Pteris cretica
Pteris cretica, the Cretan brake,[1] ribbon fern,[2] or Cretan brake fern, is a species of evergreen fern in the family Pteridaceae, native to Europe, Asia and Africa.
Pteris cretica | |
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P. cretica var. albolineata | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Class: | Polypodiopsida |
Order: | Polypodiales |
Family: | Pteridaceae |
Genus: | Pteris |
Species: | P. cretica |
Binomial name | |
Pteris cretica | |
Description
The fern grows to 75 cm (30 in) tall by 60 cm (24 in) broad. It has arching pinnate fronds each bearing up to five pinnae.[3][4]
Cultivation
Pteris cretica is cultivated widely by plant nurseries. It is used in gardens in the ground and as a potted plant, and as a houseplant. The variety with variegated foliage, Pteris cretica var. albolineata, is also widely used, brightening shade gardens.
Both types thrive year round outdoors in subtropical climates, such as California. With a minimum temperature of 2 °C (36 °F), both require protection from frost, though the species is hardier and can be grown outdoors during the summer months in cold climates.[3]
The species,[5] and the albolineata variety,[6] have both gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[7]
A relictual presence is certificated in the Italian peninsula Lazio (Ponte Terra gorge, San Vittorino, Rome).
References
- "Pteris cretica". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
- "Missour Botanical Garden - Pteris cretica". Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- "RHS Plant Selector - Pteris cretica". Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- "RHS Plant Selector - Pteris cretica var. albolineata". Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 82. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
External links
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