Triplophyllum - Tectariaceae

Triplophyllum vogelii (Hook.) Holttum

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Aspidium vogelii Hook.
Aspidium lanigerum Mett.
Ctenitis vogelii (Hook.) Ching
Ctenitis lanigera (Kühn) Tard.
Dryopteris lanigera (Mett. ex Kuhn) C.Chr.

Common name

Description

Rhizome long-creeping, slender; rhizome scales ovate in outline, apex tapering to a point, to 3 x 1.7 mm. Fronds monomorphic, spaced, to 80 cm long, herbaceous. Stipe 24–47 cm long, base 5 mm in diameter, decreasing to ± 2 mm below blade, reddish to dark brown, grooved above, near base with narrowly triangular scales to 5 x 1 mm, twisted, otherwise with rather dense hairs to 1 mm long. Lamina 3-pinnate to 4-pinnatifid, deltoid-pentagonal in outline, 30–35 x 25–39 cm, dark green above, mid green below; pinnae 7–10 on each side of the rhachis, near apex gradually grading into decreasing pinnatisect apex; basal pinna pair longest and most divided, each pinna to 24 cm long and curving upward, basal basiscopic pinnule ± 13.5 cm, 2-pinnatifid; second pinna pair with each pinna < 20 cm long, straight, 1-pinnate or with the basal pinnules slightly divided; ultimate segments slightly crenate to almost entire; each segment with a vein with 1–3 lateral veinlets, not reaching margin; rhachis with hairs as on stipe; pinna-costa and costa with dense hairs, glandular, those near branching forks 1.5–2 mm long, smaller on veinlets, insignificant or absent at sinus; upper surface a few large hairs restricted to veins and veinlets. Sori up to 9(–11) per lobe, on veinlets near tip, median, ± 1 mm in diameter; indusium ± 1 mm in diameter, notch to the centre, with ± 8 hairs 0.25–0.45 mm long on margin and ± 8 more such hairs distributed over surface.

Notes

Derivation

vogelii: named after J.R.T. Vogel (1812-1841), German explorer, botanist and plant collector; he first collected this fern in Bioko (Fernando Po).

Habitat

Moist primary forest.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, possibly Madagascar.

Distribution in Africa

Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Gabon, Liberia, Uganda.

Growth form

Terrestrial.

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. Pages 198 - 199.
  • Roux, J.P.; Shaffer-Fehre, M. & Verdcourt, B. (2007) Dryopteridaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 11 - 12. (Includes a picture).
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 270 - 271.
  • Thardieu-Blot, M.L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.8.Flore du Gabon, Page 160.
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