Species

Hymenophyllum capense Schrad.

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

Synonyms	Hymenophyllum natalense Bosch Hymenophyllum zeyheri Bosch Hymenophyllum tabulare Bosch Hymenophyllum fumaroides sensu Sim
Common name
Description	Rhizome very wiry and thin, wide creeping and branching freely, glabrous or nearly so. Fronds spaced 0.5-7 cm apart, variable in form and size depending on humidity and protection given by the habitat. Stipe up to 7 cm long, narrowly winged in the upper part, glabrous. Lamina narrowly ovate to lanceolate in outline, 1.5-11 × 1-3 cm, 2- or 3-pinnatifid, glabrous. Pinnae up to 1 cm long, somewhat acroscopically developed and directed forward, pinnae lobes up to 15 per pinna, ultimate lobes rounded, margin entire. Sori on acroscopic segments situated in the upper half of the frond, oval to obtriangular, 1 or 2 per pinna; indusium ovate to obtriangular, soral valves entire, 1.1-2 mm in diameter.
Notes	Can be seperated from other species by having hairless fronds and entire lobe margins. Can be distinguished from H. kuhnii and H. mossambicense by having pinnae that are composed of less than 15 lobes.
Derivation	capense: of the Cape, this fern was first collected from the Cape of Good Hope
Habitat	Lithophyte on deeply shaded, wet rock faces in forest or epiphyte in high-altitude, evergreen forest.
Distribution worldwide	Africa, Seychelles, Comoro Islands, Mascarenes and Madagascar.
Distribution in Africa	Malawi , Mozambique , South Africa , Tanzania , Zimbabwe .
Growth form	Epiphytic, lithophytic.
Literature	Beentje, H.J. (2008) Hymenophyllaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 8 - 9. Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 96. (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 160 - 161. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Page 193. (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. Pages 43 - 44. Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Pages 41 - 43. (Includes a picture). Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 79.