Home | > | List of families | > | Lygodiaceae | > | Lygodium | > | kerstenii |
Synonyms: |
Lygodium brycei Baker Lygodium subulatum Bojer ex Kuhn |
Common names: | Climbing fern (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Climbing fern. Rhizome creeping, scales linear, blackish-brown, c. 1.5 mm long. Fronds spaced apart, growing to 6-12-20 m high. Stipe and rhachis of an elongated frond function as the climbing stem, from which short secondary rhachises with an opposing pair of pinnae arrise, apical bud densely covered with short brown hairs. Sterile pinnae bipinnate to 3-pinnate or 4-pinnatifid on the basal pinnae, margins toothed to lobed; pinnules lanceolate-oblong, up to 11 cm long,finely hairy along secondary rhachises and the pinnule midribs, veins with scattered hairs on both surfaces. Fertile pinnae bipinnate to 4-pinnate, veins hairy on both surfaces; fertile pinnules up to 9 cm long, with numerous protruding fertile lobes, up to 12 mm long; sporangia 4-14 pairs, arranged in 2 rows along the margins (pinnule apex without fertile lobes). |
Notes: | Differs from L. microphyllum by having hairy veins and more divided pinnae. |
Derivation of specific name: | kerstenii: named after Otto Kersten ( 1839-1900), a German plant collector |
Habitat: | Fringes of evergreen forest, along rivers in riverine forest or woodland; medium altitude, warm areas with high rainfall. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 50 - 1653 m |
Worldwide distribution: | Mozambique, South africa, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe, from central Africa northwards to Kenya, also in Comores and Madagascar. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | E,S |
Growth form(s): | Terrestrial. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | Callopistria maillardi (Larval food plant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Sunday 18 December 2011 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 61 - 62. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 37. Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 182 - 183. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 12. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Page 181. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Page 41. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 8. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 50. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 53. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 57 - 59. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 79. |
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