Angiopterus evicta - Giant Fern
Family: Angiopteridaceae

This enormous fern has palm-like fronds up to 7m long, the longest in the world!
There is sometimes a short trunk up to 1m.
Lacking the woody tissue of more evolved plants, it requires continuous water pressure to maintain rigidity and always lives near permanent fresh water.
It lives at altitudes up to 700m, mainly in wet tropical Qld but isolated populations occur south to north-east NSW.
The starchy fronds and their smooth swollen bases are edible.
Tiny egg-like sporangia hold the spores of Giant Fern.

Cultivation
Spore propagation is difficult but the stout brown auricles at the base of the fronds can be removed, with their dormant buds, and stuck in wet sand.

Planting
09.03.21 x5