Diplazium mutabile
Although highly variable with regard to the size of the frond and degree of dissection, this is a species that can fairly easily be recognized if the ultimate and penultimate segments are compared directly, irrespective of the degree of dissection. The penultimate segments (representing whole fronds, or the lower pinnae of a dissected frond) always have a few pairs of free segments at the base and a long apical part that is gradually less deeply dissected towards the apex, and usually only crenate for a considerable length. In addition, the indumentumof particularly the axes of the penultimate segments is distinctive. Hairs are apparently absent, but multicellular elongated papillae are always present. The scales are inserted laterally on the axes and closely appressed to the lamina. The larger scales have a dark fleshy central part and a marginal area that is strongly shrivelling on drying. Usually some of these scales are also present on the main axes of bipinnate specimens.