Schizaea bifida, better known as the forked comb fern is a fairly common fern found in eastern and southern Australia.

In New South Wales it is found near the coast in heathland and eucalyptus woodland.

Seen as a low plant, 10 to 35 cm tall.

The generic name Schizaea is from the Greek, meaning “to cleave or split”.

[1] This plant first appeared in scientific literature in the year 1802, published by the German botanist, Carl Ludwig Willdenow.