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Popular fern
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The Pteris makes for an attractive houseplant
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A LARGE genus, with several species that have become familiar house-plants, Pteris or Table Fern belongs to the family Pteridaceae. This shade-loving fern is found throughout the world. It is an evergreen fern with a short creeping, and a many-branched rhizome producing arching. With crowded ovate-pinnate and pale green fronds that are 30 cms long, the plant has one to five pairs of narrowly lance-shaped simple or forked pinnae.
Pteris cretica or cretan Brake from America and Asia is shade loving with long wiry black stems (30 cms long). Their pinnate fronds have white stripes along the mid-vein. Pteris cretica albo-lineata has a broad white band along (illustration) the centre of each pinna. Pteris crispata has crisped, spreading fronds with a band of grey down the middle of each segment.
Pteris prefers constant shade and high humidity. It is easy to grow in one part each of sharp sand, coarse leaf mould and charcoal mixed with two parts of compost. Water freely and apply liquid fertilizer monthly. Fragments of broken pots and pebbles are placed over the hole at the bottom of the pot. Place a little moss or coconut fibre over the hole to prevent choking. Re-pot when the roots appear along the sides of the pot.
Pteris is a popular fern grown in ornamental bowls and containers. It also grows wild on damp earth or brick walls and along culverts.
Gently snip off any brown or yellow tips or fronds with a sharp knife. This will keep the plant looking tidy and will encourage some healthy new growth.
Chitra Radhakrishnan
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