curly grass fern

plant

Also known as: Schizaea, comb fern

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The curly grass fern, scientifically known as Schizaea pusilla, is a rare, small fern characterized by its slender, spiraling fronds. It belongs to the Schizaeaceae family, which includes about 46 species across two genera, Schizaea and Actinostachys. These ferns are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions and have a significant fossil record dating back to the Late Cretaceous Epoch.12

A notable feature of this fern family is their large, individually produced sporangia (spore-bearing structures) with a distinct annulus. The curly grass ferns, also called comb ferns, are part of the Schizaea genus and have grass-like leaves. Their sporangia are found on specialized fertile fronds.2

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fern
Annotated classification
…thickened cells; 2 genera (Schizaea and Actinostachys) with about 30 species, mostly tropical. Family Lygodiaceae Rhizomes long-creeping, hairy; leaves indeterminate in growth, climbing and often twining, the primary divisions alternate along the elongating stemlike rachis; sporangia often in 2 rows, densely spaced along specialized slender lobes of the
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…thickened cells; 2 genera (Schizaea and Actinostachys) with about 30 species, mostly tropical. Family Lygodiaceae Rhizomes long-creeping, hairy; leaves indeterminate in growth, climbing and often twining, the primary divisions alternate along the elongating stemlike rachis; sporangia often in 2 rows, densely spaced along specialized slender lobes of the
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Schizaeaceae
The curly grass ferns, or comb ferns, are any of about 30 species in the genus Schizaea. The unusual leaves are grasslike, and the sporangia are only borne on the lobes of distinct fertile fronds. The 16 species of ray ferns of the genus Actinostachys have…
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The curly grass ferns, or comb ferns, are any of about 30 species in the genus Schizaea. The unusual leaves are grasslike, and the sporangia are only borne on the lobes of distinct fertile fronds. The 16 species of ray ferns of the genus Actinostachys have…
Read More