Polystichum zambesiacum Schelpe

Dryopteridaceae, JP Roux, M Shaffer-Fehre, B Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2007

Type

Zimbabwe, Henkels Nek, Stapleford, Schelpe 5751 (BOL, holo.; BOL!, iso.)

Morphology General Habit

Terrestrial or lithophyte.

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizome short creeping to suberect, often branched, up to 25 mm in diameter, with linear scales up to 30 × 2 mm long, margins fringed

Morphology Leaves

Fronds tufted, 5–8 per plant, arching, 100–180 cm long.

Morphology Leaves Stipes

Stipe reddish-brown at base, paler above, up to 84 cm long, to 9 mm in diameter with adaxial groove, scales reddish-brown, large and small scales mixed, up to 16 × 10 mm.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Lamina firmly herbaceous to coriaceous, ± narrowly ovate, up to 89 cm long, 2-pinnate to 3pinnatifid.

Morphology Leaves Rachis

Rachis straw-coloured, with adaxial groove, with sparse papery pale to reddish-brown scales up to 1.8 mm long.

Morphology Leaves Pinnae

Pinnae in up to 30 free pairs, lowest pair often slightly reduced, frequently somewhat deflexed; pinnae to 27 cm long with up to 27 free pinnule pairs; basal pinnules closest to rachis simple or incised to or near to costa, acroscopic pinnules of basal pair reduced on lowest pinna, but increasing in size towards middle of lamina, pinnules in general asymmetric, narrowly ovate to narrowly triangular, up to 45 mm long, acroscopically auricled with lobate-serrate margin, obtuse; costa pale with adaxial groove at base, with few pale twisted scales up to 1.2 mm long, abaxially sparsely scaly.

Morphology Leaves Leaf veins

Veins evident or obscure

Morphology Reproductive morphology Sori

Sori terminal or near terminal on abbreviated or unabbreviated vein branches, discrete at maturity, round, ± 1 mm in diameter; sporangium with 9–20 indurated annulus cells; indusium persistent, peltate circular to reniform, margin shallowly lobed to irregularly dentate, maximum radial length 0.5 mm, brown

Morphology Reproductive morphology Spores

Spores with tubercles and a reticulate pattern of ridges

Figures

Figure 10: 11-12, figure 11:4

Ecology

Moist forest; 1800–2500 m

Conservation

May be vulnerable where it occurs in middle altitude forests which are heavily exploited by the local population.

Distribution

Flora districts: T3 T6 Range: Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, restricted to high mountains