Elaphoglossum - Lomariopsidaceae

Elaphoglossum chevalieri Christ

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Common name

Description

Rhizome creeping, up to 4 mm in diameter; rhizome scales appressed, pale brown, entire, up to 7 mm long. Fronds closely spaced, erect or arching, herbaceous, simple, dimorphic. Stipe up to 16 cm long, pale greenish-brown, densely set with reddish-brown hair-like scales which stand out at right angles to the stipe. Sterile lamina 4-18 × 2.2-3.5 cm, narrowly oblong to elliptic, apex pointed, base wedge-shaped, sparsely set with rusty-brown hair-like scales on both surfaces more so on the underside of the midrib and along the margin. Fertile lamina up to 5 × 1.2 cm, subcircular to oblong or elliptic in outline, apex rounded, base rounded or truncate; sporangia covering the whole undersurface of the lamina but sometimes with a narrow sterile margin.

Notes

It can be distinguished from other species by having rusty brown frond scales covering the whole lamina, above and below, and a densely hairy stipe.

Derivation

chevalieri: this species was first collected by a French botanist, Auguste J. Chevalier (1873-1956)

Habitat

Lithophyte on moss covered boulders or rock faces along streams in deep shade of evergreen forest.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, Principe, São Tomé.

Distribution in Africa

Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Lithophytic.

Literature

  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 292 - 293. (Includes a picture).
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Page 423. (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. Page 127.
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Pages 151 - 152.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Pages 214 - 215.
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