Creepy Finger Fern

This is a short entry -- the week has been so full -- but I just wanted not to forget a picture of something I call the Creepy Finger Fern. Its botanical name is Gleichenia truncata -- it is ALWAYS better to have the scientific name at hand -- of course! -- but sometimes you see something so intriguing, and if you don't have the scientific name at the beginning, you make up a common name because you have to call it something! You really ought to find out the real name right away when you do this  -- if you don't, you might find yourself with a whole group of plants you "know" -- (well, by sight anyway) but with names like Grandpa's Nose, Scratchy Heart and (now) Creepy Finger Fern.  Gleichenia truncata  is common here, I was told by my friend and herbarium specimen mounter Angelina Nguan. When I saw it on the sloped roadsides near the forest edges, I did a double take.  It has the wildest form! It is a tangle fern, with its fronds forking over and over again.  It looks like green blood vessels or an alien life form that Captain Kirk (remember him???) might come in contact with.  A picture is worth a thousand of my words easily, so I will just post the image here!
 It is now February and New Years is only 18 days away.  I bought some new years cards -- I know they are not plants -- but I wanted to show them off anyway.  Chinese New Years is only days away from Valentines Day --- and these cards look more like Valentines than Valentines do!  They are so charming and you will notice, it will be the year of the goat!

Gleichenia truncata a very striking fern that to me looks like green blood vessels or creepy fingers.

Enchanting cards for the New Year!   Those born in this year of the goat: Kind, Helpful, Artistic & Pessimistic, Indecisive & Passive, but they have fantastic luck!  (not baaaaaaaad!)