Marsilea drummondii (Fern taxa)
Marsilea Drummondii is an Australian native aquatic fern which is commonly known as Nardoo which is widespread throughout inland Western Australia. Marsilea Drummondii is an aquatic perennial rhizomatious fern with many highly polymorphic features (J. Robort, F. Maston, 2000). This fern grows from creeping rhizome which reproduce from sporocarps and can form highly dense swards following floods resulting in Marsilea Drummondii becoming rapidly dominant and being the main ground cover layer (J. Robert, F. Maston, 2000).
Marsilea Drummondii is not under any threat of extinction, because it is vastly spread and very dominant throughout inland areas of Australia with no direct threats (Unknown, 2004).
There are no significant threats towards Marsilea Drummondii. its only predator is the Waterfowl which consumes the sporocaps, and human destruction and demolition which is unlikely to have any significant impact on the Marsilea Drummondii population.
Rhizomes are divided into many branches with brown scales clustered towards the tip. Fronds came be solitary or clustered usually 2-30cm long. Stripes smooth or scaly. Leaves egg-shaped, narrow towards the stem, usually 10-35mm long and 3-10mm wide, can be scaly or smooth with rounded outer margins. Sporocarps solitary or clustered. Stalks ranging in length from 10-50mm long and around 6 times the length of the conceptacles which are smooth to scaly varying in length from 5-10mm, very scaly grading down to being distinctly ribbed. Lower basal tooth larger then the upper basal tooth. Highly polymorphic mainly in the degree of scaliness, arid areas have more densely packed scales and wet areas have less scales (D.J.Jones, 1998).
Marsilea Drumondii is a aquatic perennial rhizomatous fern which is highly polymorphic in many aspects. Marsilea Drumondii have sterile fronds which are erect when growing in wet environments, allowing the leaflets to float on the top of the surface. Two pairs of leaflets are arranged in a 4 leaf clover. The flexible stem allow the plant to adapt to small alterations in the environment allowing the leaves to stay on the waters surface. this is essential for the production of photosynthesis (J. Robert, F. Maston 2000).
Marsilea Drummondii is one of about 50-70 species under the genera Marsilea, family Marsileaceae and order Salviniales. The order Salvinales contains all water fern species. Although most species of water fern are structurally different all five genera of water fern are the only living heterosporous fern. Out of all 5 genera, 3 genera resemble the leaves of a four leaf clover, they are drought resistant and have bean shaped sporocarps which can remain viable after more then 100yrs of dry storage.
Marsilea drummondii and similar species including Marsilea exarate and Marsilea hisuta have most likely evolved from one species.
Marsilea drummondii is endemic and vastly widespread throughout inland areas of Australia excluding Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Usually found in areas from large wetlands to small drainage systems (Unknown, 2004).
Marsilea Drummondii lives in shallow, still or sluggish flowing waters in seasonal wet lands such as waterhole, clay pans, swamps, rivers, floodplain, roadside table drains and depressions in vegetation communities where there is drying mud or muddy plains (Chick B F. Mccleary B ,1977)
Marsilea Drummondii is a relatively invaluable fern. It is used for a food source for Water buffalos in substitution for any other possible food source. The indigenous people use the spores from Marsilea Drummundii which are contained within the sporocarps, which are cooked and grounded to for a starch like powder (Braun A, 2012).
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