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Synonyms: |
Adiantum arcuatum Sw. Adiantum lunulatum Cav. Adiantum philippense L. Pteris lunulata (Burm.f.) Retz. |
Common names: | Walking maidenhair fern, or black maidenhair (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Rhizome short, suberect or creeping; rhizome scales dark brown. Fronds tufted, herbaceous, arching. Stipe up to 20 cm long, dark brown to black, shiny, glabrous. Lamina pinnate, linear to lanceolate in outline; 36 × 11 cm, excluding a glabrous extension of the rhachis of varying length, which often ends in a proliferous bud or lamina with a terminal pinna. Rhachis, petiole and pinnae glabrous. Pinnae numerous (up to 15 pairs), persistent, lunulate, petiolate, alternate; 25-50 × 13-25 mm, reduced in size towards the apex, the midrib forms the lower margin, outer margin irregurly incised into broad lobes. Sori elongate on apices of the pinna lobes, indusial flap linear to shallowly lunate, glabrous. |
Notes: | Resembles A. incisum which has a less wider lamina, more pinnae (up to 40 pairs) that are pilose and have a short petiole. |
Derivation of specific name: | lunulatum: moon-shaped; referring to the half-moon shape of the pinnae. |
Habitat: | Terrestrial, lithophyte, on streambanks in riverine forest, in evergreen forest and in deciduous woodland. |
Altitude range: | 100 - 1500 m |
Worldwide distribution: | Pantropical |
Malawi distribution: | N,C,S |
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 120. As A. philippense (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 86. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 38. (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 426 - 427. (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 13. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 225 - 226. As A. philippense (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Pages 64 - 65. As A. philippense 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. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 75. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 69 - 70. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 110. As A. philippense (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 78. |
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