Belvisia spicata (L.f.) Mirb. ex Copel.

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Photo: Petra Ballings

Photo: Petra Ballings
Path to spice garden, Nyamkombe River, Aberfoyle, Honde Valley

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Synonyms:	Acrostichum spicatum L.f. Gymnopteris spicata (L.f.) C.Presl Hymenolepis spicata (L.f.) C.Presl Hymenolepis spicata (L.f.) C.Presl var. occultivenia C.Chr. Hymenolepis spicata (L.f.) C.Presl var. usambarensis C.Chr.
Common names:
Frequency:	Rare
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizome shortly creeping rhizome, c. 4 mm in diameter; scales dark-brown, lanceolate, entire, up to 4 mm long. Fronds simple, closely spaced, erect, glabrous. Stipe up to 5 cm long, glabrous. Sterile lamina simple, 16-30 (including fertile segment) × 1.5-2.3 cm, narrowly elliptic in outline, base tapering, margins entire. Fertile segment linear, situated on top of the sterile lamina, c. 50 × 3 mm. Sori are spread out over the underside of the fertile segment.
Notes:	The fertile segment on top of the sterile lamina makes it easy to distinguish B. spicata from other species.
Derivation of specific name:	spicata: arranged in a spike, referring to the fertile segment at the apex of the frond.
Habitat:	Epiphyte or lithophyte in low-altitude, semi-deciduous forest in montane areas.
Altitude range: (metres)	780 - 1300 m
Worldwide distribution:	Bioko, Cameroon, Comoro Islands, Congo, Coté d' Ivoire, DRC, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Réunion, Sao Tomé, Sechelles, Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa, Tanzania
Zimbabwe distribution:	E
Growth form(s):	Epiphyte, lithophyte.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Saturday 28 April 2012
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 202 - 203. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 91. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 8. 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 13. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 319 - 320. (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 8. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Pages 99 - 100. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 151. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 159. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Belvisia spicata:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Belvisia spicata
Flora of Mozambique: Belvisia spicata

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Belvisia spicata
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Belvisia spicata
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Belvisia spicata
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Belvisia spicata
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Belvisia spicata
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Belvisia spicata
JSTOR Plant Science: Belvisia spicata
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Belvisia spicata
Plants of the World Online: Belvisia spicata
Tropicos: Belvisia spicata
Wikipedia: Belvisia spicata