Ophioglossum - Ophioglossaceae

Ophioglossum reticulatum L.

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Mozambique

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Ophioglossum vulgatum L. var. reticulatum (L.) D.C. Eaton

Common name

Description

Rhizome linear to oval, (5-)10-18(-28) mm long, (2-)2.5-4(-6) mm wide often arising from a horizontal root; roots fleshy, horizontal, sometimes descending, proliferous; leaf bases not persistent. Leaves 1 to 2 (sometimes up to 4), held at 50-80% from the horizontal, bright green. stipe (25-)43-131(-145) mm long, 35–60% of its length subterranean, stipe:lamina lenght ratio2.1-1.5:1, stipe bases not persistent. Sterile lamina (20-)24-77(-107) mm long × (14-)20-56(-67) mm wide, circular to broadly ovate, length:width ratio <1.5–2.1:1, apex pointed with a short mucro to rounded, base deeply notched to truncate, texture fleshy. Fertile spike (49-)80–250 mm long, fertile spike:lamina lenght ratio 2.2-4.1:1, inserted at the base of the lamina or up to 2 cm below the apparent base, with 15–47 pairs of sporangia, apex narrowly to broadly pointed.

Notes

O. reticulatum could be confused with O. vulgatum and O. polyphyllum. O. vulgatum has a tapering leaf base and mostly a single leaf that is lanceolate to narrowly ovate in outline. O. polyphyllum has conspicuous persistent petiole bases at the top of the rhizome.

Derivation

reticulatum: netlike, like a network; referring to the venation pattern.

Habitat

Wet sheetrock mats, montane grasslands, moist woodland, dry forests, forest margins.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, Asia, Indian Ocean Islands, Central and South America, Madagascar.

Distribution in Africa

Angola, Benin, Burkina Fasso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Dem. Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Sudan and South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania , Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Terrestrial.

Literature

  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 44 - 46. (Includes a picture).
  • Burrows, J.E. & Johns, R.J. (2001) Ophioglossaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Page 15. (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 108 - 109. (Includes a picture).
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 165 - 166. (Includes a picture).
  • Kornas, J. (1979) Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia. Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych. Page 38.
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Pages 33 - 34.
  • Roux, J.P. (2009) Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands. Strelitzia 23, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. Page 35.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Pages 37 - 38.
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 45 - 46. (Includes a picture).
  • Thardieu-Blot, M.L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.8.Flore du Gabon, Page 30. (Includes a picture).
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