Thelypteris dentata (Forssk.) E.P.St.John

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Colombia

Thelypteridaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2006

Type

Type: Yemen, Bolghose, Forsskål 809 (C, holo.)

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizome shortly to distinctly creeping, ± 7 mm in diameter, with dark brown ovate to lanceolate entire thinly pilose scales up to 6–8 mm long

Morphology Leaves

Fronds closely spaced, 0.4–1.5(–2) m tall

Morphology Leaves Stipes

Stipe 8–50 cm long, glabrous or slightly pubescent, with scales at base

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Lamina pinnate, elliptic to narrowly elliptic in outline, 0.3–1.3 m long, up to 40 cm wide, acuminate with a deeply pinnatifid terminal segment; lowest 2–4 pairs of pinnae usually gradually decreasing; middle pinnae narrowly oblong or lanceolate, (4.5–)8–21 cm long, 1.5–2.5 cm wide with long narrowly acuminate crenate apex, deeply pinnatifid into oblong lobes 4–10 mm long, 2.5–4.5 mm wide, entire, obtuse to acute, pilose along the costa above and shortly pubescent beneath; veins 8–9 pairs with one pair anastomosing with excurrent vein to sinus, the triangle formed usually acute or in some specimens (including from type area) with 2 pairs of veins anastomosing (see note after hybrids, p 20)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Sori Indusium

Indusia with short white hairs or almost or quite glabrous (see note).

Ecology

Evergreen forest, often riverine, ditch-sides in swampy areas, valley bushland and thicket; (?0–)45–2100 m

Note

Holttum states after describing C. modesta (in J. S. Afr. Bot. 40: 144 (1974)) “No other species of sect. Christella has glabrous indusia”, but they can be in C. dentata and are in fact in a number of specimens determined by Holttum. I have not seen the single specimen C. modesta is based on. Plaizier & Breteler 1124 (Kenya, Kisii District, 4 km SE of Marani, 9 Apr. 1978) has the venation and rhizome of C. dentata but there are glands on the indusia as well as dense hairs and some glands on the pinnae. Allan 3698 (Uganda, Toro District, Mwamba forest, 5 Dec. 1957) has fertile fronds 30 cm long or less and largest pinnae only 3.5 cm long, quite shallowly lobed; the creeping rhizome, anastomosing veins and indusium all suggest it is a small form of C. dentata. Holttum and others have thought that material resembling C. dentata but with two pairs of veins anastomosing indicated it was of hybrid origin so I was surprised to find that Forsskål’s type and other material from the Yemen has some lobes with two pairs of veins anastomosing (see p. 19 under hybrids). Some specimens, e.g. Sangster 109 (Uganda, Budongo Forest, Mar. 1931) have quite glabrous indusia depite the comment by Holttum (J. S. Afr. Bot. 40: 144 (1974))

Distribution

Flora districts: U2 U3 U 4 ; K2 K3 K4 K5 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T6 T8 Z; P Range: Throughout the Old World tropics and subtropics, just reaches into SW Spain; introduced in some parts of tropical America

Thelypteridaceae, A. H. G. Alston. Flora of West Tropical Africa. Ferns and Fern-Allies Supplement. 1959

Ecology

Roadside banks and palm groves on damp ground, often by streams in secondary growth; up to 3, 800 ft. alt.