Blechnum australe L.
subsp. australe

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

Photo: Petra Ballings
BR

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:	Blechnum australe L. var. aberrans N.C.Anthony & Schelpe Lomaria australis (L.) Link Mesothema australe (L.) C.Presl Spicanta australis (L.) Kuntze
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizome thin, creeping widely, ending in a thickened, erect portion; scales dark brown, ovate-acuminate, up to 7 mm long, margins entire. Fronds tufted, dimorphic. Stipe 7-15 cm long, pale brown and glabrous at maturity. Sterile lamina 28-56 cm × 3.5-13 cm, pinnate with reduced basal pinnae and narrowly elliptic in outline; pinnae lanceolate, joined to the rhachis at least basally, glabrous or thinly grandular with entire margins and a mucronate apex. Fertile lamina usually longer than the sterile lamina; pinnae linear, with the bases remaining lobed, basal pinnae often not fertile. Sori linear, limited to the middle part of the fertile lamina; indusium continuous.
Notes:	B. australe can be distinguished from B. punctulatum by fertile fronds that are generaly longer than sterile ones, sori that are present only in the central pinna region and the adnate to sessile base of the pinnae in the sterile lamina. B. australe also has sharply pointed pinna tips or mucronate pinna bases.
Derivation of specific name:	australe: southern, of the south (botanists thought this fern to be limited to the southern areas of Africa)
Habitat:	Terrestrial in forest margins or lithophyte in rock crevices or at base of boulders along mountain streams, half shade.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 2000 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	From Kenya and Tanzania southwards to Namibia and S Africa; also Madagascar, Tristan da Cuñha, Gough and Ascension Islands.
Zimbabwe distribution:	E
Growth form:	TeLp
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 17 February 2007
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 335 - 336. (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 742 - 743. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 469 - 471. (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 5. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 154. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 102. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Page 240.

Comments

comments powered by Disqus

Other sources of information about Blechnum australe:

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

Blechnum australe L. subsp. australe