Gleichenia rupestris is a small fern

Fern

A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...

 growing in eastern Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. Referred to as one of the Coral Ferns. The specific epithet rupestris refers to it being seen growing near rocks.

A common plant, often seen growing under waterfalls, in swamps, under cliffs, on rocks and in tall open forest. It prefers high humidity and good levels of sunshine and moisture.

It sometimes seen growing next to Gleichenia dicarpa

Gleichenia dicarpa

Gleichenia dicarpa is a small fern growing in Australia and New Zealand. Referred to as one of the Coral Ferns. Or more formally listed as the Pouched Coral Fern, Spider Fern, Swamp Umbrella Fern or Tangle Fern....

and Gleichenia microphylla

Gleichenia microphylla

Gleichenia microphylla is a small fern growing in Australia. Also found in South East Asia, Malesia, New Caledonia and New Zealand. Referred to as one of the Coral Ferns....

, however those plants have a rough hairy stem, and the stem of Gleichenia rupestris is smooth and glossy.

This plant first appeared in scientific literature in the Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae in the year 1810, authored by Robert Brown.