Donal Hickey: Kerry's mystery new fern
The very rare Stenogrammitis myosuroides (Kerry Mousetail Fern). Picture Rory Hodd/Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland

“It is not clear how long this species has been present in Ireland and only 40 plants were found on two rocks in one location, making it an extremely vulnerable and threatened plant,” said a NPWS spokesperson.
As part of the survey scheme, NPWS engaged leading specialists in a number of fields, including independent botanical researcher Dr Rory Hodd.

Rory and his colleague Dr Fred Rumsey from the Natural History Museum in London had to look really closely at these sporangia in order to confirm that this was Stenogrammitis myosuroides.
It is not known when the rare plant first established itself in Killarney National Park, widely regarded as one of Ireland’s richest and more diverse National Parks.
"I am still of the opinion that this is the most exciting botanical discovery for the last two centuries in the Irish Flora," Dr Rumsey said.



