What fern was the inspiration for a legendary zoophyte that was once believed to grow sheep as its fruit?
Cibotium barometz Cibotium barometz, the golden chicken fern or woolly fern, is a species of tree fern native to parts of China and to the western part of the Malay Peninsula. The fern's woolly rhizome was thought to be the inspiration for the mythical "Vegetable Lamb of Tartary".
Astelia alpina Astelia alpina called pineapple grass, silver astelia, or perching lily is a commonly found species in alpine and subalpine areas of Tasmania and the Australian Alps. It is a perennial herb that typically dominates its environment by growing in dense clusters, called mats, in alpine bogs. There are two subspecies: "Astelia alpina" var. "novae hollandiae" from New South Wales and Victoria and "Astelia alpina" var. "alpina" endemic to Tasmania. Both subspecies appear very similar to each other. The species was originally described by Robert Brown.