Common name: Cretan Brake/Table Fern
Family: Polypodiaceae, Polypody
Height x width: 12-24" x 12-24"
Growth rate: moderate
Fronds: arching, ovate, pinnate, pale green 12-24" long, 1-5 pairs of pinnae narrowly lance-shape, simple or forked at tips; fertile fronds are taller with narrower pinnae
Sori: in lines at frond margin undersides, which curl under to protect them
Light: bright to moderate
Temperature: cool in winter, variegated forms average
Watering: well-watered
Fertility: moderate
Humidity: humid
Soil: well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline
Pests and Problems: leaf spots, rusts, scale insects, mealybugs, aphids, leaf nematodes; leaves turn brown, first on margins, and curl if too dry or too little water
Growth habit, uses: cool indoors, terraria, upright habit not leant for hanging
Other interest: native to tropics of the Old World; from the Greek pteron for fern; thick, short creeping rhizomes; popular
Other culture: may be vigorous under good conditions and need repotting yearly or more often
Propagation: careful division, easy and quick from spores including cultivars
Related species: This genus of Brake Ferns has about 280 species, the most commonly found indoors being above, with the below occasionally seen in commerce.
• ensiflormis (en-si-four' miss)--Sword Brake, narrow, triangular, 2-pinnate dark green fronds, often with grayish white midribs; fertile fronds 12-18" long, 4 to 5 pairs of linear pinnae each with a few toothed basal segments; sterile fronds are shorter, with narrower untoothed pinnae;
• 'Evergemensis'--silvery sheen to dark fronds
• 'Victoriae'--Silver Leaf Fern, white bands parallel to either side of midribs
• 'Variegata'--ribbon-like pinnae highly crested at tips, central white band
• tricolor (tri' co-lor)--Painted Brake, fertile fronds with 2-5 pairs of oblong pinnae, reddish when young
• umbrosa (um-bro' sah)--Jungle Brake, 2 pinnate with 3-7 pairs of narrow, lance-shaped lobes, similar to cretica
• vittata (vit-tah' tah)--Ladder Brake, long fronds to 3' with
up to 40 pairs of linear and simple dark green pinnae
'Albo-lineata'--Variegated Table Fern, broad white central band, easy to grow
'Alexandreae'--white variegation, incised and curled tips
'Childsii'--broad pinnae, incised margins, small crested tips
'Distinction'-- deeply lobed pinnae, branched tips, smaller than the species
'Gautheri'--Cretan Brake, broad pinnae
'Major'--Oriental Brake, broad, pinnae deeply incised and united at the base
'Mayi'--like 'Albo-lineata' only with crested tips
'Maxii'--similar to 'Albo-lineata' only more dwarf with narrower pinnae
'Ouvardii'--narrow linear pinnae
'Parkeri'--Parker's Table Fern, broad, rough fronds, not curled
'Rivertoniana'--Lacy Table Fern, deep, irregular lobed pinnae in 4-5 pairs
'Roweii'--Crested Brake, a frilled 'Parkeri'
'Wimsettii'--Skeleton Table Fern, deep and irregularly lobed pinnae, tips often crested, compact
'Wilsonii'--Fan Table Fern, variously lobed or crested, terminally crested appearing fan-like
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