Didymochlaena spinulosa
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Photo: Petra Ballings
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
Photo: Petra Ballings
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
Photo: Petra Ballings
BR
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| Synonyms: |
Didymochlaena truncatula sensu auct. Lindsaea spinulosa Brause |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Rhizome erect, forming a short caudex up to 25 cm in diameter; rhizome scales up to 20 mm long, pale to dark brown, subentire. Fronds tufted, erect to arching, firmly herbaceous to coriaceous, up to 2.5 m long. Stipe up to 60 cm long, straw-coloured, set with reddish-brown, twisted scales up to 1 cm long. Lamina up to 2 × 0.5 m, bipinnate, oblong-elliptic in outline, with a pinnate apical segment. Pinnae alternate, spaced apart, shortly petiolate, up to 25 × 4 cm, narrowly oblong, pinnate into 26 pairs of pinnules. Pinnules dimidiate, almost rectangular in outline, shortly petiolate, articulated, apex rounded to truncate, lower margin entire, upper margin irregular to toothed, hairless, deep glossy green above, paler below. Rhachis and secondary rhachis straw-coloured with pale brown scales. Sori 1-6 per pinnule, broadly elliptic, sometimes deeply sunk into the lamina, set close to the upper margin; indusia peltate, brown with pale rims and with a narrowly elongated stalk, entire. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: |
African populations were formerly placed under D. truncatula but that taxon, sensu strico, is now restricted to Asia. D. spinulosa can not easily be confused with other ferns; it has very characteristic almost rectangular pinnules with a dimidiate and entire lower margin and an irregularly crenate upper margin. Occurrence in Zambia based only on Roux (2001, 2009). |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Deeply shaded moist situations in wet evergreen forest, along margins of streams. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Tropical Africa and subtropical southern Africa; also known from Madagascar. |
| FZ divisions: | |
| Zambian distribution (Provinces): | |
| Growth form(s): | Terrestrial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 299 - 300. as Didymochlaena truncatula (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 98. as Didymochlaena truncatula Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 28. as Didymochlaena truncatula (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 20. as Didymochlaena truncatula Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 486 - 487. as Didymochlaena truncatula (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 10. as Didymochlaena truncatula Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 25. as Didymochlaena truncatula Fischer E. & Lobin W. (2024). Checklist of Lycopodiopsida (clubmosses and quillworts) and Polypodiopsida (ferns) of Rwanda. Willdenowia 53(3) Page 160. as Didymochlaena truncatula Fischer, E. & Killmann, D. (2008). Illustrated Field guide to the Plants of Nyungwe National Park Rwanda. University of Koblenz-Landau. Page 86. as Didymochlaena truncatula (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 432 - 433. as Didymochlaena truncatula (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 6. as Didymochlaena truncatula Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 31. as Didymochlaena truncatula Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 131. as Didymochlaena truncatula (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 119. as Didymochlaena truncatula Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Page 220. as Didymochlaena truncatula (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Didymochlaena spinulosa:
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Flora of Burundi: Didymochlaena spinulosaFlora of the DRC: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Flora of Malawi: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Flora of Mozambique: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Flora of Rwanda: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Flora of Zimbabwe: Didymochlaena spinulosa
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Didymochlaena spinulosaAfrican Plant Database: Didymochlaena spinulosa
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Didymochlaena spinulosa
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Didymochlaena spinulosa
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Didymochlaena spinulosa
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iNaturalist: Didymochlaena spinulosa
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Didymochlaena spinulosa
JSTOR Plant Science: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Plants of the World Online: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Tropicos: Didymochlaena spinulosa
Wikipedia: Didymochlaena spinulosa