| Home | > | List of families | > | Aspleniaceae | > | Asplenium | > | loxoscaphoides |
| Synonyms: |
Asplenium loxoscaphoides Baker var. compacta Bonap. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | |
| Description: |
Rhizome erect, fleshy, to 60 mm long and 8–50 mm diameter; rhizome scales pale to mid-brown, subentire, ovate in outline, acute, up to 14 × 3.5 mm. Fronds tufted, erect to arching, not proliferous, thinly to thickly coriaceous. Stipe pale brown to greyish-green when dry (green to black when fresh), 15–48 cm long, glabrous except for some scales near base. Lamina dark green, narrowly ovate in outline, 32–80 × 13–26 cm, 2- to 3-pinnatifid on the lowermost pinnules, with basal pinnae reduced (rarely not reduced), apex gradually decrescent. Pinnae 23–44 pairs, oblong in outline, apex gradually tapering to a point, the largest (6–)8–13(–16) × 1–2.2 cm or up to 4 cm wide with much-lobed basal pinnules, petiolate, more basal pinnae often shorter and with more widely winged costa and so appearing more pinnatipartite than the pinnatisect upper pinnae, surfaces with scattered scales similar to those on rhachis. Ultimate segments linear or very narrowly spatulate, set at 45°, 1–2 mm wide, entire or bifid, basal acroscopic segment usually more lobed or enlarged to an up to 2.5 cm long deeply lobed pinnule, apices pointed or rounded. Rhachis black and green when fresh, pale brown when dry, with scattered dark brown narrowly lanceolate scales to 3 mm long with hair-like lobes, sometimes becoming glabrous. Sori 1 per pinna lobe, ellipsoid, borne halfway along the length of the lobe but almost on the margin, facing towards the pinna apex, 1.5–5(–6) mm long; indusium very narrowly oblong, membranous, entire, to 1 mm wide. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: | Very similar to A. rutifolium which has rhizome scales that are darker, smaller (up to 9 x 1.2mm) and narrowly triangular in outline. A. rutifolium is a smaller species (lamina up to 40 x 10 cm) with less pinnae (13-28 pairs). |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Montane forest |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1900 m (approx) |
| Worldwide distribution: | Africa. |
| National 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: |
Beentje, H.J. (2008). Aspleniaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Page 57. Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 94. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 25. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 25. Fischer E. & Lobin W. (2024). Checklist of Lycopodiopsida (clubmosses and quillworts) and Polypodiopsida (ferns) of Rwanda. Willdenowia 53(3) Page 156. Fischer, E. & Lobin, W. (2023). Synoptic Revision of Aspleniaceae (Asplenium, Hymenasplenium) of Rwanda. Phytotaxa 608 (1) Pages 19 - 21. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 167. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 90. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 187. |
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