Adiantum raddianum C.Presl
Maidenhair (Adiantum raddianum) is a long-lived, evergreen fern that is native to tropical and subtropical South America. It was introduced to New Zealand as an ornamental plant and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1981. The fern forms graceful clumps with black, wiry stalks and finely divided fronds made up of many small, fan-shaped leaflets. Unlike flowering plants, ferns reproduce by spores rather than seeds. Spores are produced on the underside of the fronds and are dispersed by wind. It also spreads vegetatively by creeping rhizomes, which are spread by soil movement, dumped garden waste and other human activities. It tolerates shade and damp conditions and commonly grows in moist, sheltered habitats.
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