Vittaria - Adiantaceae

Vittaria schliebenii Reimers

Photo: . ©Botanic Garden Meise (BR)
Tanzania

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Vittaria volkensii Hieron var. schliebenii (Reimers) Schelpe

Common name

Description

Rhizome creeping, ± 2 mm diameter; rhizome scales dark brown, narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–3.5 × 0.25 mm, apex narrowly pointed and with a fine articulated hair, translucent, the margin falsely spinulose. Fronds simple, densely placed, subsessile. Stipe (basal part of the costa) black. Lamina linear-lanceolate in outline, 25–35 × 1.2–2 cm, widest above the middle, apex pointed, narrowly and gradually tapering to the base. Sori submarginal, about 0.8 mm from the margin, slightly sunken.

Notes

This taxa has a black frond base (base of midrib black with green margins), rhizome scales that are usually under 4 mm long, fronds that are 1.2-2 cm wide.

Derivation

schliebenii: named after Hans-Joachim E.Schlieben (1902-1975), german botanist, photographer, writer, collecter in Tanzania and South Africa.

Habitat

Wet intermediate evergreen forest and mist forest, 1400-2100m.

Distribution worldwide

Only known from Tanzania.

Distribution in Africa

Tanzania .

Growth form

Epiphytic.

Literature

  • 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 74.
  • Verdcourt, B. (1999) Vittariaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Page 5.
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