into bathyphylls. They are round and flatten against the substrate to which the rhizome grows. The bathyphylls can reach a diameter of up to 10 cm. Once they reach a certain size, sporophylls develop. These are longer and divided into two parts. The lower part is broad and resembles the bathyphyll, but is longer and not as tightly pressed. The upper part is long, thin, up to 15 cm long in D. annabellae, and hangs down. This part bears the spores.

All leaves have a fine, net-like pattern of the leaf veins, reminiscent of other Microsorum species , e.g. Microsorum musifolium , the crocodile fern.

Dendroconche annabellae requires a permanently moist substrate for climbing and should only be kept in humid tropical terrariums.

You will receive a well-rooted rhizome piece with new growth on the moss pole.