Nephrolepis Nephrolepis

Hovenkamp PH & Miyamoto F, 2005, A conspectus of the native and naturalized species of Nephrolepis (Nephrolepidaceae) in the world, Blumea 50, pp. 279-322 : 286-288

NEPHROLEPIS

Nephrolepis Schott (1834) pl. 3 ; Backer & Posth. (1939) 88; Copel. (1947) 90; Holttum (1968) 372; Copel. (1958) 184; Tagawa & K. Iwats. (1985) 170; Proctor (1989) 259; Nauman (1992) 286; G.H. Bell (1998) 440; Mickel & A.R. Sm. (2004) 403. - Type: Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott.

Leptopleuria C. Presl (1836) 136, pl. 5, f. 9-11 . - Type: Leptopleuria abrupta (Bory) C. Presl

Terrestrial or epiphytic ferns, bearing.basifix, pseudopeltate or peltate scales on all parts. Rhizome consisting of long creeping or pendent protostelic runners bearing roots and erect dictyostelic radial stems bearing fronds and runners. Fronds not articulated to the rhizome, stipitate, pinnate, often not forming an apical pinna or segment, scales on fronds often inconspicuous or deciduous, catenate hairs sometimes present. Pinnae articulated to the midrib, sessile, often with unequal base, margin usually crenate or serrate, apex rounded to acuminate, venation free, 1 or 2 (or 3) times furcate except in the most basal vein-group, free veins ending before the margin in a hydathode.

Sori terminal on the acroscopic vein-branch (rarely innervated by 2 veins), medial to marginal, indusiate, indusium reniform to lunulate or linear, glabrous. Sporangia long-stalked, glabrous, 0.2-0.24 by 0.15-0.18 mm, with (11 –)13(– 16) indurated annulus cells. Spores 27 –35(– 39) µm, elongate, monolete, brown, variously verrucate to tuberculate or rugose.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Indusia broad, lunulate, or linear................................... 2

b. Indusia reniform, with wide or narrow sinuses........................ 10

2a. Basal scales bicolorous, each with dark brown or blackish central part...... 3

b. Basal scales concolorous, central parts straw-coloured, light brown or rufous 4

3a. Basal scales shining; rachis scales without a distinctly protracted acumen........................................................ 16. N. pendula

b. Basal scales dull; rachis scales with a well-developed acumen 15. N. pectinata

4a. Sori medial to submarginal........................................ 5

b. Sori marginal................................................... 7

5a. Pinnae with acute apex; rachis scales hyaline.............. 19. N. undulata

b. Pinnae with rounded or obtuse apex; rachis scales light brown to dark...... 6

6a. Rachis scales dark; pinna-base fully one-sided, basiscopically base narrowly cuneate; basal scales with entire acumen............... 13. N. lauterbachii

b. Rachis scales light brown; pinna-base slightly to strongly unequal, basiscopically rounded or cordate; basal scales usually with denticulate acumen.............................................................. 5. N. cordifolia

7a. Sori linear; basal scales squarrose, with light brown central part 2. N. acutifolia

b. Sori round or elongated; basal scales appressed, spreading or sometimes squarrose, with rufous central part........................................... 8

8a. Indusium attached at base and sides; basal scales dull, with microscopic marginal glands around the scale, with entire or dentate acumen; rachis scales dark, with entire or dentate acumen............................... 6. N. davalliae

b. Indusium attached at broad base; basal scales shining, without marginal glands, with ciliate or fmbriate acumen; rachis scales hyaline to rufous, with ciliate acumen 9

9a. Pinna apex acuminate to caudate; pinna margin in basal part entire......................................................... 8. N. dicksonioides

b. Pinna apex rounded, obtuse or acute; pinna margin in basal part crenate.......................................................... 1. N. abrupta

10a. Plants scrambling, runners modified into thick scrambling ones and thinner, tendril-like or root bearing ones; rachis scales distinctly bullate when dry.......................................................... 17. N. radicans

b. Plants not scrambling, runners not modified; rachis scales flat when dry... 11

11a. Basal scales spreading or squarrose................................ 12

b. Basal scales appressed.......................................... 14

12a. Indusium with wide sinus; lamina base strongly reduced; basal scales dull....

.................................................... 9. N. exaltata

b. Indusium with narrow sinus; lamina base truncate or moderately reduced; basal scales shining................................................. 13

13 a. Basal scales with rufous or dark brown central part; pinna-base strongly unequal; rachis scales with spreading to erect marginal appendages, giving the rachis a ʻscabrousʼ look...................................... 18. N. rivularis

b. Basal scales with light brown central part; pinna-base equal or slightly unequal; rachis scales appressed or spreading..................... 3. N. biserrata

14a. Basal scales dull; rachis scales very sparse or sparse, appressed, without a distinctly protracted acumen; scales on lamina absent or sometimes present........ 15

b. Basal scales shining; rachis scales dense to very dense, spreading to squarrose, with a well-developed protracted acumen; scales on lamina usually persistent 16

15a. Rachis scales very sparse, inconspicuous, hyaline; pinnae not auricled; sori marginal............................................. 14. N. obliterata

b. Rachis scales sparse, dark and conspicuous when present; pinnae slightly to distinctly auricled; sori submarginal...................... 11. N. falciformis

16a. Sterile pinnae strongly auricled; basal scales with distinct, wide hyaline margin............................................................. 17

b. Sterile pinnae auricled or not; basal scales with hyaline margin narrow or present in lower part only.............................................. 18

17a. Hairs on upper side of costae absent; rachis scales rufous, with strongly dentate acumen; sori submarginal............................. 12. N. hirsutula

b. Hairs on upper side of costa present; rachis scales hyaline or light brown (rarely rufous), with nearly entire acumen; sori submedial........... 4. N. brownii

18a. Rachis scales dark, with entire acumen; lamina base strongly reduced; pinna-base strongly unequal, acroscopically truncate, slightly to distinctly auricled; sori submarginal, not on teeth.................................. 10. N. falcata

b. Rachis scales hyaline or with a dark, acicular, often ciliate acumen; lamina base truncate; pinna-base slightly unequal, acroscopically emarginate to cuneate, not auricled; sori marginal, often on separate teeth........... 7. N. davallioides