Propagation
Place spores on sterilised sphagnum moss, peat moss, bricks or terracotta pot base then cover with glass and keep moist. 4 to 6 weeks until prothalli appears. True fronds appear between 6-12 months after sowing.

Division during the growing period, cut the rhizomes in to lengths and plant apex upwards, apply bottom heat and keep moist.

Culture
When grown indoors Maiden Hair Ferns require a minium night-time temperature of 10şC (50şF) and prefer high humidity around 60% which can be achieved with misting the surrounding air regularly. The plants do well in terrariums or placed in bathrooms in bright indirect light.

Re-pot only when necessary, as the plants prefer the roots to be crowded and water regularly during summer and reduce watering during winter. Do not allow the soil to become boggy.


Botanic information
Leaf: The fronds are bipinnate to tripinnate and striped black. The pinnules are rectangular to rhombic and are shallowed lobed. The margins have thin white hairs to 12 mm (1/2in) long and the petiole is short.

Flower: The outer margins of the fertile fronds have 6 to 14 sori per pinnule and are deeply notched (this is a feature). They appear during early summer.

Fruit: The spores are produced in the sporangium during the sporophyte stage of the fern life cycle in rows on the back of the fertile frond. The spores are very small (like fine dust) and are released from the sori when mature.