Lindsaea ensifolia

Images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record

Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH

Records and maps: Display species records Map species by: altitude rainfall geology Map species using Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Lindsaea membranaceae Kunze Schizolegnia ensifolia (Sw.) Alston Schizoloma ensifolia (Sw.) J. Sm.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizome creeping, c. 1.5-3 mm in diameter; rhizome scales dark brown, lanceolate, with a long drawn out point, up to 2.5 mm long, margins entire. Fronds spaced 1-3 cm apart, erect, herbaceous, glabrous. Stipe brown, shiny, up to 36 cm long, glabrous except for a few scales near the base, grooved. Lamina up to 45 × 22 cm, imparipinnate, roughly oblonceolate in outline; fresh smelling lightly of almonds when crushed. Pinnae 7.5-20 × 0.5-2 cm, narrowly oblong-lanceolate, shortly petiolate, base unequally cuneate, apex shortly tapering to slightly rounded, margin entire to shallowly lobed, veins forming 1-2 rows of areoles along each side of the costa, venation anastomosing. Sori linear, continuous along the fertile pinnae; indusium linear, semitransparent, opening outwards.
Notes:	Might superficially look a bit like Pteris cretica which has a shortly creeping rhizome with tufted fronds, pinnae with toothed margins, free veins and an indusium that opens inwards. Pteris cretica does not have a faint almond smell.
Derivation of specific name:	ensis: sword, folia: leaves; with swordlike leaves, referring to the long and tapering pinnae.
Habitat:	Low-altitude forest, usually in coastal swamp forest, on boggy ground or next to small streams in light shade.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 380 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pemba, Réunion, Seychelles, South africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and widely throughout southern Asia and the East Indies.
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. Page 182. (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 278 - 279. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 294 - 295. (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 7. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 95. (Includes a picture). Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 141. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Page 139. (Includes a picture).

Comments

comments powered by Disqus

Other sources of information about Lindsaea ensifolia:

Flora of Mozambique: Lindsaea ensifolia
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Lindsaea ensifolia
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Lindsaea ensifolia
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Lindsaea ensifolia
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Lindsaea ensifolia
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Lindsaea ensifolia
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Lindsaea ensifolia
JSTOR Plant Science: Lindsaea ensifolia
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Lindsaea ensifolia
Tropicos: Lindsaea ensifolia
West African Plants database: Lindsaea ensifolia