Asplenium - Aspleniaceae

Asplenium lademannianum Rosenst.

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Common name

Description

Rhizome erect, subwoody, 10-15 mm diameter; rhizome scales flaccid membranous, lanceolate, entire, acuminate, c. 4 mm long, with a large hyaline lumen and dark brown narrow margins, ending in a hair-tip. Fronds to 58 x 16 cm. Stipe brown or grey-green, 17-22 cm long, with reflexed scales similar to the rhizome scales mixed with linear ones, glabrecent. Lamina lanceolate in outline, membranous-herbaceous, 2-pinnate, basal pair remote and slightly reduced, apical pinnae reduced, linear, incised-lobed. Pinnae in c. 20 pairs, alternate or subopposite, shortly petiolulate, narrowly ovate, to 8 x 2.5 cm, pinnate, caudate-acuminate. Pinnules up to 8 pairs, to 2 x 1 cm, deeply incised lobed, glabrous except for the scaly costae and veins. Rhachis brown, more or less densely scaly with scales similar to stipe. Sori 2-4 per pinnule, 'short'; indusium membranous, entire. (Description from Pichi Sermoilli and Chaerle quoted in Flora Tropical East Africa)

Notes

Beentje, H.J. (2008) Aspleniaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa, prefers to treat this taxon as unresolved: "the part of the type with frond tracings at B could very well be A. aethiopicum, there is no indication at all whether the rhizome is erect or creeping. To equate specimens found far away is risky."

Derivation

lademannianum: this fern was first collected by Lademann on Mt Ufiome in Tanzania.

Habitat

Distribution worldwide

Distribution in Africa

Tanzania .

Growth form

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Literature

  • Beentje, H.J. (2008) Aspleniaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Page 65.
  • 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 88.
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