Author(s): Kevin Mills

Gardening

The ferns are a distinctive group of plants, readily recognised in the main and for which humans have hada fondness for centuries. Ferns are widespread and abundant along the east coast of the Australiancontinent, where rainfall is high, much higher than the majority of the continent. The South Coast region,extending south from Port Hacking near Sydney to the Clyde River in the Eurobodalla district, is wellendowed with ferns. The ferns and fern allies make up about 10 percent of the region's native flora. This book identifies, describes and discusses, in a systematic way, the 136 species of native and naturalised fern and fern ally that have been recorded in the South Coast region.