The Button fern, also known as the Round-leaved fern and the New Zealand cliff brake is endemic to New Zealand and seems to be quite a popular house plant.
It can tolerate quite low temperatures and apparently likes dry acidic soil – not typical preferences for your average fern.
The European name derives from it’s the button-like arrangement of the leaflets. As you might have guessed, the Latin ‘Rotundifolia’ means ’round-leaved’.
Some sources say Pellaea derives from the Greek pellos meain dark leaf or stalk – yet to be confirmed.
Could be confused with the Creek fern which has similar fronds and leaflets.
Why all the fern pics?
Towards the end of 2019 I realised that despite a significant amount of time spent in New Zealand’s natural environments, my ability to identify NZ native flora was pretty poor.
That revelation sparked a new journey of discovery into the marvels of New Zealand’s native plants – starting with our ferns.
As an aid to memory and learning, I decided to photograph, research and post information on the ferns I encounter. I’m working through quite a backlog of images. Stay tuned!