Adiantum - Adiantaceae

Adiantum comorense (Tardieu) Verdc.

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Adiantum rhizophorum Sw. var. comorense Tardieu
Adiantum confine sensu Tardieu

Common name

Description

Rhizome short; rhizome scales narrowly lanceolate, the margin with short emergences, pale brown, very shiny. Fronds monomorphic, tufted, erect or arching, 20–60 cm long, often rooting at the tips. Stipe 8–10 cm long, nearly hairless to covered with very narrow scales. Lamina pinnate; pinnae oblong, sometimes lower pinnae obliquely produced and lanceolate at tips, becoming successively smaller above, upper and outer margins not deeply incised, lower margins entire, 0.8–2.5(–4) x 0.4–1.2 cm, glabrous or with scattered hairs, sterile pinnules acutely toothed, venation almost fan-shaped; rhachis dark brown to blackish, nearly hairless to densely hairy, pinna-stalklets blackish, (1–)2–4 mm long, densely hairy. Sori narrowly curved-oblong or straight, 1 x 3 mm.

Notes

A. comorense is pinnate and has a hairy rhachis. It resembles A. incisum, the pinnae of A. incisum however are deeply, irregurly incised along the upper margin and have short petiolules (under 2 mm long).

Derivation

comorense: this fern was first collected on the Comoro Isl.

Habitat

Terrestrial on road banks, boulders, forest floor, always in deep shade.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, Comoro Islands.

Distribution in Africa

Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania , Togo, Uganda.

Growth form

Terrestrial.

Literature

  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 74.
  • 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 69.
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 144 - 146. As Adiantum confine Fée (Includes a picture).
  • Verdcourt, B. (2002) Adiantaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 52 - 54. (Includes a picture).
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