Hymenophyllum - Hymenophyllaceae

Hymenophyllum splendidum Bosch

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

Photo: JE. Burrows
Malawi

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Sphaerocionium splendidum (Bosch) Copel.
Hymenophyllum ciliatum Sw. var. splendidum (Bosch) C. Chr.

Common name

Description

Rhizome wiry, widely creeping, branched, densely hairy with red-brown, long-armed stellate hairs to 1 mm. Fronds pendulous, spaced apart (up to 6 cm). Stipe slender, up to 3.5(-10) cm long, set with stellate, pale brown hairs, sometimes winged in the upper 1/4. Lamina dark green turning brown, long and narrow, narrowly lanceolate to linear in outline, 8-45 × 1.7-6 cm, 2-pinnatifid, membranous. Pinnae in 8-24 pairs, rhomboid-oblong in outline, to 3 x 1.2 cm, angled forward at c. 45 degrees, unequally dichotomously branched into c. 6-15 lobes. Lobes linear, to 2.5 mm wide, apex rounded, both surfaces with pale brown, stalked, stellate hairs along the axes and margins, venation simple. Rhachis winged, bearing stellate hairs. Sori terminal on the distal lobes of each pinna, 1-1.6 mm in diameter; indusial valves ciliate with branched hairs; receptecle included.

Notes

Derivation

splendidum: splendid, striking; alluding to the handsome appearance of this fern.

Habitat

Moist forest, sheltered rock face in moist ravine in evergreen forest.

Distribution worldwide

See African distribution.

Distribution in Africa

Burundi, Cameroon, Dem. Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania , Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Epiphytic, lithophytic.

Literature

  • Beentje, H.J. (2008) Hymenophyllaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 2 - 3. (Includes a picture).
  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 100. (Includes a picture).
  • Fisher E. & Killmann D. (2008) Illustrated Field guide to the Plants of Nyungwe National Park Rwanda. University of Koblenz-Landau. Pages 98 - 99. (Includes a picture).
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 44. As Sphaerocionium splendidum
  • 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 46 - 47.
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 76 - 77. (Includes a picture).
  • Thardieu-Blot, M.L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.8.Flore du Gabon, Page 58. (Includes a picture).
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