Asplenium gemmascens Alston (1956: 10)

Fischer, Eberhard & Lobin, Wolfram, 2023, Synoptic Revision of Aspleniaceae (Asplenium, Hymenasplenium) of Rwanda, Phytotaxa 608 (1), pp. 1-65 : 18

Asplenium gemmascens Alston (1956: 10) .

Holotype: — NIGERIA. Ogoja Province : grass plateau S escarpment, high forest, in soil, Ikwette-Balegette path, 29 December 1948, H.Savory & R.W.Keay FHI25201 ( BM000785456 [digital image!]).

Specimens seen:—Western Province: Nyungwe NP, road Pindura – border with Burundi, km 21, ± 1730 m, 27 July 1974, J.Rammeloo 4082 ( FI065577 ); Cyamudongo Forest, c. 1900 m, S2°33`21.65`` E28°59`09.12``, December 2021, E.Fischer & B.Dumbo s.n. ( KOBL) .

First recorded for Rwanda: — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 135).

Habitat: —Terrestrial in montane forest, elev. 1700–1900 m.

Distribution in Rwanda:—Western Province: Nyungwe NP, Cyamudongo Forest. Pindura – Bweyeye km 21.

General distribution: —Africa: Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, D.R. Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Angola.

Note: — Pichi Sermolli (1985: 135) assigned the specimen Rammeloo 4082 clearly to this species: „I have compared both the specimens of Rammeloo 4082 with the holotype and paratype of A. gemmascens kept in BM; they are smaller in size, but, otherwise, they agree with this species in all its essential characteristics and thus I confidently refer them to A. gemmascens “. A search at Rammeloo’s locality was without result, as road construction work has destroyed part of the vegetation, but we found a second locality in Cyamudongo Forest.