Asplenium lobatum Pappe & Rawson

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Asplenium lobatum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Castleburn Forest, Vumba

Asplenium lobatum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Cloudlands, Vumba

Asplenium lobatum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani National Park

Asplenium lobatum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Road from Mt Selinda to Espungabera border post

Asplenium lobatum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Road from Mt Selinda to Espungabera border post

Asplenium lobatum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Road from Mt Selinda to Espungabera border post

Asplenium lobatum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Nyanga area

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

Synonyms: Asplenium erectum Bory ex Willd. var. gracile (Pappe & Rawson) Tardieu
Asplenium erectum Bory ex Willd. var. lobatum (Pappe & Rawson) Sim
Asplenium gracile Pappe & Rawson
Asplenium lobatum Pappe & Rawson var. pseudoabyssinicum Schelpe & N.C. Anthony
Common names:
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Rhizome erect, up to 7 mm diameter; scales up to 6 mm long, lanceolate, attenuate, pale brown. Fronds tufted, not proliferous or occasionally proliferous at the base of the lamina. Stipe up to 23 cm, stipe and rhachis matt brown, glabrous. Lamina 15-40 cm × 4-15 cm, 2-pinnate to 4-pinnatifid, narrowly lanceolate-elliptic in outline, lower pinnae variously reduced. Pinnae glabrous, incised into rhombic pinnules that are divided into 2- to 3-fid or linear acute lobes.  Sori linear to oblong (oval when dehisced), not marginal, 2-6 per pinnule, indusium entire. 
Notes: Differs from similar species by having oval, not marginal sori and gradually decrescent basal pinnae. It can be distinguished from A. varians by having a more dissected lamina and more rounded lobe margins.
Burrows, J.E. (1990) and Crouch N.R. et al. (2011), distinguish 2 varieties: var. lobatum is 2-pinnate (to 3-pinnatifid), has 2-5 pairs of basal pinnae reduced and is not gemmiferous; var. pseudoabyssinicum is 3-pinnate to 4-pinnatifid, basal pinnae are not reduced and is often gemmiferous on the stipe.
Derivation of specific name: lobatum: lobed; this fern has a separate acroscopic lobe on each pinnule
Habitat: Deeply shaded forest floor in evergreen forest. Terrestrial or lithophyte.
Altitude range: (metres) 920 - 1900 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, also Madagascar
Zimbabwe distribution: E,S
Growth form:
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Tuesday 25 October 2011
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 240 - 242. (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 636 - 639. (Includes a picture).

Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 349 - 350. (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 167.

Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 89.

Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Page 177. (Includes a picture).


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Other sources of information about Asplenium lobatum:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings, 2002-13

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. & Ballings, P. (2013). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Asplenium lobatum.
http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=102580, retrieved 26 May 2013

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