Epithet is after Scottish plant collector Robert Fortune 1813–1880), who was responsible for spreading tea cultivation from China to India and Sri Lanka.
Evergreen, 21⁄2 ft. (75 cm). Zones 5 to 10.Apogamous.

DESCRIPTION: The rhizome is erect. Short, 4-in. (10-cm)greenish stipes are barely visible under clouds of large tan scales. Fronds on the species are upright with lanceolate, oncepinnate,lightly luminous green blades. Twelve to twenty-five pairs of pinnae with a matching terminal pinna are oblong,and sometimes auricled. Pinna tips curve in a graceful upward sweep towards the frond’s apex.Veins are netted, and sori with peltate indusia are in a series of rows parallel to the pinnae midrib.
RANGE AND HABITAT: This is a fern of Korea, China,Vietnam,and Thailand and is specially common in Japan where it grows from city walls to mountainous forest floors. Like Cyrtomium falcatum is has escaped in a disjunct assortment of habitats from Oregon and South Carolina in the United States to Italy.

CULTURE AND COMMENTS: This is the Cyrtomium for climates with cold winters such as in Zone 5 or 6. It successfully survives rigorous temperature extremes from Salt Lake City to southern Massachusetts.While lime tolerant it does not depend on supplements for good health. Normal woodland compost and light to deep shade will maintain its dependable display of soft green circles of fronds.
Var. clivicola from Japan and China has fewer (10 to 15)but larger pairs of pinnae. The pinnae are auricled andbroader than the 1⁄2 in. (13 mm) typical pinnae width of the species. This variety prefers deep shade, has no sheen, and tends to be a pale yellowish green. It is visually similar to var.Intermedium; however the latter has indusia with a central brown spot compared to uniformly grayish white indusia on
this variety. Var. intermedium, a Japanese endemic, presents a low rosette
of striking, lime-green pinnae with prominent veins and blackish midribs. Six to ten pairs of 1-in. (2.5-cm) wide, broad-based pinnae are slightly auricled. Site it in the dark depths of the woodlands where it is guaranteed to attract attention and admiration as a relaxing visual for the gardener. Both varieties come true from spores.