Lomaria alpina). Colony-forming with slender creeping rhizomes. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, pinnatifid 10-25cm long. The most desirable forms are alpine types with thick-textured fronds 5-12cm long and often tinged red when young. Petioles shiny dark reddish-brown. The sterile fronds are usually spreading, the fertile ones more erect. New Zealand (to 2000m in mountain grassland), southern Australia and southern South America in moist habitats often heathland. Too invasive for the smaller rock garden.
a, B. penna-marina; b, B. spicant;
