Dryopteris - Dryopteridaceae

Dryopteris manniana (Hook.) C. Chr.

Photo: JE. Burrows
Malawi

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Polypodium mannianum Hook.
Phegopteris manniana (Hook.) Kuhn
Dryopteris raynalii Tardieu

Common name

Description

Rhizome erect to suberect, up to 20 mm in diameter; rhizome scales brown, up to 22 x 3 mm, narrowly lanceolate in outline, margin entire with short marginal outgrowths. Fronds tufted, arching, 4-7 per plant, to 1 m long, herbaceous, with proliferating buds on the rhachis near the apex of the frond. Stipe up to 48 cm long, straw-coloured, with scales similar to, but smaller than rhizome scales, mostly at the base. Lamina up to 39 × 26 cm, ovate to ovate-oblong in outline, 2-pinnatifid at the apex to 3-pinnatifid at the base, with a pinnatifid to lobed terminal segment and basal pair of pinnae not reduced and basiscopically developed, proliferous. Pinnae, up to 12 pairs, stalked, narrowly ovate to oblong-acuminate towards lamina apex, basal pinnae up to 25 x 9.5 cm. Ultimate lobes oblong, apex rounded, margin shallowly lobed to toothed, upper surface hairless, lower surface sparsely set with hairs and scales up to 2 mm long along veins. Rhachis set with a few hairlike scales at the axils of the pinnae. Sori small, round, c. 1.5 mm in diameter, up to 18 per lobe, inframedial on vein branches; exindusiate.

Notes

Can be separated from other species of Dryopteris by its gemmiferous fronds.

Derivation

manniana: named after Gustav Mann, German botanist.

Habitat

Shaded undergrowth of moist and riverine forests, often along streams.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, Madagascar.

Distribution in Africa

Burundi, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania , Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Terrestrial.

Literature

  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 303. (Includes a picture).
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Page 440. (Includes a picture).
  • Roux, J.P. (2012) A revision of the fern genus Dryopteris (Dryopteridaceae) in sub-Saharan Africa.Phytotaxa, 70(1) Pages 77 - 81. (Includes a picture).
  • Roux, J.P. (2009) Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands. Strelitzia 23, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. Pages 122 - 123.
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 125.
  • Roux, J.P.; Shaffer-Fehre, M. & Verdcourt, B. (2007) Dryopteridaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 43 - 44. (Includes a picture).
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 223. (Includes a picture).
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Page 261.
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