Polystichum transvaalense N.C.Anthony

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

Type

South Africa, Transvaal, Pietersburg District, Woodbush Forest Reserve, Bredenkamp & Van Vuuren 450 (BOL!, holo.; PRE!, iso.)

Morphology General Habit

Terrestrial or epiphyte.

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizome short-creeping or erect, up to 8 mm in diameter, with dense reddish-brown linear to lanceolate rhizome scales up to 14 × 1 mm, with outgrowths towards tip, apex an acicular cell

Morphology Leaves

Fronds tufted, 5–17 per plant, suberect to arching.

Morphology Leaves Stipes

Stipe reddish-brown at base, straw-coloured or green above, 20–54 cm long, 5 mm in diameter, with adaxial groove, with dense reddish-brown ovate scales 6.5–20 × 1.4–6 mm, the larger sessile, smaller stalked, tapering towards acicular cell at apex, twisted.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Lamina herbaceous, adaxially pale to dark green, abaxially pale green, ovate to narrowly ovate, 40–67 × 12–25 cm, 2-pinnate.

Morphology Leaves Rachis

Rachis straw-coloured, with dense short-stalked twisted reddish brown scales up to 4.5 mm long, terminating in an acicular cell, margins an irregular fringe.

Morphology Leaves Pinnae

Pinnae to 26 free pairs, to 140 × 28 mm, the proximal slightly reduced and often deflexed, with up to 20 oblongattenuate pairs of free pinnules, acroscopically developed towards the middle of the lamina; costa straw-coloured with adaxial groove densely scaly, scales smaller than, but resembling those of rachis; pinnules asymmetric, ovate to obliquely rhomboid, up to 15 mm long, acroscopically auriculate, basal pinnules often pinnatifid, the margins toothed to crenate, often with short awns, adaxially almost smooth or at the base of the costa with few scales, abaxially moderately covered with twisted narrowly linear to triangular scales up to 2.5 mm long; venation evident

Morphology Reproductive morphology Sori

Sori terminal or near terminal on abbreviated vein branches, discrete at maturity, circular, ± 1 mm in diameter; sporangium with 10–20 indurated annulus cells; indusium straw-coloured, peltate, round, rarely incomplete simple or often with a few central processes, 0.5–1 mm in diameter, persistent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Spores

Spores brown, ornamentation of tubercles, inflated or compressed reticulate ridges and some spines.

Figures

Figure 10: 5-6, figure 11:5

Ecology

Moist forest, less often in dry evergreen forest or bamboo, often near water; terrestrial or occasionally epiphytic; 1350–2700 m

Conservation

Widespread; least concern (LC)

Note

For the differences with the similar P. wilsonii, see the Note under that species.

Distribution

Flora districts: U1 U2 K1 K3 K4 K6 K7 T2 T3 T 4 , 6, T7 Range: Mt Cameroon and Bioko, mountains of E CongoKinshasa, S Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa