Cheilanthes - Sinopteridaceae

Cheilanthes inaequalis (Kunze) Mett.

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Malawi

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Malawi

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Malawi

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Notholaena inaequalis Kunze
Notholaena tricholepis Baker
Cheilanthes inaequalis (Kunze) Mett. var. inaequalis

Common name

Description

Rhizome shortly creeping to suberect, c. 5 mm in diameter; rhizome scales narrowly lanceolate to linear in outline, margin entire, up to 2 cm long, rust-coloured. Fronds monomorphic, tufted, erect, herbaceous to coriaceous, shriveling up during the dry winter months. Stipe 2.5-20 cm long, purple-dark brown to black, with short, fine white hairs and with scales similar to those of the rhizome at the base. Lamina deeply 2-pinnatifid to 3-pinnatifid on the basal pinnae which are not reduced in size, ovate to lanceolate or triangular-elliptic in outline, up to 22 cm × 11 cm; pinnae in 11-14 pairs, lanceolate in outline, margins entire to lobed, 1.5-3.5 x 1 cm, upper surface sparsely set with stiff hairs, lower surface densely covered with short white hairs, turning reddish-brown with age; venation obscure; rhachis dark brown. Sori marginal, discrete at first but continuous when mature; indusium continuous or discontinuous, narrow, ciliate, membranous.

Notes

Could be confused with C. eckloniana which has shiny golden-brown scales along the costae and costules, and basal pinnae that might be slightly reduced. The lower surface of the lamina of C. buchananii is only sparsely covered with long, whitish hairs.

Derivation

inaequalis: unequal; referring to the unaequal structure of the basal pinnae.

Habitat

Cracks and crevices and in the shelter of boulders on granite sheetrock, in full sun or bases of rocks in woodland or grassland.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, Madagascar.

Distribution in Africa

Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Dem. Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan and South Sudan, Tanzania , Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Lithophytic, terrestrial.

Literature

  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 128 - 129. (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 338 - 339. As C. inaequalis (Includes a picture).
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 257 - 259. (Includes a picture).
  • Kornas, J. (1979) Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia. Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych. Pages 48 - 49.
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 63.
  • 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 182.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 126. (Includes a picture).
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 135 - 136. (Includes a picture).
  • Verdcourt, B. (2002) Adiantaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 38 - 40. As Cheilanthes inaequalis var. inaequalis (Includes a picture).
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