Species

Zygophlebia - Polypodiaceae

Zygophlebia villosissima (Hook.) L.E. Bishop

Photo: P. Ballings
Rwanda

Synonyms	Polypodium villosissimum Hook. Grammitis villosissima (Hook.) Ching Ctenopteris villosissima (Hook.) W.J. Harley Xiphopteris villosissima (Hook.) Alston xiphopteris villosissima (Hook.) Alston var. laticelluta Benl
Common name
Description	Rhizome c. 1.5 mm in diameter, erect to shortly creeping; rhizome scales linear, apex tapering to a fine point, glandular, base serrate, brown. Fronds monomorphic, tufted, texture thick, deeply pinnatifid. Stipe up to 4 cm long, brown, covered with long, stiff, reddish-brown hairs up to 3 mm long. Lamina oblong to oblong-lanceolate in outline, abruptly decrescent below, pinnatifid almost to the midrib, 6-12 x 3-4 cm; pinnae up to 1 cm long, oblong in outline, apex rounded, margin entire, covered on both surfaces with long, stiff, reddish-brown hairs up to 3 mm long; veins and midrib obscure. Sori rounded, submarginal, up to 8 per lobe.
Notes
Derivation
Habitat	On trees in forest; at higher levels, up to 1900 m alt.
Distribution worldwide	Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius.
Distribution in Africa	Cameroon , Dem. Republic of Congo , Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Gabon , Guinea , Ivory Coast , Liberia , Malawi , Rwanda , Sierra Leone .
Growth form	Epiphytic.
Literature	Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 109. 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 166. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 142. As Xiphopteris villosissima (Hook.) Alston Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 328 - 330. Thardieu-Blot, M.L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.8.Flore du Gabon, Pages 193 - 194.