Asplenium - Aspleniaceae

Asplenium friesiorum C. Chr.

Photo: P. Ballings
Malawi

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

Photo: P. Ballings
Malawi

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

Photo: P. Ballings
Malawi

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

Photo: P. Ballings
Malawi

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Asplenium serra Langsd. & Fisch. var. natalensis Baker
Asplenium monilisorum Domin
Asplenium serra sensu Sim.
Asplenium caudatum G.Forst. var. reflexum Bonap.
Asplenium pseudoserra Domin
Tarachia friesiorum (C.Chr.) Momose

Common name

Description

Rhizome widely creeping, branched, up to 8 mm diameter; rhizome scales shiny brown, up to 5 mm long, narrowly triangular in outline, apex tapering to a point, entire. Fronds widely spaced, not proliferous, pendent, thinly coriaceous. Stipe up to 70 cm long, dark brown, sparsely set with brown scales becoming glabrous with age. Lamina up to c. 1m long and c. 25 cm wide, pinnate to 2-pinnatifid, narrowly oblong to lanceolate in outline, basal pinnae somewhat reduced, apical segment deeply pinnatifid or less often the apical pinnae decrescent. Pinnae 14-35 pairs, up to 14 × 2.3 cm, linear-lanceolate in outline, alternate or subopposite, mostly shortly petiolate, hairless but for scattered pale brown scales c. 1 mm long, margins incised, incisions 1/3 to 2/3 of the way towards the midrib into toothed lobes, base unequally cuneate, apex tapering to a point, veins forked and at very sharp angle with costa. Sori linear to oblong, 3-9 x 1-3 mm, set almost continuous in two lines along the midrib, indusium linear, entire, membranous, c. 1 mm wide.

Notes

Differs from similar species by not having proliferous fronds, the rhizome is widely creeping and the sori are set in the same line along the midrib.

Derivation

friesiorum: probably named after R.E. Fries (1876-1966), a Swedish botanist who joined the Swedish Rhodesia-Congo Exp. (1911-1912)

Habitat

Deep shade in moist evergreen forest, bamboo forest, swamp forest, riverine thicket, among boulders in montane grassveld. Terrestrial or lithophytic.

Distribution worldwide

See African distribution.

Distribution in Africa

Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Dem. Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan and South Sudan, Tanzania , Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Lithophytic, terrestrial.

Literature

  • Beentje, H.J. (2008) Aspleniaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 27 - 28. (Includes a picture).
  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 232 - 233. (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 622 - 623. (Includes a picture).
  • Fisher, E. & Lobin, W. (2023) Synoptic Revision of Aspleniaceae (Asplenium, Hymenasplenium) of Rwanda. Magnolia Press, New Zealand. Pages 17 - 18. (Includes a picture).
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 353 - 354. (Includes a picture).
  • Kornas, J. (1979) Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia. Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych. Pages 99 - 100.
  • 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 85 - 86.
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 164.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Pages 178 - 179.
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 202 - 203.
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