Fern Study Group

Welcome to the Fern Study Group

The Fern Study Group is one of a number of Study Groups within the Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). The Group was formed with the aim of studying the cultivation and propagation of Australian native ferns so that more species could be seen in gardens. It also aims to examine the growing requirements of the various species to improve their reliability. As in all study groups, the members’ work is mainly carried out in their own homes and gardens and in their own spare time.

The Study Group’s newsletters document reports from members into cultivation issues, propagation methods and natural occurrences of different species. The group also organises field trips to natural areas to observe and record ferns growing in the wild as well as trips to members’ gardens.

Since the inception of the group over 100 newsletters have been issued. Past issues of the newsletters can be downloaded from this site (see the link below).

If you are interested in the cultivation, propagation, conservation and appreciation of Australia’s native flora, especially native ferns, why not consider joining and helping to promote these beautiful plants more widely.

(Photo: Adiantum hispidulum; Fred Johnston)
Study group image

Join

Membership is available to members of an ANPSA-affiliated Regional Society. If you are not a member of a Regional Society, please contact the Society located in your State or Territory for further information.

For more information or to join the Study Group please send a request using the following form (please note that all fields are mandatory* – you may edit the ‘Message’ field if necessary).

Fern Study Group Form

Signup form for the Fern Study Group that sends a notification to the Study Group leader.

Newsletters

Regular newsletters are published several times per year to document reports from members into cultivation issues in various climatic zones, propagation methods, natural occurrences of different species and to provide information on Group meetings and excursions to various parts of Australia.

Newsletters published by the Study Group since its inception are provided here as an archive.  These are in pdf format and will require a PDF Reader to view them. Free readers include Foxit Reader and Adobe Acrobat Reader.

More recent Newsletters will be uploaded about a year in arrears, so that current Study Group members have privileged access to current content.

****Click here to access the Fern Study Group Newsletters*****


Australian Ferns Resources

These are a few internet and other resources on Australian ferns that might prove useful,

Books:

  • Bailey, F.M. (1892), Lithograms of the Ferns of Queensland. Brisbane: Government Printer.
  • Chaffey, C. (1999), Australian Ferns – Growing Them Successfully, Simon and Schuster Australia
  • Chaffey, C. (2002, revised 2003), A Field Guide to Australian Ferns, Vol. 1. Bangalow: Natureview Publications, sponsored by Southern Cross University.
  • Chaffey, C. (2003), A Field Guide to Australian Ferns, Vol. 2. Bangalow: Natureview Publications, sponsored by Southern Cross University.
  • Duncan, B.D. & Isaac, G. (1986, 1994), Ferns and allied plants of Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia: with distribution maps for the Victorian species. Carlton, Vic. : Melbourne University Press in association with Monash University.
  • Flora of Australia (1998), Volume 48: Ferns, Gymnosperms and Allied Groups. Melbourne: ABRS/CSIRO Australia.
  • Garret, M. (1996), The Ferns of Tasmania: their ecology and distribution, Tasmanian Forest Research Council
  • Goudey, C.J. (1985), Maidenhair ferns in Cultivation. Melbourne: Lothian Publishing Company Pty Ltd.
  • Goudey, C.J. (1988), A Handbook of Ferns for Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne: Lothian Publishing Company Pty Ltd.
  • Jones, D. L. and Clemesha, S.C. (1989), Australian Ferns and Fern Allies, The Currawong Press, Reed Books Pty.
  • Large, M. and Braggins J. (2004), Tree Ferns, CSIRO.

Journals:

  • Australian Fern Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, January/February 1984; Australian native ferns. Sole issue published.
  • Australian Plants, Vol 7, No.56 September 1973; Australian Native Ferns.
  • Australian Plants, Vol. 27, No. 220, Spring 2015; issue dedicated to Australian native ferns.

Internet:


Excursions/Meetings

Information on upcoming Study Group activities will be posted here from time to time. Please check back regularly to see if any activities are planned for your area. Full details of the locations and contact details will be found in recent newsletters.

Please Note: All social events of the Fern Study Group have been cancelled for the foreseeable future, in line with Federal and State Government regulations and advice from both Native Plants Queensland and Australian Plants Society NSW.