Asplenium - Aspleniaceae

Asplenium stuhlmannii Hieron.

Photo: BT. Wursten
Mozambique

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: BT. Wursten
Mozambique

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Asplenium stuhlmannii Hieron var. laciniata Hieron
Asplenium ramlowii Hieron.
Asplenium subhemitomum Brause

Common name

Description

Rhizome shortly creeping or erect, up to 5 mm diameter; rhizome scales 2.5-8 x 0.3-0.5 mm, shiny pale to dark brown, lanceolate to narrow triangular in outline, margins entire or with outgrowths, apex tapering to a point. Fronds not proliferous, tufted, erect to arching. Stipe up to 14(-28) cm, dark brown, set with scales similar to those of rhizome, subglabrous when mature. Lamina 6-38 cm × 1.6-8.8 cm, narrowly oblanceolate in outline, pinnate to deeply 2-pinnatifid, lower pinnae slightly reduced. Pinnae 8-15 pairs, up to 3(-4.5) x 1.6(-2.5) cm, glabrous, leathery, ovate in outline, venation flabellate, incised more than 1/2 way to the costa into 3-5 obtuse toothed lobes with the basal acroscopic lobe prominent and almost free. Rhachis dark brown, at first densely set with scales similar to stipe, becoming glabrous with age. Sori linear closely packed, (1-)3-10 mm long, typically covering the whole undersurface of the pinnae upon dehiscence; indusium linear, membranous, 0.4-0.5 mm wide, entire to slightly erose.

Notes

Differs from similar species by thicker texture, narrower lamina and shortly ovate deeply incised pinnae.

Derivation

stuhlmannii: named after Franz Ernst Stuhlmann, one time Acting Governor of Tanganyika and an avid collector of plants.

Habitat

Moist forest, miombo woodland, full sun or light shade in rock crevices and sheetrock mats on granite outcrops.

Distribution worldwide

See African distribution.

Distribution in Africa

Burundi, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan and South Sudan, Tanzania , Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Epiphytic, lithophytic.

Literature

  • Beentje, H.J. (2008) Aspleniaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 34 - 35. (Includes a picture).
  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 245 - 246. As Asplenium ramlowii (Includes a picture).
  • Fisher, E. & Lobin, W. (2023) Synoptic Revision of Aspleniaceae (Asplenium, Hymenasplenium) of Rwanda. Magnolia Press, New Zealand. Pages 44 - 45.
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 368 - 369. As Asplenium ramlowii (Includes a picture).
  • Kornas, J. (1979) Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia. Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych. Page 103. As Asplenium ramlowii
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 170. As Asplenium ramlowii
  • 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 97 - 98.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 180. As Asplenium ramlowii
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 213 - 214. (Includes a picture).
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