Holly-ferns
What are they?
The Cyrtomium ferns are native to Tropical and sub-tropical Asia and Africa and are often grown as house plants. On mature plants, the sori are distinctive, being small and rounded and scattered on the underside of the leaves.
Where are they found?
As non-natives from warmer climes, these plants are mostly grown as house or conservatory plants. However, plants have been recorded where self-sown into walls, cracks in pavements and similar urban habitats.
Identification
The two species are rather similar but can be told apart by the glossyness of the leaves and details of the pinnae (leaf segments).
Fortune's Holly-fern Cyrtomium fortunei
Introduced from eastern Asia as an ornamental and recorded from urban environments in Cambridge and, more recently, in Norwich. Small plants may be found growing from cracks in walls. The small, pale green fronds of young plants may be mistaken for Hart's-tongue Fern but soon become pinnate. Leaves are not glossy or leathery and the pinnae are toothed more or less to the tip. Mature fronds have 12-26 pairs of pinnae.
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Falcate Holly-fern Cyrtomium falcatum
(House Holly-fern) Introduced from eastern Asia as an ornamental and recorded from a handful of urban environments scattered across the region. Small plants may be found growing from cracks in walls or in gratings and drains. The fronds are glossy with the pinnae untoothed or only toothed in the lower two-thirds of the leaf margin. Mature fronds have 3-11 pairs of pinnae. Sori are scattered across the underside of the leaves.
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