Home | > | List of families | > | Blechnaceae | > | Stenochlaena | > | tenuifolia |
Synonyms: |
Acrostichum tenuifolium (Desv.) Baker Lomaria meyeriana Kunze Lomaria tenuifolia Desv. Lomariobotrys meyeriana (Kunze) Fée Polybotrya tenuifolia (Desv.) Kuhn |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Large procumbent or climbing fern, rooting in the ground. Rhizome up to 20 m long and 10-20 mm in diameter, creeping along the ground or ascending trees; rhizome scales sparse, thick, entire, dark brown, awl-shaped, nonpersistent, 1-5 mm long. Fronds dimorphic, up to 3 m long, arching, widely spaced. Stipe 30-60 cm long, pale brown, grooved, glabrous. Sterile lamina imparipinnate, firmly membranous, ovate-oblong in outline, 0.5-2 × 0.2-0.7 m; pinnae about 20 alternate pairs, linear-lanceolate, glabrous, shortly petiolate, apex pointed, base unequally cuneate, margins minutely serrate, 15-35 × 2-3.8 cm. Fertile lamina 2-pinnate or rarely pinnate, usually slightly shoter than the sterile lamina, with 25-30 pairs of lateral pinnae; pinnae petiolate, about 4 cm apart, pinnately divided into very irregular narrowly linear segments, completely covered with sporangia below, sori exindusiate. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | tenuis: thin, folia: leaves; slender-leaved referring to the linear pinnae of the fertile frond. |
Habitat: | Found in the Haroni/Lusitu junction area where it is a constituent of riverine swamp forest at low altitudes. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 650 m |
Worldwide distribution: | Angola, Bioko, Cameron, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pemba, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | E |
Growth form(s): | Terrestrial. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 336. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 53. Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 726 - 727. (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 10. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 471 - 473. (Includes a picture). 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 5. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 156. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 105 - 106. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 240 - 242. (Includes a picture). Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 24. |
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