Marsilea - Marsileaceae

Marsilea apposita Launert

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Common name

Description

Floating form: stipe up to 30 cm long, usually hairless. Leaflets up to 26 × 25 mm, broadly obdeltate, outer margin rounded, entire, hairless. Dry land form: stipe up to 8 cm long. Leaflets ± 7 × 5 mm, narrowly obdeltate, outer margins deeply crenate, slightly hairy at beginning. Sporocarps: 3-4 mm long, 2-3.25 mm high, 1.5-2 mm thick, brown, almost rectangular in lateral view, upper side shallowly concave, under side convex, outer side rounded, vertical cross-section narrowly rectangular, continuous shallow groove from upper over outer and along lower side; densely hairy when young becoming hairless with age; inferior tooth a shallow hump or absent, superior tooth rather short, subacute; lateral ribs hardly visible in mature specimens; pedicels up to 8 mm long, cylindrical, wiry, erect or arching, 2 or 3 uniting at the base, sometimes solitary, arising from the axil of the stipe.

Notes

Recognizable by the prominent upper tooth on the sporocarp, 2 or 3 pedicels uniting at base, sporocarps rectangular outline in vertical cross-section.

Derivation

apposita: side by side, the pedicels are united in twos or threes at the base giving the sporocarps a closely packed appearance.

Habitat

Sandy wet soil in river beds, edge of seasonal pools.

Distribution worldwide

See African distribution.

Distribution in Africa

Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Aquatic, terrestrial.

Literature

  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 76. (Includes a picture).
  • Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011) Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide. Struik Nature. Pages 254 - 255. (Includes a picture).
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Page 485. (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 55.
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Pages 174 - 175.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Pages 65 - 66.
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