Fishbone fern is an Australian native plant that has a natural range from north east Queensland to north east NSW. It is an invasive weed in some parts of NSW.
Fishbone fern is an Australian native plant endemic to the northern and central coasts of New South Wales. It has become an invasive weed in other bushland areas. It chokes out other low growing plants and stops other native plants from growing.
Fishbone fern has upright or drooping fronds and is about 50-75 cm tall. Plants grow in thick clumps. Above ground stems (stolons) creep along the ground and can form dense mats.
Spores are the reproductive part of ferns. They are contained in structures called sori, which are brown spots that grow in rows underneath the fronds. The sori are in rows halfway between the midvein and the margin of each pinnae.
Fishbone fern has a creeping network of rhizomes and stolons that can cover the ground.
Rhizomes are:
Stolons (runners) are:
Fishbone fern looks like other native ferns, including:
They can also be confused with Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), an introduced garden plant. Boston fern does not have tubers on the rhizomes and sori are covered with a round tissue flap.
Fishbone fern is an Australian native plant that occurs naturally from north east Queensland to north east New South Wales.
It has become an invasive weed in areas around Sydney, coastal districts of central New South Wales and Lord Howe Island. It is also weedy in parts of Queensland and Victoria.
Fishbone fern grows in moist, rocky areas; rainforests and in trees in its native range. It has become weedy:
Fishbone fern can spread by spores or plant parts. Spores are spread by:
Plants also spread through rhizomes, when garden waste is dumped.
Fishbone fern is a native plant. Control may not be appropriate in some areas with native vegetation.
If control is required it can be hand pulled, dug up or sprayed with herbicides.
Control can be difficult and time consuming because:
Sites should be revisited and several control attempts may be needed.
Manual removal of isolated, small seedlings can be attempted by hand pulling or digging them up. This is only practical for a small number of plants.
It is important to remove the whole root system if possible, otherwise the plant can regrow.
Fishbone fern can be spot sprayed. Plants are often hard to kill with herbicides so follow up with inspections and re-treat if necessary.
See Using herbicides for more information.
PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L
with Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 200 mL glyphosate plus 1.5 g metsulfuron-methyl per 10 L of water
Comments: Knapsack spot spray.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: M, Inhibitors of EPSP synthase
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg
(Various products)
Rate: 1.0–2.0 g metsulfuron-methyl per 10 L of water
Comments: Knapsack spot spray.
Withholding period: Nil (recommended not to graze for 7 days before treatment and for 7 days after treatment to allow adequate chemical uptake in target weeds).
Herbicide group: B, Inhibitors of acetolactate synthase (ALS inhibitors)
Resistance risk: High
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.
Area | Duty |
---|---|
All of NSW | General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. |
Reviewed 2020