| Home | > | List of families | > | Polypodiaceae | > | Phlebodium | > | aureum |
| Synonyms: |
Polypodium aureum L. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Naturalised |
| Description: |
Rhizome creeping, up to 3 cm in diameter; rhizome scales dense, golden brown, up to 2 cm long. Fronds up to 1.3 m long, glabrous, herbaceous. Stipe up to 50 cm long, glabrous with a few scales near the base. Lamina deeply pinnatifid into 8-16 (up to 35) pairs of pinna with a terminal segment, bright green or glacous. Lobes lanceolate to elliptic to linear in outline, apex pointed, venation reticulate, forming distinctive polygonal areoles, margins entire. Sori round, c. 2 mm in diameter, in 2 rows on each side of the costae, situated at the junction of 2 included veinlets, exindusiate. |
| Notes: | Confusion possible with Microsorum scolopendria. The latter has blackish brown rhizome scales (not golden brown) and 4-8 pairs of pinna (not 8-16, up to 35). |
| Derivation of specific name: | aureum: golden; the rhizome scales are golden brown |
| Habitat: | Epiphyte, lithophyte and terrestrial in moist evergreen riverine forest and forest margins. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 100 - 700 m |
| Worldwide distribution: | Introduced to South Africa and Zimbabwe. native to Central America. |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | ? |
| Growth form(s): | Epiphyte, lithophyte, 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 338. (Includes a picture). Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 564 - 565. (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 9. As *Polypodium aureum Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 103. As *Polypodium aureum Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 161. |
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