pyrrosia

Copyright 2014. Laurence C. Hatch. All Rights Reserved.
www.cultivar.org
PYRROSIA
This genus of epipyhytic ferns are normally found as tropical, conservatory plants but a
good many of the cultivars are known to be cold hardy in USDA 7-7b if not better.
Mostly natives of Japan, they have been selected for various crested, variegated,
incised, and ornate forms much like the more familiar and hardier genus
Scolopendrium (Asplenium scolopendrium). Thanks to Barry Yinger and Tony Avent,
we now have a ready supply of healthy stock to raise both indoors and out.
Pyrrosia davidii 'Yoshikawa Jishi'
ls, lm: much divided, undulate, like reindeer antlers
ll: 6 in. mean
Basic species P. hastata at the Rauston Arboretum. Besides the oddly lobed fronds, the entire plant throws
off such wonderful shades of green, gray, and yellow.
Pyrrosia hastata 'Cheju Silver'
ls: sagittate frond, 3 main lobes, 2 basal lobes
lc: fronds greyish-green, showy silvery-white below
in: Asiatica Nursery, now closed, online catalog 2004
Pyrrosa hastata 'Hagoromo'
ls, lm: 3-lobed fronds as typical but each lobe divided in
ls, lm: smaller teeth or lobes
Pyrrosia hastata 'Mikasayama'
or: Japan
Pyrrosia hastata 'Nankin-shishi'
or: Japan
Pyrrosia hastata 'Nokogiri-ba'
or: Japan
Pyrrosa hastata 'Shikoku Jishi' (8/8)
lm, ls: fronds much incised, crested, some
lm, ls: elongated, others shortened and dense,
lm, ls: quite frilled and compact at times. The lobes
lm, ls: of the crested portion are far narrower and sharp
lm, ls: than any of P. lingua clones I have seen. The photo
lm, ls: link below is helpful.
photo: http://www.shikoku-garden.com/English/indexenglish.htm
Pyrrosia linearifolia 'Urakoryu Jishi'
ll: frond 3.0 in. long
lc: matte green
lt: frond with crested apex
in: Asiatica Nursery, now closed, online catalog 2004
Pyrrosia lingua f. contorta Sugimato
ns: a listed name, presumably with twisted fronds.
Pyrrosia lingua 'Corymbifera' at www.plantdelights.com in their fern house at the quarterly open house. It's
hard to sort out all the crested clones in the genus even if side by side!
Pyrrosia lingua 'Cristata' ('Obake', 'Oba', f. cristata (Makino) H. Ito)
ll: older plants may have fronds 20 in. long x 2 in. wide
lt: frond apices distincted crested and forked.
ll: older plants can have leaves a massive 16 inches long x 8 inches wide at the crest.
Pyrrosia lingua 'Cuspidata'
ls, lm: entire, wide, stubby blades, often with a slight cuspidate tip, they
ls, lm: generally oblong to broadly elliptic.
Pyrrosia lingua 'Eboshi'
lt: frond very thick, twisted, contorted in a very pleasant
lt: mass of foliage. The blade is generally entire and rarely lobed, just much twisted.
lc: silvery-brown below
in: Asiatica Nursery, now closed, online catalog 2004
Pyrrosia lingua 'Futuba Shishi' ('Fatuba Shishi')(8/8)
lm, ls: divided at least twice, frilled and crested
lm, ls: on those divisions.
ns: means "two leaf lion"
'Hiryu' outdoors at the Juniper Level Botanic Garden in Raleigh, NC (USDA 7). This is an unmistakably lovely
leaf and quite worth trying.
Pyrrosia lingua 'Hiryu' (8/8)
ls, lm: moderately incised (10-30%) and lobed, each
ls, lm: large tooth or lobe of variable size, quite feathery overall
Pyrrosia lingua 'Kei Kan'
lt: fronds with feathery lobes and some secondary lobes. It is
lt: similar yet a different clone to 'Hiryu' but having only seen
lt: one of these, I cannot compare them clearly.
lc: very silky brown below
Pyrrosia lingua 'Limon' (10/2014)
lc: richly tinged lemon-lime (hence "limon") shades, being pale grayish-yellow with
lc: a darker green midrib, also a curious muted chartreuse with some silvery sheens.
lc: According to Tony Avent it needs "very open shade or some morning sun" for best
lc: color, otherwise it will become green in deep shade.
or, in: Plant Delights, Raleigh, North Carolina 2014 as sport of 'Ogon Nishiki'
Pyrrosia lingua 'Monstrifera' (f. monstrifera Tagawa)
lt: frond margins distinctly fimbriate or finely cut.
Pyrrosia lingua'Tachiba Koryu'
ht: 6-9 in.
ls: frond ellliptic to broadly lanceolate
lm: distinctly undulate and shallowly lobed, very showy
in: Asiatica Nursery, now closed, online catalog 2004
Pyrrosia lingua 'Nankin Shishi' (Peacock fern)
ls, lm: apical crest more fine and extreme than 'Cristata', in general a
ls, lm: more asymmetrical leave than the flatter blade of 'Cristata'.
Pyrrosia lingua 'Obaka' or 'Obake' = 'Cristata'
Pyrrosia lingua 'Okake Nana' likely illegitimate post-1959 Latin name
ls, lm: smaller version of 'Cristata' (aka 'Obake')
photo: http://www.pyrrosia.com, website accessed 10.24.2014
Pyrrosia lingua 'Ogon Nishiki' is as nice a variegated fern as you'll find anywhere. A true wow plant! This plant
was photographed at the esteemed greenhouses of www.plantdelights.com
Pyrrosia lingua 'Ogon Nishiki' (8/8)
ls, lm: distinctly undulate
lc: selected creamy-yellow, greenish-yellow, and medium yellow between veins in
lc: the pinnae.
Pyrrosia lingua 'Tachiba Koryu' (8/8)
ll, lw: much longer, narrower, often 9 in. long x 1 inch wide
lm: very undulate, rounded teeth where some rise above
lm: the crenate lobe next to it.
Pyrrosia lingua 'Thombosis' (10/2014)
ll: fronds 8 in. long
lm: unlobed, untoothed, entire with only slight or no undulates, very rigid however
lc: medium green with much darker, blackish-green midrib and secondary veins, hence the name
lc: suggesting clogged arteries! In most other clones with dark midribs, the secondaries are not this shade.
or, in: Plant Delights obtained from China, apparently a clone
Pyrrosia lingua 'Variegata' (f. variegata Sugimoto)
lc: irregularly mottled and sectored creamy-yellow. Best color is reported if
lc: cool, lower fertility conditions are maintained.
ns, id: apparently less undulate than 'Ogon Nishiki' though they may prove identical
li: Yokoi, M. and Y. Hirose. 1978. Variegated Plants. Siebundo Shinkosha Pub. Ltd.
Pyrrosia longifolia 'Glasshouse Works'
lt: fronds distinctly crested.
or: Tom Winn, Glasshouse Works OH USA (Catalog 1988: 46)