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Histiopteris incisa, the bat’s wing fern, water fern or fern mata, is a common fern species found in Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, south America, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and many other south pacific islands. It is commonly found in wet areas such as the understory of wet sclerophyll forests, rainforests or near creek and riverbeds but is very common in environmentally disturbed areas where it can come to dominate the landscape. It is commonly known as the bat’s wing fern as the sessile leaflets of the lowermost lobes of each pinnae have a bat wing like appearance.

Description Histiopteris incisa is moderately large ground fern, the fronds are distinctive in shape with opposite pinnae and being colloquially known as bat’s wing fern due to the shape of the lower pinnae’s sessile leaflets, and can vary in size from 30-200cm , the leaves are also distinct in texture appearing glaucous and feeling fleshy (Tas key)with new leaf primordia often forming at 90’ angles, the fern often grows from an extensive rhizome either under or above ground around 5-10mm in diameter and covered with brown scales , it also develops an extra axillary bud that grows a lateral shoot to develop a larger shoot system, the stipe and rachis are brown at the base and yellow-brown higher up as well as being glabrous and glossy except for the basal scales. The fertile fronds are often slightly smaller with a continuous sorus on the outer edges of the lobes and a marginal indusium formed by the reflexed leaf margins, they form many pale tuberculate monolete spores.

Distribution Histiopteris incisa is broadly dispersed across the southern hemisphere displaying circum-Antarctic distribution likely from long distance dispersal, with extensive coverage across Tasmania, New Zealand, south eastern Australia, south and central America and as well as throughout Papua new guinea and many other landmasses throughout the south Pacific Ocean.

Ecology It is often found within the understories of wet sclerophyll and rainforest systems, preferring moist environments with poorer soil drainage, it is often found bordering wet forests appearing near the edges of tracks and roads, this fern also appears frequently in areas of high disturbance particularly those that had previous rainforest species as well as being a common successional species after clear-felling. It is tolerant of high light levels and can frequently be found colonising open areas of disturbed sites and forming large communities, it often prefers drains, and rocky crevices and other shaded areas in more open forests , it also one of very few ferns that are almost deciduous in nature as the tend to ‘die back’ during winter.

Cultivation Histiopteris incisais an easily cultivated species that is easily found in many Tasmanian nurseries, it can be grown readily in rockeries as well as large pots and baskets in shady areas as well as in ground settings that are cool and relatively moist where it will develop rapidly.