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Asplenium cordatum
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Photo: Petra Ballings
Maleme dam, Matobo N.P.
Photo: Petra Ballings
Maleme dam, Matobo N.P.
Photo: Petra Ballings
Besna Kobila
Photo: Petra Ballings
Besna Kobila
Photo: Petra Ballings
Besna Kobila
Photo: Petra Ballings
Along Fort Usher Road, Matobo
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| Synonyms: |
Acrostichum cordatum Thunb. Ceterach cordatum (Thunb.) Desv. Grammitis cordata (Thunb.) Sw. Gymnogramma cordata (Thunb.) Schltdl. var. namaquensis (Pappe & Rawson) Sim Gymnogramma namaquensis Pappe & Rawson |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Rhizome erect or procumbent, 3-6 mm in diameter, scales dark brown, up to 4.5 mm long, lanceolate, tapering, margin paler. Fronds not proliferous, tufted, erect. Stipe short, up to 60 mm long, dark chestnut brown; scales shining, lanceolate, c. 3.5 mm. Lamina 2-15 × 1-5 cm, shallowly to deeply 2-pinnatifid, elliptic to oblanceolate in outline, subcoriaceous, inrolled when dry; basal pinnae gradually decrescent. Pinnae free, oblong-lanceolate, margins irregularly scalloped to incised, apex bluntly acute, base heart-shaped, undersurface very densely covered with pale reddish-brown scales. Rhachis not winged between pinnae; scales dark chestnut brown, lanceolate, 3mm long. Sori linear, up to 2 mm long, hardly visible because of the covering scales, exindusiate. |
| Notes: | Until recently all Southern African ceterachoid aspleniums were treated as a single taxon displaying a lot of variation, now 2 other species are recognized in our region: A. capense and A. phillipsianum. These are herbacious, with a less divided lamina, they have pinnae that are completely or partialy attached to the rachis, a rachis that is completely or partialy winged and sori that are much better visible because of sparse scale covering.
Can also be confused with Mohria; A. cordatum has linear sori that are hardly visible through the scales. |
| Derivation of specific name: | cordatum: heart-shaped, referring to the two basal lobes of the pinna. |
| Habitat: | In a wide variety of habitats where it is often found in rock crevices or beneath boulders, sheltered from sun and wind. Terrestrial or lithophyte. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 50 - 2590 m |
| Worldwide distribution: | Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
| Growth form(s): | Lithophyte, terrestrial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Saturday 11 February 2012 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 255 - 256. (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 582 - 583. (Includes a picture). Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds) (2003). Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 Page 67. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 379 - 380. 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 157. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 82 - 83. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 188 - 189. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 15. |
Other sources of information about Asplenium cordatum:
Our websites:
Flora of Botswana: Asplenium cordatumExternal websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Asplenium cordatumBHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Asplenium cordatum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Asplenium cordatum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Asplenium cordatum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Asplenium cordatum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Asplenium cordatum
JSTOR Plant Science: Asplenium cordatum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Asplenium cordatum
Plants of the World Online: Asplenium cordatum
Tropicos: Asplenium cordatum
Wikipedia: Asplenium cordatum
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