Gleichenia microphylla

Gleichenia microphylla forms large scrambling colonies in sunny damp sites around swamps, on exposed banks and along creek margins.^[3] Stunted plants are often seen in wet rock crevices.^[6] It occurs from near sea level to 600 m above sea level, reaching 760 m on Stewart Island, New Zealand. G. micorophylla is widespread in Australia and New Zealand.^[2]

In Australia, it is common in Victoria and Tasmania (including Flinders Island and King Island) and also can be found in New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, and Australian Capital Territory. It has not been recorded in Western Australia.^[7]

In New Zealand, it can be found both in North Island and South Island and also in Stewart Island but often absent from the eastern side of the islands. In North Island, it can be seen in Northland, Auckland, Volcanic plateau, Taranaki, and Southern North Island. In South Island, It can be seen in Western Nelson, Sounds-Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, Fiordland, and, Southland.^[2]

It is said that G. microphylla is also found in Southeast Asia, Malesia, and New Caledonia. However, the records in those areas are not well supported. G. semivestita Labill., which is a synonym of G. microphylla^[8] was recorded from New Caledonia.^[9] However, the presence of G. microphylla in New Caledonia is not confirmed from modern collections. Therefore, it is considered that Labillardière (1824), who named G. semivestita in New Caledonia, has mistakenly attributed Australian material of G. microphylla to New Caledonia.^[10] Although Malesian plants have also been attributed to G. microphylla,^[11] some of those plants are distinctly different from Australian and New Zealand material.^[2] Therefore, the reexamination of those plants is required.

Gleichenia microphylla can hybridise with G. dicarpa and the hybrids are called G. xpunctulata and they are morphologically intermediate between both species. It can be found in the broad area of overlapping distributions of the parental species.^[2]