Pellaea paradoxa

Pellaea paradoxa is a small hardy fern found north of Sydney in eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island.^[1] Often growing in or near rainforests in rocky crevices. But it may occasionally be seen in drier areas. Fronds are usually curved, 4 to 9 cm long, and 1 to 4 cm wide. Leathery to touch and a dull green. Juvenile fronds may be heart shaped. The stalks are around 1 to 5 mm long. Sori appear in a band, usually 2 to 3 mm wide, at the edge of the underside of the fronds.^[2]

Pellaea paradoxa
Underside of frond, showing the narrow band of sori
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Division:	Polypodiophyta
Class:	Polypodiopsida
Order:	Polypodiales
Family:	Pteridaceae
Genus:	Pellaea
Species:	P. paradoxa
Binomial name
Pellaea paradoxa (R.Br.) Hook.

This plant first appeared in the scientific literature in 1810 as Adiantum paradoxum, in the Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, authored by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown. The genus Pellaea was placed in the subfamily Cheilanthoideae of Pteridaceae by Christenhusz et al., 2011.^[3]