Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida/Pteridopsida (disputed)
Order: Polypodiales
(unranked): Eupolypods
Family: Polypodiaceae
Genus: Polypodium
Species: P. vulgare
Binomial name: Polypodium vulgare
Common names: Polypody, Common polypody, Adders Fern, Golden Maidenhair Fern, Wall Fern.
Polypodium vulgare is an evergreen, creeping, polypodium fern native to Europe and Asia. It was introduced to New Zealand and it became naturalised in the 1980s. It has now begun to spread into the wild. It is present in the Southern North Island and in Canterbury in the South Island. It grows in full or semi-shade in cracks in rock bluffs, the bases of trees and in rocky undergrowth.
Polypodium vulgare has now been banned in New Zealand after it was listed as invasive species. It is now illegal under the Biosecurity Act to propagate, distribute or sell this plant - either casually or through nurseries - but existing plants are still allowed on private properties.
Polypodium vulgare is a fern that spreads by horizontal rhizomes. The fronds have triangular leaflets that measure 10 to 50 centimetres. They are divided all the way back to the central stem in 10 to 18 pairs of segments or leaflets. The leaflets become much shorter at the end of the frond. The leaflets are generally whole or slightly denticulated and somewhat wider at their base, where they often touch each other. They have an alternating arrangement, those on one side being slightly offset from those on the other side. The petioles have no scales.
The sori are found on the lower side of the fronds and range in colour from bright yellow to orange. They became dark grey at maturity.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information:https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
