Species

Psilotum - Psilotaceae

Psilotum nudum (L.) P. Beauv.

Photo: BT. Wursten
Mozambique

Synonyms	Psilotum triquetrum Sw. Lycopodium nudum L. Bernhardia capensis Müll.Berol.
Common name
Description	Rhizome c.1.5 mm in diameter, shortly creeping, rootless, covered with very small scales. Aerial stems 15-44 cm long, unbranched below, repeatedly dichotomously branched above with 20-36 branches, markedly angled and triangular in cross-section, glabrous. Leaves few, widely spaced, lanceolate to ovate in outline, scale-like, pointed, up to 2 mm long. Sporangia c.2.5 mm in diameter, united in 3-locular capsule-like synangium, placed in the axis of a small bract, scattered along the apical region of the stem, orange brown when mature, dehiscing longitudinally to release the spores.
Notes	Very distinctive, can not be mistaken for any other pteridophyte in Africa.
Derivation	nudum: naked; referring to the almost leafless character of this species.
Habitat	Cracks in sandstone cliffs, usually along a river or as an epiphyte on trees in evergreen forest at low altitude.
Distribution worldwide	Africa, Cape Verde Isl., Madagascar, Ascencion Isl., Seychelles, Mascarenes. Also Polynesia, the Americas, Spain, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand.
Distribution in Africa	Angola , Benin , Cameroon , Congo , Dem. Republic of Congo , Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Gabon , Ghana , Guinea , Kenya , Lesotho , Liberia , Malawi , Mozambique , Nigeria , Senegal , South Africa , Swaziland , Tanzania , Uganda , Zambia , Zimbabwe .
Growth form	Epiphytic, lithophytic.
Literature	Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 10 - 11. (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 130 - 131. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 130 - 131. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979) Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia. Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych. Page 26. Lawalrée, A. (1969) Psilotaceae.Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi, Page 2. Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Pages 16 - 17. 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 36. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 15. (Includes a picture). Thardieu-Blot, M.L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.8.Flore du Gabon, Page 28. Verdcourt, B. (1999) Psilotaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 1 - 3. (Includes a picture).