Pellaea - Sinopteridaceae

Pellaea boivinii Hook. var. boivinii

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: BT. Wursten
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

Photo: P. Ballings
Zimbabwe

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Pteris boivinii (Hook.) Bedd.
Allosorus boivinii (Hook.) Kuntze

Common name

Description

Rhizome erect to short creeping; rhizome scales up to 10 mm long, top slowly tapering to a point, dark to golden brown, paler margins. Fronds monomorphic, tufted, erect, coriaceous. Stipe up to 22 cm long, as long to 1.8 times as long as the lamina, brownish black, shining, with a few scales near the base, similar to those on the rhizome. Lamina 2 to 3-pinnate on the basiscopically developed basal pinnae, sharply triangular in outline, c. 10-18 × 5.6-15 cm; pinnae up to 15 pairs, deltate, petiolate; pinnules oblong to ovate-rectangular in outline, margins entire, apex rounded, base cordate, articulated to the apices of short petiolules, up to 18 × 3-6 mm, deep subglossy green above, paler below, hairless on both surfaces; veins hardly visible, free; rhachis, secondary rhachis brownish black, with short brown hairs on the upper surfaces. Sori marginal, continuous to within a few milimeters of the apex; indusium entire, membranous, continuous.

Notes

Derivation

boivinii: named after L.H. Boivin (1808-1852), French collector and botanist.

Habitat

Granite 'whalebacks', on quartzite and sandstone in rock crevices and at the edge of vegetation islands overlying granite sheetrock.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, Comolo Isl., Madagascar, Mauritius, as well as Sri Lanka and southern India.

Distribution in Africa

Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania , Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Growth form

Lithophytic, terrestrial.

Literature

  • Burrows, J.E. (1990) Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 168 - 169. (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 410 - 411. (Includes a picture).
  • Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983) The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 274 - 275. (Includes a picture).
  • Kornas, J. (1979) Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia. Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych. Page 53.
  • 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 189.
  • Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 70.
  • Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970) Pteridophyta.Flora Zambesiaca, 0 Page 131.
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