Roella ciliata L.

Erect or sprawling. Leaves linear, ciliate, axillary clusters of smaller leaves present. Flowers white or blue with a dark ring or spots on lobes, the dark part often edged with white, terminal, solitary, bell-shaped. Flowering from August to March. Distribution and habitat: Cape Peninsula to Caledon where it grows on stony slopes or sandy flats.

Roella recurvata A.DC.

Erect, branching from the base. Leaves crowded, imbricate, spreading or recurved, elliptic, apiculate, ciliate, slightly decurrent. Bracts leaf-like, recurved. Flowers white or blue, solitary at branch tips. Flowering from January to February. Distribution and habitat: Endemic to the Cape Peninsula, on sandy flats.

Roella triflora (R.D. Good) Adamson

Erect with ascending branches. Leaves linear, ciliate near the base, toothed on the upper part, axillary clusters of smaller leaves present. Bracts finely hairy, margins with stiff wire-like hairs. Flowers pale blue with a dark band at the base, solitary or in groups at branch tips. Flowering from December to April. Distribution and habitat: Endemic to the Cape Peninsula where is occurs on sandy lower slopes.

Pyrrosia schimperiana var. schimperiana is widely distributed in the tropical parts of Africa, occurring from West Africa to Ethiopia and southwards to Angola and Zimbabwe. The species has a restricted distribution in South Africa and is confined to the Blyde River Canyon and Mariepskop in Mpumalanga. Although the species also occurs as a low-level epiphyte, it often occurs in rock crevices on exposed and shaded cliffs, but never in deep shade. This species is named after the Strasbourg Professor of Botany, W.P. Schimper (1804-1878), who collected plants in various parts of Africa, particularly Ethiopia.

The rhizome of P. schimperiana grows up to 2 mm in diameter and is also not as widely creeping as that of the former species. The fronds are borne up to 10 mm apart and are firmly herbaceous, but not as leathery as that of the former species.

Both frond surfaces of this species remain densely covered by stellate hairs, giving the plant a greyish colour. The fronds grow up to 180 x 25 mm. The fronds of both species are poikilohydrous (frond turgidity varies in accordance with the available habitat moisture: fronds will roll up when dry and unfold when moisture levels increase).

Polystichum luctuosum: mourning shield fern (Eng.); treur skildvaring (Afr.)
The species has a wide distribution in the Old World, extending as far as Japan. It is also widely distributed in South Africa, occurring from the Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal to the north-eastern parts of the Free State, Mpumalanga and the Northern Province. It grows at elevations ranging between 760 and 1 740 m. The species is confined to evergreen forests where it grows on the forest floor or on rocks. P. luctuosum is often sold as P. tsus-simense and is a predominantly single-stemmed species resulting in a tussock-like growth. It can reach a height of up to 0.4 m. This smaller species has a very neat appearance, and is characterised by the almost black scales and dark veins, which contrast with the olive-green leaves. It is best cultivated in shade and needs to be kept moist, but not wet, at all times. It is a slow grower. Propagate by spores.

Polystichum monticola: mountain shieldfern (Eng.); berg skildvaring (Afr.)
Polystichum monticola is confined to South Africa, extending from the Kamiesberg in the Northern Cape, through the Western and Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, to Lesotho, occurring from 600 to 2 740 m. The habitat includes seasonally moist, evergreen forests, rock crevices, cliff bases, stream banks, and forest margins, often growing in exposed, seasonally xeric conditions. The rhizome is decumbent and closely branched, resulting in plants forming a shrubby growth form. This variable and predominantly high altitude species is ideally suited for garden cultivation. The arching leaves are mid-green in colour and up to 0.8 m long. Although the species will tolerate some sun once well established, it is best cultivated in moist conditions in light shade. The species is slow-growing, and propagation is best done by rhizome division.

Polystichum transvaalense: stemmed shieldfern (Eng.); enkelstam skildvaring (Afr.)
Polystichum transvaalense is widely distributed in temperate and tropical Africa. In South Africa it occurs from the Drakensberg foothills in the Eastern Cape along the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg escarpment, the Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal midlands, the Free State/KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga/Limpopo Province escarpment to the Soutpansberg, with outlying populations in the southern Cape mountains. It occurs at altitudes ranging from 365 to 1 840 m and is confined to forests. It has a short, erect, usually unbranched rhizome and a tussock-like growth form. In suitable conditions the suberect to arching pale- to mid-green leaves may be up to 1 m long. The species is suited to be used as a focal point in smaller gardens and should best be cultivated in light shade, preferring moist conditions. The species is worthy of cultivation because of its neat appearance. Propagate from spores.