| Home | > | List of families | > | Lygodiaceae | > | Lygodium | > | microphyllum |
| Synonyms: |
Lygodium scandens Sw. var. microphyllum (Cav.) Bonap. Lygodium scandens sensu Hook. & Baker Ugena microphylla Cav. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | Rare |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Climbing fern. Rhizome creeping, rhizome scales linear, blackish-brown. Fronds spaced apart. Stipe and rhachis of an elongated frond function as the climbing stem, from which short secondary rhachises with an opposing pair of pinnae arise, apical bud densely covered with short brown hairs. Pinnae oblong, pinnate, glabrous. Sterile pinnules attenuate, up to 4.5 × 1.3 cm, oblong-lanceolate, base cordate, apex acute to rounded, margins minutely lobed. Fertile pinnules broadly lanceolate to oblong, base square, up to 3.5 × 2.5 cm with numerous protuding fertile lobes, up to 12 mm long; sporangia 10-12 pairs, arranged in 2 rows along the margins. |
| Notes: | According to J.E.Burrows (1990), Schelpe (1970) and Roux (2009) not in Zimbabwe, only close to the coast in Mozambique and South Africa.
Differs from L. kerstenii by having glabrous pinnule veins and less divided pinnae (pinnate pinnae). |
| Derivation of specific name: | microphyllum: small-leaved; unclear reference, no parts of the frond are smaller than that of other Lygodium species. |
| Habitat: | Moist conditions along the margins of evergreen montane and riverine forest. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 50 - 1500 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | South Africa, through Mozambique and up the coast into much of tropical Africa; also in Asia, Australia and Polynesia. |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | E |
| Growth form: | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects (whose larvae eat this species): | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 60 - 61. (Includes a picture). Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 180 - 181. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 179 - 181. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Page 41. 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 8. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 50. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 53 - 54. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Page 57. (Includes a picture). |
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